DVD Review: The Algebra 2 Tutor - 6 Hour Course

 

I found Jason's material years ago when I started taking math classes to get what would eventually turn into an Electrical Engineering degree. I was not a great math student my first time through college, so I was looking for any kind of study material I could find to help get myself ready for the classes I would have to take.

This set of DVDs covers much of the material that you would see in an intermediate algebra level course in college, as well as some of the material that you get in a college algebra course. At six hours it does not, obviously, cover an entire semester's worth of material. It starts out with graphing equations (pretty much of lines), then gets into the slope of a line, writing equations of lines, solving systems of equations, equations with radicals, fractional exponents, and then ends with polynomial equations and the quadratic formula. So, it covers a lot of key material, but as I said, it does not get into everything in a full semester-long course. But, if paired with Jason's other sets, the advanced algebra and matrix algebra tutors, you will get about 85-90% of what you will see in a college algebra course.

One thing to be aware of, this is a lecture-like series of videos with Jason standing in front of a whiteboard working on problems. So, you have to know what your particular learning style is. Even though it is lecture-like, it is not exactly the same kind of lecture you will get in a "regular" class, where professors tend to go through the theory ad-nauseum. Jason explains just enough of the theory to get you to understand the concepts but then goes through a bunch of example problems, step-by-step. He explains each step as he goes along and then recaps the process after the problem is fully worked out. He also gives hints about what can trip people up, and things to watch out for when solving problems. He also encourages students to go back and work the problems on their own to drill the concepts into their heads.

Overall, this is a great set, and if you are an audio and/or visual learner, this will help you a lot. It is a lot cheaper than an in-person tutor, but the trade-off is the lack of ability to ask questions or get help with real homework problems which you can get with an in-person tutor. With those caveats, it is definitely a good investment for anyone needing extra help with math or just wanting to learn the material on their own.