Personal Thoughts on the Larson Internet Precalculus Text

It was my impression from talking with  HMCO last spring that the cost of the internet version would be around $65 (~$40 for paperback + $25 for the web voucher).  The $93.16 (the price listed at the HMCO College Store) is high for a paper back which does not contain the exercises even if it does have a one year subscription to the  web site.   Also, it will be difficult to resell the book at the end of the semester without the web voucher.

Possible Options

  • Purchase the TDLC certificate for Larson's Precalculus: An Internet Approach.  Cost $25 for six months.  Instructions.  The website is very well done from a student's viewpoint (once you get used to the half-sized screens).  

  • Purchase the TDLC certificate for Larson's Precalculus: An Internet Approach and purchase an old edition (third or fourth) of Larson & Hostetler's Algebra and Trigonometry.  The exercises in the fourth edition of Larson and Hostetler's Algebra and Trigonometry cover essential the same material as the Internet Precalculus.  In some cases the order that the topics are covered  is considerably different.   You will find that many of the exercises are identical, just numbered differently.

  • Purchase the TDLC certificate for Larson's Precalculus: An Internet Approach and purchase a used Precalculus by Faires and Defranza which is used in the lecture class.  There is a second edition, but this past summer I allowed students to use the first edition and zeroxed off the exercises from the second edition for them.  This option has the advantage that if you decide that the internet course is not for you, then you can transfer to a lecture class and have the correct text book.  The disadvantages will be that the topics are covered in a different order and the exercises are different.  If you elect this option, I will post a list of exercises which were assigned to my class using the Faires & Defranza text.

  • This option is for students who feel they are extremely strong.  Purchase any text which covers the same topics in our  departmental syllabus.

 

 

 

 

TDLC  Procedures to obtain a website subscription ($25 for six months) 

1. Click on TDLC. 

2.  Next scroll down and click on Subscribe to a Product

3 Scroll down and from Precalculus, An Internet Approach, Larson/Hostetler/Edwards  Home Page | Subscribe click on Subscribe. 

4.  Fill out all the forms.  You must have a credit card to complete your order.

 

Home    Last Modified June 05, 2002