Customer Rating: 
Summary: Not for dummies like me....
Comment: This book was of little help. It did help some refreshing me with order of operation, but some of the problems they had in there my PhD friends had a hard time with and needed a whole whiteboard to show me when they figured it out. This book is only good if you already have some knowledge of algebra.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Worked for me!!!
Comment: Ok, I see a LOT of people complaining that this was TOO advanced and that it assumed you knew a little bit of algebra....... NO KIDDING!!!! That's why there's a book called "Basic Math and PRE-Algebra for Dummies!" This book is by NO means meant for someone that has NO/LITTLE prior knowledge of algebra! If you need to start from the bottom and work up, you start with the PRE-ALGERBA book! (Apparently those people that are harping on this book really ARE dummies since they didn't know this!!!)
Anyways. I hated math in high school. I stopped taking it right around the time I was suppose to be in Algebra II, I have no idea how I ever passed in high school. I put it off once I got to college. My first year, I tested into BASIC algebra! (Which is Pre-Algebra level if you're in high school)..... I passed that with a C, thank goodness. But when I wanted to go to a major university I had to take a placement test to see what math I should be in. Well, I didn't want to have to take anymore PRE levels, I just wanted to get into college algebra and get it over with without having to take any other lower level classes.
I used this book to study up right before the placement test. I read the whole thing, did examples, and actually managed to UNDERSTAND everything...... (which in math is hard for me)..... I managed to pass the placement test so that I could take college algebra.....
So for those of you who can remember things from PRE-ALGEBRA, use this as a tool to freshen up your algebra skills..... if you have NO memory of algebra whatsoever, do NOT use this book first! Use the Pre-Algebra book first!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Info on Brahmagupta
Comment: Brahmagupta was the first to solve equations using general methods. Greek Diophantus solved equations using special ad hoc methods. Hence Brahmagupta was the first real algebraist. Edward Sachau said "It was Brahmagupta who taught Arabs mathematics".
The author says that Brahmagupta had an interesting take on zero. What does that mean? Brahmagupta incorporated zero to the Hindu number system and started computing with it. Brahmagupta was the first to write down the modern multiplication based on Hindu Arabic numbers that permeates all human activities from algebra, rocket science, banking, commerce to illicit deals in street corners. Here it is...The book would have been more complete if the author had given that information.
"The multiplicand is repeated like a string for cattle, as often as there are integrant portions in the multiplier and is severelly multiplied by them and the products are added together. It is multiplication. Or the multiplicand is repeated as many times as there are component parts in the multiplier".
Brahmagupta
Translated to English by H.T Colebrook, 1,817 AD
Brahmagupta then gives an example.
235 x 288
2 3 5 2 4 7 0
2 3 5 8 1 8 8 0
2 3 5 8 1 8 8 0
6 7 6 8 0
Customer Rating:
Summary: Thank God for this
Comment: I actually passed Algebra, finally. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
My teacher and my textbook were NO HELP---This was so understandable.
Customer Rating:
Summary: ok book, for a smart dumby
Comment: well, the book was pretty good actually. though you kinda have to be a smart dumby to understand the book completely. sometimes, the problems aren't that clear. but the book is pretty fun to read, since it has some fun facts, and it also teaches you some things that pop up everyday in algebra.
Summary: Not for dummies like me....
Comment: This book was of little help. It did help some refreshing me with order of operation, but some of the problems they had in there my PhD friends had a hard time with and needed a whole whiteboard to show me when they figured it out. This book is only good if you already have some knowledge of algebra.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Worked for me!!!
Comment: Ok, I see a LOT of people complaining that this was TOO advanced and that it assumed you knew a little bit of algebra....... NO KIDDING!!!! That's why there's a book called "Basic Math and PRE-Algebra for Dummies!" This book is by NO means meant for someone that has NO/LITTLE prior knowledge of algebra! If you need to start from the bottom and work up, you start with the PRE-ALGERBA book! (Apparently those people that are harping on this book really ARE dummies since they didn't know this!!!)
Anyways. I hated math in high school. I stopped taking it right around the time I was suppose to be in Algebra II, I have no idea how I ever passed in high school. I put it off once I got to college. My first year, I tested into BASIC algebra! (Which is Pre-Algebra level if you're in high school)..... I passed that with a C, thank goodness. But when I wanted to go to a major university I had to take a placement test to see what math I should be in. Well, I didn't want to have to take anymore PRE levels, I just wanted to get into college algebra and get it over with without having to take any other lower level classes.
I used this book to study up right before the placement test. I read the whole thing, did examples, and actually managed to UNDERSTAND everything...... (which in math is hard for me)..... I managed to pass the placement test so that I could take college algebra.....
So for those of you who can remember things from PRE-ALGEBRA, use this as a tool to freshen up your algebra skills..... if you have NO memory of algebra whatsoever, do NOT use this book first! Use the Pre-Algebra book first!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Info on Brahmagupta
Comment: Brahmagupta was the first to solve equations using general methods. Greek Diophantus solved equations using special ad hoc methods. Hence Brahmagupta was the first real algebraist. Edward Sachau said "It was Brahmagupta who taught Arabs mathematics".
The author says that Brahmagupta had an interesting take on zero. What does that mean? Brahmagupta incorporated zero to the Hindu number system and started computing with it. Brahmagupta was the first to write down the modern multiplication based on Hindu Arabic numbers that permeates all human activities from algebra, rocket science, banking, commerce to illicit deals in street corners. Here it is...The book would have been more complete if the author had given that information.
"The multiplicand is repeated like a string for cattle, as often as there are integrant portions in the multiplier and is severelly multiplied by them and the products are added together. It is multiplication. Or the multiplicand is repeated as many times as there are component parts in the multiplier".
Brahmagupta
Translated to English by H.T Colebrook, 1,817 AD
Brahmagupta then gives an example.
235 x 288
2 3 5 2 4 7 0
2 3 5 8 1 8 8 0
2 3 5 8 1 8 8 0
6 7 6 8 0
Customer Rating:
Summary: Thank God for this
Comment: I actually passed Algebra, finally. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
My teacher and my textbook were NO HELP---This was so understandable.
Customer Rating:
Summary: ok book, for a smart dumby
Comment: well, the book was pretty good actually. though you kinda have to be a smart dumby to understand the book completely. sometimes, the problems aren't that clear. but the book is pretty fun to read, since it has some fun facts, and it also teaches you some things that pop up everyday in algebra.