The texts are based on the premise that students learn math best by solving problems - lots of problems - and preferably difficult problems that they don't already know how to solve. Most sections, therefore, begin by presenting problems and letting students intuit solutions BEFORE explaining ways to solve them. Even if they find ways to answer the problems, they should read the rest of the section to see if their answer is correct and if theirs is the best or most efficient way to solve that type of problem. Textual instruction, then, is given in the context of these problems, explaining how to best approach and solve them.
Throughout the text there are also special, blue-shaded boxes highlighting key concepts, important things to retain (like formulas), warnings for potential problem-solving pitfalls, side notes, and bogus solutions (these demonstrate misapplications). There are exercises at the end of most sections to see if the student can apply what's been learned. Review problems at the end of each chapter test understanding for that chapter. If a student has trouble with these, he should go back and re-read the chapter. Each chapter ends with a set of Challenge Problems that go beyond the learned material. Successful completion of these sets demonstrates a high degree of mastery.
A unique feature in this series is the hints section at the back of the book. These are intended to give a little help to selected problems, usually the very difficult ones (marked with stars). In this way, students can get a little push in the right direction, but still have to figure out the solution for themselves. complete solutions and explanations to all the exercises, review problems and challenge problems are found in the separate solution manual (051940).
A comprehensive textbook covering precalculus topics. Specific topics covered include trigonometry, complex numbers, vectors, and matrices. Includes many problems from the AIME and USAMO competitions.
Precalculus is part of the acclaimed Art of Problem Solving curriculum designed to challenge high-performing middle and high school students. Precalculus covers trigonometry, complex numbers, vectors, and matrices. It includes nearly 1000 problems, ranging from routine exercises to extremely challenging problems drawn from major mathematics competitions such as the American Invitational Mathematics Exam and the USA Mathematical Olympiad. Almost half of the problems have full, detailed solutions in the text, and the rest have full solutions in the accompanying Solutions Manual.
As with all of the books in Art of Problem Solving's Introduction and Intermediate series, Precalculus is structured to inspire the reader to explore and develop new ideas. Each section starts with problems, so the student has a chance to solve them without help before proceeding. The text then includes solutions to these problems, through which new techniques are taught. Important facts and powerful problem solving approaches are highlighted throughout the text.
Paperback (2nd edition) Text: 528 pages. Solutions: 272 pages.
The intermediate series picks up where the introductory series leaves off. Please read that description (immediately preceding this one) as it applies to this series as well. Note that all AOPS books are intended for high-performing (motivated) math students. These are rigorous texts that require a high level of commitment from students, but the benefits are worth the extra effort. For comparison, this curriculum is more advanced than Saxon and rather like Life of Fred on steroids. It is like LOF in that often, teaching takes place through problem solving, even in the solutions to the problems. These books are huge compared to the LOF volumes which are, even then, largely devoted to the story of Fred's life. Math in LOF is taught in that context; we understand that Fred needs to calculate the derivative of a stock market equation in order to invest his penny while the slope is increasing AND why discovering that vertical asymptote resulted in his becoming a millionaire. Here, the heart of the course is the problem-solving. Virtually all of the text is devoted to this. Students are preparing for problem-solving competitions here and learning techniques and strategies to win. The other MAJOR difference is the amazing, complete solution manual provided in the AOPS curriculum. After working in LOF Calculus with Stephen, I REALLY appreciate having more than just an answer (honestly, it would be nice to not have to work through the problems myself when a question arises-call me lazy).
Students beginning this series should have either completed the Introductory level or, if coming from another curriculum, have completed Algebra I and Geometry at a minimum. Even then, they should take the diagnostic test for AOPS Introduction to Algebra and only tackle Intermediate Algebra if indicated. After completing Intermediate Algebra, students can choose to take either Intermediate Counting & Probability or Precalculus next, or do both simultaneously. Both should be completed before beginning Calculus. A brief description of courses appears below; see our website Table of Contents pages for a more complete scope and sequence.
Covers complex numbers, vectors, matrices, and trigonometry at a deeper level than a typical high school course.
| Product Format: | Softcover Book |
|---|---|
| Brand: | Art of Problem Solving |
| Grades: | 9-12 |
| ISBN: | 9781934124260 |
| Length in Inches: | 11 |
| Width in Inches: | 8.4375 |
| Height in Inches: | 1 |
| Weight in Pounds: | 2.6875 |
