Feasibility of actually learning new math via ALEKS?

[dcan]

How feasible is it to actually learn the more advanced math available at ALEKS using their system? I need pre-calculus for my TESC BSBA/CIS plan, but it's been 20 years since high school trig and algebra 2. I tried "reviewing" college algebra from a book, then realized it is NOT the same as high school algebra and crashed and burned. banghead

I really do want to "teach myself" the following through ALEKS:

• College Algebra
  
• Geometry
  
• Trigonometry
  
• Statistics
  

I may take pre-calc through TESC, but will work through ALEKS either way on it as well. I may (read: really love to, but maybe not if I'm facing a hard C and risk screwing my GPA) take discrete math as part of my plan. I'd really like that, but that would require knowing all of the above already (well, not stats, but through pre-calc anyway). I've been a programmer for 15 years so I already do discrete math conceptually, but not as a true math discipline.

I can learn all of the above in a college course, I fully believe that. How feasible is it to learn it through ALEKS instead?

Thanks in advance for all the help. This place is fantastic.

[Pinkie]

ALEKS has a free trial. It's only for 3 hours, but it will acquaint you with the system and let you see if it fits your learning style. Maybe start at the beginning and do beginning algebra as a quick refresher and build upon that.

ALEKS - Free Trial

[laoshijeff]

Just like programming, learning math is all about doing rather than sitting in a lecture. I guarantee there will be a lot of doing in ALEKS Precalculus!

With ALEKS, you'll start off with an Algebra and Geometry review that will set the stage for the rest of the ALEKS course so you may not learn anything "new" there. However, you will learn - that's what it was designed for.

There will be times where you'll have to do the same type of problem 5, 6, 7 times depending on how often you need to press the Explain button or get a question wrong. It seems to have an algorithm in mind to make you repeat until you want to hit your head against something or, in my case, develop a math migraine.

You'll learn - guaranteed. In fact, that's why I'm ok that it's not going as fast as I'd like (I'm only 38% done after a week of study and I wish I was further along). I want to eventually take Calculus and all the Calc lectures I watch, the same thing comes up - it's not the Calculus that's hard, it's the being a master of everything you learned in Precalculus that makes it hard.

Good luck in the world of ALEKS!

[burbuja0512]

I think the answer really depends on your learning style.

My DS always had difficulty learning in a classroom environment. He has ADHD and was failing miserably in school in spite of a high IQ. When I pulled him out of public school to homeschool him, I initially tried several different methods of learning math. Absolutely nothing at all worked.

Then I found ALEKS. It has been great and right now is his only math teacher. I don't help him at all and he is progressing and enjoying it. He's only working on intermediate algebra right now, but he's so happy that he plans on continuing through ALEKS for the next few years.

You can't beat the price so it can't possibly hurt to try.

[MISin08]

Save yourself frustration and use a book or two (or videos, etc depending on what works for you) with ALEKS.

Phillip

[ryoder]

Get a college algebra textbook and a schaums outline with solved problems and pay for mathway.com and you will be good to go.

[cookderosa]

Also, 3 of my children have self-taught themselves all of their math through ALEKS. We started them all at arithmetic (except my oldest who started at beginning algebra) and including geometry, business math, college algebra, trig, and stats, so I'd say YES!

[dcan]

Save yourself frustration and use a book or two (or videos, etc depending on what works for you) with ALEKS.

Definitely looking at doing that. Also ryoder, hadn't heard of Schaum's before, just set aside four of them through Amazon for purchase when I get started. They look outstanding!

Thanks to everyone for your answers!! Looks like I'm finally going to learn all the math I've been wishing I'd learned for the past 20 years!!!

[ryoder]

Back in the old days at the USF library there was a Schaum's outline beside every math and science textbook. They are a great resource because some of the problems in the textbooks don't have enough examples with answers. And the answers don't show you how to work the problems like the outlines do.
Its sort of like having excellent class notes.