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Learn Math Fast System

Learn Math Fast System

The Learn Math Fast System is a unique approach for teaching math that condenses the process while still stressing conceptual understanding. Presented in only four volumes, the content covers the essential math content for grades 1 through 8. Books are printed in black-and-white with a limited number of illustrations, yet they are easy on the eyes with a large casual-style font.

Volume I begins by using pennies that you supply to teach math fact families, covering both addition and subtraction. By page 79, it has covered up through four-digit addends, minuends, and subtrahends along with the skills of carrying and borrowing. It continues through multiplication and division, also teaching these together since they are so closely related. It teaches up through long division with two-digit divisors. Decimals are taught in this section, and they are sometimes included in the divisor or dividend of a problem. Basic computation skills are covered in the first three of four chapters. Interestingly, students need to memorize only eleven math facts since the rest are covered by “tricks” taught through this system. The smaller fourth chapter has four lessons on standard measurements.

A student completing the first volume will have covered the most important math skills taught through third grade. There are no diversions to cover geometry, graphs, the calendar, telling time or other topics typically thrown into the mix for the primary grades. With only 199 pages of text, worksheets, and tests this is an efficient way to cover basic computation skills.

Because of its design, I think Volume I will probably be great for gifted learners who are ready to plow ahead with math and for older students who have not done well with other math programs and need an efficient way to get up to speed.

There are frequent work sheets and occasional timed tests. Each chapter concludes with a test, and there is a final test. Answers for worksheets and tests are at the back of the book. Answers for the timed tests are on a laminated card in a pocket at the back of the book. The answer key has a substantial number of pages, but you might need to remove those pages if your child might be tempted to look at answers while working on worksheets or tests. Worksheets and tests often have lesson material on the reverse side so you cannot remove those pages. The publisher is aware of this issue and has made printable worksheets and tests for each volume available for free on its website. (The publisher generously authorizes you to reuse books over and over if you wish, so if you choose to photocopy worksheets or tests, that would be allowed.) If you have an older student who is serious about learning, they might work through the book independently, writing directly in the book and self-checking as they go, but this is rarely the situation.

Volume II uses money to explain fractions, quickly moving through decimals which were already introduced in the first volume, and continuing through percentages. It concludes with a final chapter on positive and negative numbers. With 116 pages of text, worksheets, and tests, students can complete this book rather quickly if they grasp the concepts, yet it covers key concepts taught in both grades 4 and 5.

Volume III teaches pre-algebra concluding with a final chapter that offers in-depth instruction on slopes and intercepts. Again, this is accomplished in only 119 pages of text, worksheets, and tests. Content of this book is similar to some of what you find in other texts for grades six, seven, and eight, and it goes farther than most in its instruction on slopes and intercept.

Volume IV teaches basic geometry, reversing the typical coverage of pre-algebra to before rather than after introductory geometry. This enables the text to apply algebraic skills in geometry, although they are not required very often in the relatively brief 105 pages of text in this volume. A small kit of manipulatives comes with this text to help provide a more concrete learning experience. The final chapter of this book addresses the metric system. The content of this book reflects geometry instruction that shows up in grades 3 through 7 in other texts.

Learn Algebra Fast will be the next book in this series. Using this system, students should be ready to tackle algebra at least by eighth grade if not sooner. The thorough and clear explanations might also make this an appealing option for parents with a poor math background who need to learn right along with their children.

There are free placement tests on the publisher's website, and free phone or email support is available to those who have purchased the system.