Michael Sullivan Precalculus Textbook Arrived Today

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    Precalculus Textbook
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the Michael Sullivan Precalculus 5th Edition textbook, with participants sharing their experiences and preferences regarding this and other precalculus resources. The scope includes personal reflections on textbook usability and comparisons between different authors' approaches to teaching precalculus concepts.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses their decision to switch from the David Cohen textbook to the Sullivan textbook, noting that Sullivan's book is more suited for a general student population, while Cohen's may cater to advanced students.
  • Another participant mentions having both a free PDF download and a hard copy of the Sullivan textbook, indicating its widespread use in high school and military online math classes.
  • There are repeated requests for a link to the free online version of the Sullivan textbook, with one participant emphasizing its readability compared to Cohen's book.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the usability and accessibility of the Sullivan textbook, but there is no consensus on the superiority of one textbook over the other, as preferences vary based on individual experiences.

Contextual Notes

Some participants reference specific editions of the textbooks, and there are mentions of different educational contexts (e.g., honors courses, general student populations) that may influence their opinions.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for students considering different precalculus textbooks, educators looking for resources, or anyone interested in the comparative usability of math textbooks.

xyz_1965
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I finally got my Michael Sullivan Precalculus 5th Edition textbook today. I have decided to part ways with my David Cohen book. It makes no sense to keep it. It is truly over my head.

By this I don't mean that Sullivan's book is a walk in the park. It can be intense depending on the topic and/or chapter. Cohen's book concentrates more on the unit circle as a guide through most of the problems. It is probably meant for an honors precalculus course.

So, parting ways after so many years. I had the 5th edition Sullivan precalculus textbook back in 2006. Soroban helped a lot back in 2006. Sullivan's book is directed more for a general student population as opposed to a group of talented or advanced math students.
 
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Sullivan is a great textbook but I have a free download PDF of the book
I also have the hard copy with the DOE gave me

Just about every HS and military online math classes uses it.
 
karush said:
Sullivan is a great textbook but I have a free download PDF of the book
I also have the hard copy with the DOE gave me

Just about every HS and military online math classes uses it.

Can I please have the link to the free online Sullivan textbook? Sullivan is so much easier to read than David Cohen. Do you have the 5th edition of the precalculus book?
 

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