A Comparison of Textbooks

[Slidey]

I've (Slidey) compiled a brief summary of the pros and cons of each textbook. If you disagree, feel free to discuss it here in this thread. =)

And this isn't an attempt to sell these books. Use your library. It's free that way.

pLuvia: I've updated this thread to make available to all levels of HSC maths and all your suggestions

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Content

General Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics Extension 1
Mathematics Extension 2
Study Guides
Links
Where to buy?

General Mathematics

HSC General Maths Practice Questions by Topic

Cambridge General Mathematics

Success One HSC General Mathematics

Mathematics

Fitzpatrick 2u
+ This book is great. It's good at all the areas: Good diagrams, good explanations, many question to practice with.
+ The questions are the strength of this text. They cover the entire spectrum of skills which students require and lead you into the hard questions progressively.
+ The harder questions often involve interesting skills which are not taught at a 2u level but would be classified as "component B", of which the HSC must comprise at least 20%. Thus it is worth your while to try these questions.
+ Of all the textbooks, this one is the easiest to cram with.
+ Specimen papers at the end of the book for revision
- No worked solutions.

Cambridge 2u
+ Plenty of questions
+ 3 different levels of questions designed to suit students with varying abilities including development and extension
- Not all questions are useful for practice excercises
- No worked solutions
- Heavier than most other textbooks

Conceptual Development: Maths In Focus
+ This book is excellent at explaining most things and for developing the basic skills for each topic. So if you find yourself struggling to understand a topic, try this book.
- Theory is too simplified
- Many Extension students dislike this book because it is too easy and does not contain many, if any, hard questions.
- If you have the 3U copy it is hard to tell whether or not a topic is part of the 2U or 3U course. A second edition has been published differentiating between 2u and 3u topics
- Examples provided are very simple and usually do not help with harder questions.
- No worked solutions. Some worked solutions

Coroneos
+ Wide variety of questions
- Explanations aren't too great
- No worked solutions

Mathematics Extension 1

Cambridge 3u
+ Plenty of questions
+ Extension questions available
- Not all questions are useful for practice excercises
- No worked solutions
- Heavier than most other textbooks

Fitzpatrick 3u
+ Good explanations
+ Good questions
+ The challenging questions are not always the last ones
+ Speciman papers at the end of the book for revision
- No worked solutions
- Few solutions to graph questions

Essentials of Mathematics, book 2
+ Worked out solutions
+ Good questions

Mathematics Extension 2

Terry Lee Advanced Mathematics
+ Worked out solutions
+ Good set out
+ Easy to understand
+ Review Exercises available
+ Challenge questions for each topic
- Explanations aren't too great

Cambridge 4u
+ Questions are excellent
+ Review exercises at the end of each topic, plus some challenge questions
+ Authors write the 4u Maths CSSA Trial
+ Specimen papers at the end for revision
- Explanations are sometimes not clear
- Answers are not numbered
- Not very appealing
- No worked solutions

Fitzpatrick 4u
+ Questions are good, but not so challenging
+ Explanations are good in some areas
+ Speciman papers at the end of the book for revision
- No worked solutions

Study guides

Understanding Year 11/12 Maths:
+ Easy questions to practice with.
+ Good for cramming
- Questions are TOO easy.

Excel
+ Some challenging questions
+ Has worked solutions
- Just a textbook with less questions to practice on and more examples
- Wouldn't advise for cramming
- May have many mistakes (so watch out!)

Past Paper Collection by the Mathematical Association of NSW for General, 2u, 3u and 4u Maths
+ Has many past papers
+ Great for practice
+ Fully worked solutions for the Past Papers

Links

http://community.boredofstudies.org/...ad.php?t=65823
http://community.boredofstudies.org/...light=textbook
http://community.boredofstudies.org/...light=textbook
HSC Online
Resource Section

Where to buy?

These books are available nearly everywhere here's a list I compiled
- Local Library
- School library
- Your maths teacher
- Buy/Sell forum
- Terry Lee books
- Dymocks
- Co-op shops
- Angus & Robertson
- Borders
- Kinokuniya
- WHSmith

[Riviet]

Cambridge 2/3u:
+ plenty of questions
+ 3 different levels of questions designed to suit students with varying abilities including development and extension
- not all questions are useful for practice excercises
- no worked solutions
- heavier than most other textbooks
My verdict: it's not bad, but the fitzpatrick one is much better in my opinion.

[word.]

