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snowblu3's review
5.0
I didn't actually read this entire book. It's written for middle school girls and contains a lot of pep talks that don't really apply to this forty-year-old, but the math explanations are put in a way that's easily understood. I knew that, so I bought it to use as a reference to help get me through Algebra I. I've just finished my last instructive class in Algebra I as of this writing and I have only consulted this book once. I don't need it. I kept it in my backpack all semester as a security blanket but barely referred to it. Highly recommend if you're terrified that you're about to fail this class for the fourth or fifth time, as I was. I am not failing the class. I'm getting a solid A so far. Having this in my arsenal helped me relax a little bit, so I give it five stars. Because an A in math is no small thing for me. FIVE STARS. Just its existence helped me out a lot!
dashtaisen's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
5.0
Really excellent algebra book. Some of the life advice you might want to take or leave, but pedagogically the book is super solid
pwbalto's review
4.0
Would you, have you, responded with knee-jerk distaste to a pretty girl, a TV star, protesting loudly that "Math Doesn't Suck"? (especially when her book with that title is subtitled "How to Survive Middle School Math Without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail"?) Do you find the magazine-style covers of the pretty girl's books, promising personality quizzes, and "boy-crazy confessionals" along with word problems and polynomials, patronizing and/or pandering?
Well, you might. You might. But don't.
Full review on Pink Me: http://pinkme.typepad.com/pink-me/2010/09/hot-x-algebra-exposed-danica-mckellar-review.html
Well, you might. You might. But don't.
Full review on Pink Me: http://pinkme.typepad.com/pink-me/2010/09/hot-x-algebra-exposed-danica-mckellar-review.html
annaketamina's review
5.0
Really helped me understand algebra, wish I didn't have to return it to the library early.
jmanchester0's review
4.0
Ah, FOIL. Such sweet memories.
And the alligator eating the bigger number in an inequality? That's how I've always learned and remembered it.
I love algebra. And apparently Danica McKellar does, too.
This is a wonderful book explaining so many skills that are needed for algebra, as well as some good, practical advice about many algebraic principles.
However, it's more "girlie-girl" than I thought it might be. Which I think is a bit short-sighted. Not all girls are boy-crazy and are into doing their nails. And like a magazine, she gives advice about some of these things. I think I understand that point, and some of it is stuff that all girls this age might go through, but I think a lot of girls might not identify fully with it.
The distributive property is like saying "hi" to all the guests at a party. Something I wouldn't have been able to relate to as a teenager. But something I would have understood. But absolute value being like a luxury spa? That one might be lost on more people than the party example.
However, the material is presented in a very conversational, down-to-earth way that makes it very easy to understand. McKellar communicates mathematic concepts efficiently and elegantly.
There are great real-world examples of women talk about learning math, but again there's a lot of stereotyping and it feels like the book is saying "you can be feminine and be good at math" instead of "you can be a girl and be good at math".
I did learn a lot of great shortcuts in sure would have been useful through Calculus and beyond.
There are good practical examples of using algebra (like your Christmas shopping list). There's also good practical advice - that fits well in a book about math - like breaking down overwhelming problems into simpler ones. And in the 2nd half of the book, she covers algebra with different types of story problems. Rate, speed, mixtures‰Ы_
I also like the fact that she really encourages girls to write. Whether it's blogging or journaling or whatever.
Of course, every other page it seems like she's referencing her other books. I understand the point of referring the reader to more material, but at some point it seems to border on self-aggrandization. But as I kept reading it seemed like these would make great reference books, so maybe it was just a bit over the top. I might even be tempted to buy them as reference books. Can't remember how to do absolute value inequalities? Check out Hot-X chapter 8, Control Freaks, Unite (Solving Inequalities with Absolute Value).
Ooh - and one mistake. Never refer to x/x (x divided by x) as canceling out. This gives the impression it might become 0, like x-x. It would be better to call x/x dividing out to not get confused.
I would recommend this to anyone who needed to brush up on their algebra skills or just likes algebra period. This would also be a great book for a tutor, too. It would help anyone trying to teach these principles.
