» Intermediate Algebra (5th Edition) (The Martin-Gay Developmental Algebra Series (hardbacks))

Intermediate Algebra (5th Edition) (The Martin-Gay Developmental Algebra Series (hardbacks)) Reviews

Customer Rating:
Summary: Disorganized
Comment: This book is very hard to follow in my opinion.
The main problem is that the actual information is lost in the middle of plenty of examples making it very hard for the student to synthesize the topic. To make matter worse, the example seems to stick out more that the remaining of the text due to too much colors in the titles. Most of the text of each chapter could fit in just a couple pages highlighted by a couple of judicious examples and demonstrations.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Great condition
Comment: Although the textbook was in great condition, it took more than 2 weeks to arrive. It was fine since it arrived within the delivery estimate time period. Thanks

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Intermiate Algebra Martin-Gay Hardback
Comment: Got exactly what I wanted & it arrived in 48 hours with standard delivery. Very pleased!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Good Math Book
Comment: The chapters are divided up well. The vocabulary is very clear. The end of chapter exercises are the best part of the book. they are a great way to test yourself before the exam. they are ordered progressively based on difficulty, so you can work your way through them quickly.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: review of the complete Intermediate Algebra package
Comment: My book came in a package with the Student Solutions manual and a one time use access code for Course Compass.

First off, there is a huge disconnect between this book and Course Compass. For instance, in section 3.5 (starting page 181) the author introduces Standard form but never goes into how it works. There is no section devoted to putting equations in that form, or why that form is important. In Course Compass, the section 3.5 homework contains many problems with Standard Form. The problems in the 3.5 section online are also far harder than the ones in the book. So if you practiced the book homework and then went online to do the homework for class in Course Compass, you still may not be prepared. Often the book has easier problems to work than Course Compass.

Martin-Gay seems to assume that everyone who uses this book will have a really good math professor, because a lot of concepts are not explained. This is infuriating for someone taking the class online through their college. Sometimes I felt like Martin-Gay was hinting at "just do this and this" rather than "this is why this concept is important." This is annoying.

The Student Solutions manual is not divided into sections. It is a pain to look through as each section is hard to find. Oftentimes the solutions are not explained. I could have sworn that was the point of a solutions manual--to explain the process of solving a problem. Apparently I was mistaken. In some instances the solutions manual is no better than the back of the book.

Course Compass, the online component of this text, is buggy and slow. Even worse, Course Compass is not compatible with Mozilla Firefox and Course Compass is barely compatible with Internet Explorer 7. There are so many glitches in IE 7 with Course Compass that it is embarassing. Course Compass works best with IE6. The help with solving homework is oftentimes pointless and sometimes I have had a hard time understanding what the computer wants, because if it is not put in just right the answer is wrong.

Overall, this textbook and the package it came with are a less than complete set for Intermediate Algebra. The textbook needs to explain more. The solutions manual needs to be easier to search through. And Course Compass needs to be compatible with Firefox and IE7. I cannot fathom why my college still uses this textbook.

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