|
- Is Discovering Mathematics for 7th-10th graders?
Yes it is. Discovering Mathematics is a four-year series of secondary course books. Each year is divided into two books, A and B, one for each semester.
- Can you tell me about the approach of Discovering Mathematics series?
Discovering Mathematics begins with pre-algebra topics and goes on to algebra, geometry, and some topics in trigonometry. It does not include formal proofs in geometry. Two thirds of the 4B textbook is review.
- How does the Discovering Mathematics Series correlate with general US texts?
New Elementary Math uses an integrated approach. As a general guideline:
DM 1 - pre-algebra, some algebra 1, geometry, and statistics
DM 2 - more algebra 1, geometry, and statistics, sets, some probability
DM 3 - more algebra 1, statistics, and geometry, some algebra 2 and trigonometry
DM 4 – more probability and statistics, vectors, matrices, and review
- Is Discovering Mathematics in use in Singapore?
Yes it is. It is a new series, first published in 2008.
- What is the difference between Discovering Mathematics and the other secondary mathematics series?
Please see table below.
- Do you have a placement test for the Discovering Mathematics Series?
Not yet. For now, you can use the Placement tests for New Syllabus Mathematics.
- Do you have sample pages and contents for review?
Sample pages and contents are listed under the Contents_Sample tab on the product detail information page of each item.
- Do you have a scope and sequence chart for this series?
Yes. Please go to Scope and Sequence.
- Is there a workbook for each level of Discovering Mathematics?
No.
- Are Teacher Guides available for Discovering Mathematics?
Yes. They do not contain detailed lesson plans. They do contain a weekly schedule, some brief notes to the teacher, and fully worked solutions for all problems in the textbook.
- Are tests available for Discovering Mathematics.
No. The textbooks do have chapter reviews. There are no term, semester, year, or cumulative tests.
- Do the Discovering Mathematics books come with answer keys?
The textbook provides answer keys to the Try It! exercises in the lesson and to the Basic Practice, Further Practice, and Maths@Work questions in each exercise. The Teacher’s Guide has fully worked solutions to all problems, including class activities and the Brainworks questions in each exercise.
- Do the Discovering Mathematics books come with solutions?
Yes. The Teacher’s Guide has fully worked solutions.
- What if I have more questions about using these books?
Please visit our forum and post your questions and concerns.
New Mathematics Counts Series
- Is New Mathematics Counts for 7th -10th/11th graders?
Yes it is. New Mathematics Counts is a five-year series of secondary textbooks. There is just one textbook for each year of study.
- What is the duration of Secondary education in Singapore?
Most students take four years to finish Secondary education in Singapore before moving on to junior college or pre-university. Some students take five years to complete Secondary education. A five-year secondary education is called the Normal Stream in Singapore, a four-year education is called Express Stream.
- Is New Mathematics Counts written for the Normal Stream?
Yes, it is.
- Are your books the latest editions?
The series is currently being revised, so there is a new edition for levels 1, 2 and 3. New editions for levels 4, and 5 are not yet available.
- What is the difference between the New Mathematics Counts series and the other secondary mathematics series?
Please see table below.
- Do you have a placement test for the New Math Counts Series?
No.
- Do you have sample pages and contents for review?
Sample pages and contents are listed under the Contents_Sample tab on the product detail information page of each item.
- Do you have a scope and sequence chart for this series?
Yes. Please go to Scope and Sequence.
- Is there a workbook for each level of New Mathematics Counts?
No.
- Are there any supplementary materials to use with the New Math Counts series?
No.
- Does New Mathematics Counts come with answer keys?
Yes. There are answers at the back of the book for the regular exercises. There are no answers to the explorations at the end of each chapter.
- Does New Mathematics Counts come with solutions?
No.
- Does New Mathematics Counts have reviews or tests?
There are reviews at the end of each chapter and cumulative reviews every 3-4 chapters. There are no separate tests.
- Are Teacher's Guides available for the New Mathematics Counts series?
No.
- What if I have more questions about using these books?
Please visit our forum and post your questions and concerns.
Additional Mathematics Series
- When would I use Additional Mathematics?
In Singapore, better math students take an additional course in mathematics concurrent with the regular Secondary Mathematics in Secondary 1 and 2 (9th and 10th grades). Those students do Additional Maths over a 2-year period. It can also be done after completing any of the other series.
- What topics are covered in Additional Mathematics?
Additonal Mathematics covers polynomials, remainder and factor theorem, trigonometric functions in both degrees and radians and their graphs, trigonometric identities, exponential and logarithmic functions and their graphs, more coordinate geometry, binomial theorem, more on matrices, geometrical proofs, differentiation, and integration. Please see contents listed under the Contents_Sample tab on the product detail information.
- Do you have a scope and sequence chart for this series?
Yes. Please go to Scope and Sequence.
- Do you have sample pages and contentsfor review?
Sample pages and contents are listed under the Contents_Sample tab on the product detail information page of each item.
- Is there an answer key?
There are answers to the exercises at the back of the book.
- Is there a workbook?
There is a workbook with practice problems, investigations, explorations, and tests. The workbook has answers at the back to all problems except the investigations and explorations. There is not room in the book to work out answers for the practice problems or the tests, but the explorations and investigations do give room for writing answers.
- Are there any tests?
There are review exercises in the textbook and example tests in the workbook.
- Is there a solutions manual or teacher’s guide?
Not at this time.
- Where can I go for more help with these books?
Please visit our forum and post your questions and concerns.
