Introduction

A BRAND NEW VENTURE

This blog, which was created December 2, 2008, is in its very beginning stages. It was created for the purpose of posting video lessons for my students, but it is available to anyone to view for math lessons, tutoring or review.

As the months go by, expect to find more and more posts on mostly algebra topics - eventually ranging from prealgebra to advanced algebra. There will also eventually be posts on topics from arithmetic and related to math in general. Nearly all clips will be less than 10 minutes long.

There are three ways to find topics:

1) Use the "link list" on the panel at left.

2) Use the "search" feature at top left.

3) Check the "blog archives" on the left panel

PLEASE NOTE that this is a learning experience for me as well - that the more filming and posting I do the more I hope to learn about what works and what does not. The first posts may be rather rough in terms of filming as I go through this learning process.

NEWEST POST: "Point Nine Repeating" (4/11/09)

Is "Point Nine Repeating" Really 1?

Many people balk at the idea that

0.999999999999999999999999999999999999999 . . .
(where the 9s keep going forever)

is exactly equal to 1. They feel it is very close to 1 but not really exactly equal to 1. In this video I present 4 methods of approaching this, two intuitive methods and two algebraic methods all of which support that this number is, in fact, EXACTLY equal to 1. (Note: it is the last algebraic method that deals with Geometric Series.)

Sorry for the bluriness of some of the images. I'm still working on finding the best approach to these videos. :-)

Fractions as Coefficients

When fractions are used with variables in algebraic expressions there are things that do not necessarily look alike but that are actually equal to each other. For instance "one-half x" is the same as "x over 2." This video is intended to clear up confusion related to that fact.

Why Learn Math?! (Pt. 3: Applications)

This is part 3 of the series "Why Learn Math?" This clip presents real-life situations that have actually happened in which math was/is necessary or helpful. These situations cover topics such as home-improvement, fair treatment on the job, parenting, projects, purchasing a home, etc. - things that are part of the lives of most people. (Again, for further information, I highly recommend the one-page opinion piece by Arthur Michelson (click here to go to it) and the fantastic book by John Allen Paulos titled Innumeracy.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kAOLX1g7fE