Math Without Borders Home Study Companions

Pair a well-loved high school math series (Foersters) with video instruction and you have a winning combination. Math Without Borders Home Study Companions provide an element of confidence; the conviction that a challenging high school math course is completely manageable. Why? You have a teacher in your corner. One who calmly and clarifyingly teaches math. Initially programs were on thumb drives, but all have transitioned over to digital downloads. The videos provide electronic whiteboard presentations to accompany the textbook lessons plus worked solutions to selected assigned problems.

The Paul Foerster math courses are considered an excellent choice for college prep math, but were not as readily available. Sometimes, it was even hard to get an answer key. David Chandler and Math Without Borders changes all that. These excellent courses (the geometry uses "Geometry: A Guided Inquiry") provide a quality, college-prep, high school scope and sequence and they are do-able in a homeschool setting even if mom is a mathophobe.

The idea is to read the day's lesson, then watch the video. Use half of the lesson problems as a daily assignment; use the remainder if additional practice is needed. The Math Without Borders videos include explanatory videos plus worked problem solutions for either select problems or the even problems. These solutions can be used to get over a roadblock. Many of the courses include a Resources File which provides spreadsheets and material referred to in the lessons.

Each course includes material on how to set up the course, what texts to use and how to use them, as well as links for obtaining suggested free software downloads. Some courses include printable pdf material.

Although a mentoring approach to assessment is encouraged, Mr. Chandler does provide suggestions for material that can be used as self-tests or assessments. ~ Janice

Algebra I text is Algebra I: Expressions, Equations, and Applications by Paul Foerster (Prentice Hall Classics edition). The odd-numbered problems have answers given at the back of the book (use these for homework). Lessons are useful with older editions of the text.

Geometry text is Geometry: A Guided Inquiry by Chakerian, Crabill, and Stein. (several publishers and different printings but all with identical content). Demonstration files from the lessons require a free program Geogebra - (available as download).

Algebra 2 with Trigonometry text is Algebra and Trigonometry: Functions and Applications by Paul Foerster (Prentice Hall Classics edition). Mr. Chandler notes that trigonometry is rarely taught as a separate course anymore but rather paired with either Algebra 2 or Precalculus. Paul Foerster includes it in both courses. Math Without Borders strongly suggests that taking both courses (don't skip the Precalculus course) is recommended because work leading up to calculus is foundational for later math courses and mathematically based professions. Lessons are useful with older editions of the text.

Precalculus text is Precalculus with Trigonometry: Concepts and Applications, 3^rd ed. by Paul Foerster (copyright 2012). Lessons are useful with older editions of the text.

Calculus text is Calculus: Concepts and Applications, 2^nd ed. by Paul Foerster (copyright 2005). Lessons are useful with older editions of the text. Non-Calculus Based Physics text is Schaum's Outline of College Physics (12th Ed.)