Intermediate Algebra (8th Edition)

Rating:
Summary: A Terrific Sequel to Beginning Algebra.
Review: After having completed a course in Beginning Algebra, the next textbook, Intermediate Algebra really smoothed everything out. The topics it covers are basically quite the same as Beginning Algebra (same author), but it goes into deeper depth that are peasy to pick up (especially with the examples in the start of each section). One thing I particularly like about Lial and Hornsby mathematics textbooks are the summaries they provide at the end of each chapter you complete. They give a concept covered in the chapter, a couple of examples, and therefore serve as a revision page before a test or exam.

Rating:
Summary: Thorough but overkill
Review: I absolutely agree with the review by Stephen Armstrong below. It doesn't take 50 - 100 problems for the average student to grasp a simple, basic algebraic concept. I see no reason for this book to be over 700 pages; the authors clearly ignored the need for simplicity and relevance in presenting their material. Of the several books I've used for algebra, this one has the most distracting presentation. It's hard to figure out what really matters and where the student should focus. And it's hard to discern how the concepts presented relate to each other. It seems that in the authors' desire to be thorough, they lost perspective.

Rating:
Summary: EXCELLANTO
Review: I HELPED MY SON WITH HIS HOMEWORK AND PERSONALLY FOUND THAT I WAS IMPRESSED WITH THIS BOOK. VERY GOOD BOOK, VERY IMPRESSIVE LAYOUT.

Rating:
Summary: A problem-centered math text...
Review: Lial and Hornsby have written a college-level intermediate algebra text that demonstrates the best and the worst of US math instruction. On the positive side, this is a lavishly produced book: great detail, lots of graphs and clearly ordered explanations, excellent colors, nearly 1 1/4 inches thick with what they consider the 11 essentials of intermediate algebra (listed above in the Amazon.com notes). The books comes from Addison-Wesley-Longman, from which you can purchase an integrated set of videos and CD-ROM of testing problems (not used or viewed for this review). Theirs truly is a work of love. On the other hand, they represent the most tedious part of American math instruction, which is interminable problems--5,921, to be exact--which roll through the book, section after section. Their extraordinary work makes me wonder how any college math teacher in a 3-credit course could hope to get through 2% of the problems in a semester. Many of the problems are repetitious, going over the same features (of problem solving) again and again. I fear that only the grinds and math gearheads will appreciate this.

Even more worrisome, however, is the absence of conceptual integration, other than that these 11 topics are "important" if you want to go to advanced algebra or college geometry. The one pertinent conceptual comment was that polynomials are to algebra as numbers are to arithmetic, but the authors never followed up on this. It is not clear, for example, why inverse functions are related (or not) to conic sections. The handling of systems of linear equations borrowed liberally from matrix algebra, but the authors chose not to demonstrate more general solutions and stuck with solving the problems "manually."

More than concepts in math, American students know how to solve problems, which presumably is why this book, reflecting its intended audience, is so problem-saturated. Even so, when we test our best students against the best from other countries, we do not fare too well. Perhaps it is because we ignore the structure of the thinking in math, and substitute problem-solving instead. The result is that attentive students will know the notes, and some will know the notes quite well, but not the music.

Rating:
Summary: Helps a lot
Review: This is a terrific book. It makes me feel that I shouldn't bother to attend my math class in school. The book explains concepts clearly. You don't even need a mentor. You can manage the book all by yourself, for the book itself is your teacher, your mentor. There is an abundance of exercises for you to practise. They never run out of it. It makes you feel that math is fun. It is the simply the best way to learn math. The best part of the book is the review after every chapter. I can learn back whatever I've missed. I'm an 8th grader only, but I can still manage the 2nd year of high school algebra. The book has helped a lot. The book is perfect for talented 8th graders.

Rating:
Summary: See the eighth edition
Review: which replaces this one...