And the alligator eating the bigger number in an inequality? That's how I've always learned and remembered it.
I love algebra. And apparently Danica McKellar does, too.
This is a wonderful book explaining so many skills that are needed for algebra, as well as some good, practical advice about many algebraic principles.
However, it's more "girlie-girl" than I thought it might be. Which I think is a bit short-sighted. Not all girls are boy-crazy and are into doing their nails. And like a magazine, she gives advice about some of these things. I think I understand that point, and some of it is stuff that all girls this age might go through, but I think a lot of girls might not identify fully with it.
The distributive property is like saying "hi" to all the guests at a party. Something I wouldn't have been able to relate to as a teenager. But something I would have understood. But absolute value being like a luxury spa? That one might be lost on more people than the party example.
However, the material is presented in a very conversational, down-to-earth way that makes it very easy to understand. McKellar communicates mathematic concepts efficiently and elegantly.
There are great real-world examples of women talk about learning math, but again there's a lot of stereotyping and it feels like the book is saying "you can be feminine and be good at math" instead of "you can be a girl and be good at math".
I did learn a lot of great shortcuts in sure would have been useful through Calculus and beyond.
There are good practical examples of using algebra (like your Christmas shopping list). There's also good practical advice - that fits well in a book about math - like breaking down overwhelming problems into simpler ones. And in the 2nd half of the book, she covers algebra with different types of story problems. Rate, speed, mixtures‰Ы_
I also like the fact that she really encourages girls to write. Whether it's blogging or journaling or whatever.
Of course, every other page it seems like she's referencing her other books. I understand the point of referring the reader to more material, but at some point it seems to border on self-aggrandization. But as I kept reading it seemed like these would make great reference books, so maybe it was just a bit over the top. I might even be tempted to buy them as reference books. Can't remember how to do absolute value inequalities? Check out Hot-X chapter 8, Control Freaks, Unite (Solving Inequalities with Absolute Value).
Ooh - and one mistake. Never refer to x/x (x divided by x) as canceling out. This gives the impression it might become 0, like x-x. It would be better to call x/x dividing out to not get confused.
I would recommend this to anyone who needed to brush up on their algebra skills or just likes algebra period. This would also be a great book for a tutor, too. It would help anyone trying to teach these principles.
pussreboots's review against another edition
5.0
Hot X is Danica McKellar's third math book. This one introduces algebra and has the same amusing sidebars and as her previous books, Kiss my Math and Math Doesn't Suck.
Along with the algebra, the book has some life lessons and advice about dealing with bad relationships, bullying and other unpleasantries that a teenage girl might be facing in her life. There are also some included messages from readers of her previous books or from women who use algebra in their profession.
As I mentioned in my review of Kiss My Math by Danica McKellar, I never felt intimated by math in junior or senior high, nor did I feel it was a boy's only subject. I have known too many women in my lifetime who are mathematicians or were math majors (even if they ended up in a different field). That said, Danica McKellar's math books are fun, engaging, well written and full of memorable lessons to help important math topics stick.
While specifically written for teenage girls who are struggling with math, Hot X has lessons that can be used by anyone learning algebra. The book's math examples work just fine with my 4th grade son. They are silly enough for him to pay attention and remember them when he's doing his homework.
Along with the algebra, the book has some life lessons and advice about dealing with bad relationships, bullying and other unpleasantries that a teenage girl might be facing in her life. There are also some included messages from readers of her previous books or from women who use algebra in their profession.
As I mentioned in my review of Kiss My Math by Danica McKellar, I never felt intimated by math in junior or senior high, nor did I feel it was a boy's only subject. I have known too many women in my lifetime who are mathematicians or were math majors (even if they ended up in a different field). That said, Danica McKellar's math books are fun, engaging, well written and full of memorable lessons to help important math topics stick.
While specifically written for teenage girls who are struggling with math, Hot X has lessons that can be used by anyone learning algebra. The book's math examples work just fine with my 4th grade son. They are silly enough for him to pay attention and remember them when he's doing his homework.
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