Author Description

Algebra is often intimidating for students and parents alike. This book aims to explain the basics of turning the world into simple algebra. It introduces variables and how to describe real life situations using these variables. It goes onto explain how to create algebraic expressions and how to simplify them. This is the first book of a series that intends to cover the algebraic needs of students up to 16 years old. As the author of this book I have been teaching high school mathematics for over 20 years. Hence, I am fully aware of the trepidations that many students feel when this subject appears in the high school curriculum and also the pitfalls and misconceptions that often rear their head. Typically, algebra appears in students lives when they are about 11 years old. At this age they are probably capable of looking at the world in the abstract way that algebra kind of requires. In this book I have used concrete examples to help students make that change from the real to the abstract. As a parent you may want to supplement this book with your own concrete examples. For example you may wish to use household objects, or sweets etc, to model turning the world into algebra. I hope you have fun with your children using this book. I have handed the teaching over to my manga girls, so hopefully your child will identify with her. I look forward to reading your comments and suggestions for improvement.