Differences Between the Series
| New Elementary Mathematics |
New Syllabus Mathematics |
Discovering Mathematics |
New Mathematics Counts |
| This series has more problems at the challenging end of the spectrum than the other series, and more problem solving questions. The first level has an in-depth review of arithmetic topics, which the other series do not have. It introduces most topics sooner (except statistics) and for some takes the topics a little farther. It includes functional notation, inverse functions, polynomials, tangents of obtuse angles, and transformations which the other series do not. |
This series has a more appealing look to it, and is easier than NEM. It has fewer challenging problems. It includes matrices, radian measure, some additional data presentation forms (box and whisker pots, stem and leaf plots), and standard deviation which NEM does not. |
This series has a more appealing look to it, and is easier than NEM. It has fewer challenging problems. It includes matrices, radian measure, some additional data presentation forms (box and whisker pots, stem and leaf plots), and standard deviation which NEM does not. |
This is the easiest series. It does have occasional problems (labeled with ‘O’) which are more challenging than the regular problems. It has more problems at the easier end of the spectrum. |
| First published 1991. New edition in 1996. This is based on the syllabus used prior to 2001 and is one of the texts used by students taking the TIMSS international test. No longer used in Singapore. |
First published 1982, fifth edition 2001, sixth edition in 2007/2008. |
First published in 2008. |
First published in 2001, second edition in 2007/2008. |
| Lessons in the textbook consist of explanations, worked examples, and occasional class activities which allow students to learn through discovery. |
Lessons in the textbook consist of explanations, worked examples, and sometimes explorations, which allow students to learn through discovery. |
Lessons in the textbook consist of explanations and worked examples. Each worked example is followed by a similar question (Try It!) that students can try to see if they understood the example. There are sometimes class activities, which allow students to learn through discovery. Some of these use Geometer’s Sketchpad. |
Lessons in the textbook consist of explanations and worked examples. Some of the geometry chapters have activities that use Geometer’s Sketchpad. |
| Exercises vary in length and are long so it is possible to select problems. There is a problem solving and a challenge exercise at the end of each chapter, and miscellaneous exercises and investigations every 3-4 chapters. There is a set of 5 review exercises every 3-4 chapters. |
Exercises are shorter than with NEM. There is a review exercise at the end of each chapter, and cumulative review exercises every 3-4 chapters. |
Exercises are slightly shorter than in NSM. The problems in the exercises are divided by difficulty level. At the end of each chapter there are review exercise for every chapter, and some open-ended problems and journal-writing questions. |
Exercises are generally short. There is an enrichment activity and a review at the end of each chapter, and cumulative reviews every 3-4 chapters. |
| There are answers to the regular exercises and the in the back of the textbook. Answers to the class activities, problem solving, challenges, and investigations are in the Teacher's Manual. |
There are answers to the reviews and the problems in the regular exercises at the back of the textbook. There are no answers in the textbook to the class activities or explorations.. |
There are answers to the reviews and to the exercises, except the Brainworks problems, at the back of the textbook. The Teacher's Guide has answers to all problems. |
There are answers to the exercises and reviews at the back of the textbook. There are no answers to the activities. |
| The Teacher’s Manual has a weekly schedule and fully worked solutions for the end-of-chapter problem solving and challenges, and for the Investigation exercises every 3-4 chapters. There is a separate solutions manual for NEM 1 and 2 with fully worked solutions to the rest of the exercises. |
There is no teacher’s guide or solutions manual. |
The Teacher’s Guide has a weekly schedule, brief notes for the teacher, and fully worked solutions to all problems in the textbook, including class activities. |
There is no teacher’s guide or solutions manual. |
| The “workbook” is supplementary and contains additional problems for each chapter, test papers every 2 chapter and 2 mid-term and final term assessments. Only the test papers have room to work the problems. Answers are in the back. |
The “workbook” is supplementary and contains additional problem for each chapter, and a review exercise for each term and semester. Answers are in the back. In addition, there are exploratory worksheets or investigations, some of which use a short interactive program on the enclosed CD. There are no answers to these. |
There is no workbook. |
There is no workbook. |
Which series should we use?
It depends on your preference. If you are looking for the program that offers the most challenge with challenging exercises and investigations, and with a proven track record, then the New Elementary Mathematics is for you.
If you are looking for something which includes chapter reviews without quite as many challenging problems, then you can choose either New Syllabus Mathematics or Discovering Mathematics. If you want lots of problems, additional activities, and cumulative reviews, choose New Syllabus Mathematics. If you want fully worked solutions for all problems, choose Discovering Mathematics.
If you are looking for something your student will more likely be able to do independently, with more worked examples, more explanations, more gradual development of concepts, and shorter exercises with fewer challenging problems but quite a bit of review, then choose New Mathematics Counts.
If your student has already completed or is doing algebra 2 from another curriculum, and you are looking for some advanced math or some extra challenge, interesting problems, and an introduction to calculus, then use the Additional Mathematics.
Can I switch between series?
It will be difficult to switch from New Mathematics Counts into any of the other series, since NMC follows a different sequence than the others.
You can switch from New Elementary Mathematics to New Syllabus Mathematics or Discovering Mathematics of the next level, but there will be some overlap. However, it will not be easy to switch from New Syllabus Mathematics or Discovering Mathematics into the next level of New Elementary Mathematics without some backtracking, since New Elementary Mathematics covers some topics earlier.
You can easily switch between New Syllabus Mathematics and Discovering Mathematics into the next level for 2 or 3, but not into 4, since some topics, such as matrices and statistics are covered at different levels between 3 and 4.
Grading scales used in Singapore for secondary level math
A1: 75% and above
A2: 70% to 74%
B3: 65% to 69%
B4: 60% to 64%
C5: 55% to 59%
C6: 50% to 54% (passing grade)
D7: 45% to 49%
E8: 40% to 44%
F9: Below 40%
|
