Algebra Unplugged

Rating:
Summary: Quadratic!
Review: Algebra were one of the greatest avant-garde prog rock bands of the nineties. In "Algebra Unplugged" Amdahl and Loats have put together an incredible compilation of some of their best acoustic live sets. The production, is at times, a little weak, but the heart-rending "ax * ax + bx + c = 0" recorded live in Lecture Theatre 2.13 is probably one of Algebra's finest moments. There's some real gems on this album - The stunning 15 minute opus "Quadratic/Equivalence" being a case in point. A couple of tracks grate a little, most noticably - "Simplifying Exponents of Polynomials" but on the whole this is a magnificent album and is not to be missed.

Rating:
Summary: FANTASTIC BOOK ON ALGEBRA!!!!!!
Review: Algebra were one of the greatest avant-garde prog rock bands of the nineties. In "Algebra Unplugged" Amdahl and Loats have put together an incredible compilation of some of their best acoustic live sets. The production, is at times, a little weak, but the heart-rending "ax * ax + bx + c = 0" recorded live in Lecture Theatre 2.13 is probably one of Algebra's finest moments. There's some real gems on this album - The stunning 15 minute opus "Quadratic/Equivalence" being a case in point. A couple of tracks grate a little, most noticably - "Simplifying Exponents of Polynomials" but on the whole this is a magnificent album and is not to be missed.

Rating:
Summary: Algebra Unplugged
Review: As a student who somehow stumbled through algebra, calc and differenial equations I wish that this book had existed when I started out. It revealed "secrets" of algebra to me that would have made my life much easier had I known about it. Have you ever wondered whether algebra is just some game? Read this book to find out the rules.

I couldn't put this book down and ended up finishing it in 3 days. It was a nice easy read with just the right mixture of humor and facts. I suggest that anyone who will take, is taking or has taken an algebra course should read this book. They give you great insight without pounding you on the head with a bunch of homework!

Rating:
Summary: Great Math book
Review: Best of all the authors explain what it is you're doing when you do algebra. Why doesn't it make sense in the real world? Because it's a game. The conventions may seem arbitrary but the rules are not. The authors multiply things like tenors and pigs and divide them by all kinds of non-mathematical things in order to illustrate the logic of mathematical thinking. They also show that people are thinking algebraically even when they don't know they're doing so. This is a great book if you took algebra a long time ago and are not sure you remember the differences between the various mathematical disciplines. It's also good if you are the type who wants everything explained to you in math, rather than taking it on faith. It won't replace the standard textbook, but it will show you how to use it.

Rating:
Summary: This is for kids, not adults
Review: dont bother with this book, unless you like that kids show ghostwriter. its the same concept.

Rating:
Summary: This algebra book turns Greek into plain English!
Review: Having made it through college in the 70's without taking a math course, I am now wanting to learn algebra. I took it in high school and I was great at memorizing formulas. I now want to know the basis of math and I started with Algebra.

Algebra Unplugged is the book that I have dreamed of. If I had this in high school I could have gone a long way. Every parent should buy it for their school age children and even read it themselves. It stresses concepts not formulas. It shows you why we do the things we do in algebra.

After having it a week, I was solving polynomial equations on a drink napkin while flying from back east.

Great book! Math teachers - have a bake sale and buy this for all of your students!

Rating:
Summary: A pleasure to read and excellent introduction to algebra
Review: Kenn Amdahl has succeeded in making algebra look like a game and maybe he is right.
I recommend this book to anybody who has the slightest interest in the subject. It reads almost like listening to your mathematically inclined buddy exchanging a few words on mathematics over a beer; that's what I felt, two buddies getting together and just shooting breeze over mathematics.
It certainly made me conscious of paying more attention to VOCABULARY and CONCEPTS and less on manipulation.
You won't regret the time you spent on this book nor the money!

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic, helpful, and very readable book
Review: This book, together with Practical Algebra, has bolstered my confidence, as I return to school after many years, for my MBA. Not having taken a math class in 30 years, my skills were beyond rusty. Algebra Unplugged is a light-hearted look at algebra concepts -- especially for the non-math majors among us -- and was a great start. I think I read through it in just a few days. The only problem for me was that it didn't contain any sample problems or self-tests, so I added Practical Algebra and that really helped.

Rating:
Summary: FANTASTIC BOOK ON ALGEBRA!!!!!!
Review: THIS HAS GOT TO BE ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS ON ALGEBRA CONCEPTS THAT THERE IS ON THE MARKET. I AM OVER 60 YRS. OLD AND WANTED TO STUDY ALGEBRA. I ONLY WISH THERE EXISTED MATH TEACHERS WITH THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE CONCEPTS AS CAN THESE GENTELMEN. WOULD GIVE 10 STARS IF POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!