Algebra Survival Guide: A Conversational Handbook for the Thoroughly Befuddled

by Josh Rappaport

Singing Turtle Press

This user-friendly and efficient Algebra 1 course covers topics similar to other first year algebra courses: properties, sets, positive/negative numbers, order of operations, absolute value, exponents, radicals, factoring, canceling, equations, coordinate planes, and word problems. Using both the textbook and workbook, there are plenty of practice problems although the course lacks the continual review found in most courses.

Using a question and answer format, Rappaport explains concepts in the simple language he developed from years of tutoring experience. He also shows why concepts work so students move beyond memorization of the steps to a fuller grasp of concepts.

A few practice problems follow each explanation. Answers are printed upside down on the same page. Students should then shift to the workbook where practice problems for each section are easily identified. Answers to workbook problems are in the back of that book and might easily be removed if you don’t want to tempt your student to look up answers before solving problems.

Bold, jazzy black-and-white graphics also put both text and workbook in a totally separate category from traditional math texts. At the end of the book, in addition to the traditional glossary and index you will find a fold-out game board that can be used as a practice tool.

The price for the course is a fraction of some others. Use some of the money you save for a supplement like one of the Critical Thinking Company’s Algebra Word Problems books so students get review and practice with previously mastered topics.