Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion math textbooks complaint

Ok, so this is more of a rant, but I've about had it with these expensive textbooks that (one) have errors and (two) make you do all sorts of convoluted things to get to an answer.

I suspect that the textbook questions are computer generated or something. Or else why would you be asked to solve simultaneous equations by graphing and get answers like 1.72 and 2.46. Seriously who can graph something and get those answers?

Anyone on here care to defend these textbooks? No wonder people get math phobia when solving a simple equation results in you needing to divide 5/12 by 4/7. Really? Why isn't math more problem solving? Where you figure out what the equations should be and you get a solution that is meaningful? Instead, my kids in algebra get these stupid lists of equations to solve that have no application, no purpose, and no history behind them.

OK, I'm done. Feels better. A little.

Anyone on here care to defend these textbooks?

Rhetorical, right?

(I thought so. Just checking. )

I've seen that graphing thing! I told DS "this can't possibly be what they want you to do, because nobody is going to do that with a graphing problem!" Needless to say, it probably was exactly what they wanted him to do. I just figured I'd forgotten something over the years.

I think they assume you are using a calculator - even maybe a graphing calculator. Because of this they have to make the questions ridiculously convoluted.

I dunno... I'm a scientist and I have equations that end up with numbers like that all the time in real life. Just because a number isn't a simple-to-figure out fraction doesn't mean it's not meaningful

polarbear

i vote for calculators.
that is the norm, most req calculators starting in algebra