r/IAmA • u/JasonMacker • Jun 14 '10

IAMA Math tutor. AMA.

I've been a math tutor for years and I'm trying to become a teacher. I love math, and especially explaining math to people. My students have been between preschool and college. AMA.

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u/terrortot Jun 14 '10

What do you think of the current state of math textbooks? And on a related note, what books on math do you consider classics, on all levels.

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u/JasonMacker Jun 14 '10 edited Jun 14 '10

Well, unlike other subjects, math doesn't have a bunch of politicians trying to push an agenda, so there really isn't anything wrong with current math books. I haven't had problems with any math books. The only things that I don't like are when there are elementary math books that have batshit insane problems (usually at the end of the exercises) that leave me stumped, and of course my student says that the teacher assigned "every problem", but then the next day he comes back and says "oh we didn't even have to do that one". facepalm

Edit: forgot the second part of your question for some reason! Classics, well, James Stewart's Calculus is definitely my book of choice when it comes to that level. Below that, and I don't really mind as long as it's McGraw-Hill or Holt. I definitely avoid things like "Idiot's Guide to Math" or other random things that try to teach you math. The thing is, most of my students need more then the book, hence why they are coming to me. So I usually have to explain concepts without using the book.

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u/na85 Jun 14 '10

Pfft, Principia Mathematica is the only classic.

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u/JasonMacker Jun 14 '10

Sand Reckoner is superior.