How to Solve Word Problems in Algebra: A Solved Problem Approach

by Mildred Johnson

Book Overview

Provides a simple approach to learning the mechanics of word-problem solving. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0070326312
• ISBN13: 9780070326316
• Release Date: January 1992
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies
• Length: 166 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

This book has been needed for YEARS!

You can be good at algebra and still fail at all the word problems that are set up to test your algebra skills. Word problems require their own study and practice separate from the usual daily algebra lesson. Usually, students are accustomed to learning one algebra concept in a day's lesson and then they go on to drilling through algebra equations that are already set up for them. The lesson and drill focuses on the algebraic operations, so that's all the students are learning. Word problems require the student to perform logical reasoning in setting up the equations before they can apply their algebra skills, and therein lies the problem. Most students spend all their time developing algebra skills solving equations and no time developing the logical reasoning skills that are needed to formulate an equation in the first place. Once the algebra lesson is over and they drill through several exercises, a few word problems are thrown at them at the end and they're told "you should be able to do this." WRONG!In my opinion, the best way to develop the skills necessary for solving word problems is to treat it as a separate lesson and drill. This book does exactly that and does it better than any book I've seen in my life! For the first time in my life I actually enjoyed doing word problems. This book makes solving algebra word problems as fun and addicting as solving a jigsaw puzzle, and you develop great reasoning skills along the way without even realizing it.This is a great book and I hope the authors continue to expand on it adding more problems, colors, diagrams, detailed explanations, etc.I recommend this book HIGHLY to anyone who has to deal with solving algebra word problems.

Excellent book with structure and sense

I bought this book (and about ten others) this summer to help my children improve their algebra word problem skills. The book does a great job of providing a structure by offering mini-algorithms for solving common algebra problems such as mixtures, time and distance, coin mixes. Each problem is superbly explained with a system that child can at first use to solve the problem even though he/she is not actually "getting" it. However, they do get it soon enough. I did each chapter with my children and then had them do the test problems. The exercise problems are a bit tough and could have been simpler. In fact I ended up making supplementry problems to help them ease into the concepts. But no matter, I still consider this book heads above others. This book is a must even if your child is doing well in math.Charan Langton, Author of The Reading Lesson - Teach your child to read in 20 Easy Lessons.

Very logical! Very Easy!

I have taught Algebra and Algebra II to high school and middle school students now for five years. Many teachers I know have simply skipped many of the word problems because they are too difficult to teach. That practice has never set well with me, yet I have not been able to do better at teaching this difficult subject. My own difficulty in explaining the procedure stems from the fact that Algebra comes so easily to me. I sometimes unknowingly skip steps, or I will solve a similar problem in a different manner because I see a shortcut.I bought this book last year, hoping that I can find a systematic way of explaining how to solve common algebraic word problems. What this book has enabled me to do is put a consistent, algorithmic, logical structure to common problems in Algebra. Many, many more of my students have been able to tackle word problems successfully.I was so impressed with this book that I shared it with colleagues who have now embraced it with enthusiasm.

Excellent supplement for Algebra Textbooks

As an algebra teacher for 30 years, having taught at the junior high, high school and college levels, I have observed that students struggle with word problems more consistently than any other area. This book is the best source I've seen for alleviating some of the stress and difficulties students have with word problems. It makes an excellent supplement to any elementary or intermediate algebra textbook.

Excellent reference book

Mildred Johnson does something many, if not most, algebra books fail to do. Give the students not just an explanation of how to solve word problems but she gives the students enough problems of the same kind to practice so they can get the pattern engrained in their mind. I have used her book as a reference for my algebra classes for years and highly recommend it.