It's tempting to be put off by the cartoonish style of Math for the Real World. But once you get over that, you'll find its reference library, problems and solutions helpful, instructive and even entertaining. This CD for Windows computers is designed for children age 10 and older. It covers logic, fractions, decimals, percents, time, money, volume, weight and measurement. And it does it well.
If you ignore the cartoons and voice-overs, what's left is one of the best "real world" math programs I've come across in years.
The vehicle for these problems is a rock band (the Arithmetones) that's taking a cross-country tour. You'll encounter the kinds of problems a rock band would face, such as figuring out how to load a van with the lightest boxes first. You'll play accountant by figuring out which hotel offers the best deal, and you'll learn how to read a chart to figure out how popular the Arithmetones' competitors are. Along the way you'll get monetary credits for correct answers, and another try if your first answer is wrong.
People are also reading…
As you start on a journey in your big yellow van, you're asked basic math questions: If you have $2,000 to spend on three instruments, and a guitar costs $800, a set of drums costs $400, how much will you have left for the third instrument? OK, that's pretty simple, but you can tweak the program for easier or more difficult problems.
If math problems are beyond your student's understanding, there's an excellent reference library that explains, in friendly language, how to solve the real-world problems.
If you or your child find real-world math difficult, this CD could make a huge difference. It's fun, too.
Math for the Real World will run on Windows Vista and XP. To order, send $20, plus $6 for shipping, to WashingtonCD, P.O. Box 351531, Los Angeles, CA 90035, or online at: www.washingtoncd.net