Uh. Is Maths In Focus really that easy?
I'm pretty much expecting band 6 after doing this years exams for both 2/3U and I still can't do a few questions from MIF; not that I need to anymore...

sure alot of the questions are pretty straight forward but if you can do the questions back to front you'll definitely be in the band 5/6 range

although i do have a copy of Cambridge 3U,
you could like take out any question from "Development" and it'd make a good Q7 for extension-1; it's overkill. and yes it is heavy you can knock-out a cow with it.

[Sarah168]

I liked the Cambridge 2u alot when I did the HSC last yr. UNfortunately i only discovered it a day after my trials so didnt get to use it too much. Lot's of relevant q's that really consolidate what you learn.

[Estel]

Cambridge is the best textbook and you will not need another.
Enough said.

[Michiru]

fitzpatrick is bad. there's so many questions that are bordering extension 2 maths which is stupid becuase it'll never be in the 3 unit exam. my teacher said that fitzpatrick is for someone who has no life =P

[pLuvia]

Terry Lee Advanced Mathematics 4u

- Worked out solutions
- Good set out
- Easy to understand
- Review Exercises

Cambridge 4u

- Answers are not numbered
- Very boring to read, too much writing

[adgala]

Cambridge 2U
PROS:
-Doing ALL the questions inlcuding extension and getting at least all the easy and development questions and actually understand them (through outside help or whatever means) correct in both the Prelim and HSC books will get you a band 6 easily.
CONS:
-Difficult to Understand in my opinion, Use Fitzpatrick to learn the theory/get the basics, then switch to Cambridge.

[sospecha]

well at least fitzpatrick is a recent maths book...the one we have to use is a 1995 version of 3u maths!!!
isn't very good at explaining anything...but has MILLIONS of questions and revision papers at the end of each topic...
if i had a choice i would not use it
i also have the cambridge 2u maths book...haven't used it yet but am glad everyone is saying its good...as maths is not exactly my BEST subject...also have the excel book...which, i belive, are always fantastic

[bmc]

Understanding maths yr 12 hsc (has books for all maths courses)

these dont have alot of questions but they have really well worked examples and they feature graded tests on all topics. ie. level 1 difficulty throught to level 3.

I also have maths in focus. I reckon its good except for its examples. they arent that well explained

[vafa]

i persopnally am in love with a higher school certificate
course in mathematic year11 and 12
and the same book for four unit
written by J.Coroneos

this book is basically designed for advanced maths students
the book teach u how to do real maths not just memorizing formulaes which everyone can do
the books have some challenging exercises
i can say cambridge comparing to this book is nothing
i as someone who is going to be a mathematician would like to thank Mr.J.Coroneos because of sharing qwhat he knows with lovers of maths.

[yoakim]

my school uses maths in focus...such a bad bad book....theory wise it is too simplified - doesn't give u enough understanding in behind the scenes.
I have fitzpatrick year 11/12 (yellow cover) for maths 2u. It's a great book. but im going to buy cambridge 2u and see how it is...

[Mc_Meaney]

I actually bought Fitzpatrick and Cambridge 2 unit yesterday and thought they were excellent. I actually did Cambridge first then went on to Fitzpatrick. I believe these 2 combinations textbooks are essential...

I agree on the Cambridge, it is requiring a combination with something else. We use it and Margaret Grove, which is alright, but in alot of instances lacks relevant examples

[buchanan]

Jim Coroneos.

- Posted 18 Mar 2006, 2:19 PM AEST.

i as someone who is going to be a mathematician would like to thank Mr.J.Coroneos because of sharing qwhat he knows with lovers of maths.

You're too late. He died last year. He was 80.

[Forbidden.]

my school uses maths in focus...such a bad bad book....theory wise it is too simplified - doesn't give u enough understanding in behind the scenes.
I have fitzpatrick year 11/12 (yellow cover) for maths 2u. It's a great book. but im going to buy cambridge 2u and see how it is...

You talking about Maths In focus - Three Unit Mathematics - Book One, green coloured ? If yes, I agree ... the topics are all over the place ...

[fishy89sg]

in my opinion (in red)

Conceptual Development: Maths In Focus
+ This book is excellent at explaining most things and for developing the basic skills for each topic. So if you find yourself struggling to understand a topic, try this book.
- Theory is too simplified
- Many Extension students dislike this book because it is too easy and does not contain many, if any, hard questions.
- If you have the 3U copy it is hard to tell whether or not a topic is part of the 2U or 3U course. (they have produced a second edition which shows which topicss are 3U)
- Examples provided are very simple and usually do not help with harder questions.
- No worked solutions. (they do have some worked solutions...?)

I love Maths in Focus, but I do Cambridge for an extra challenge

[Delirium]

Are the Cambridge Mathematics Extension 1 books more comprehensive in coverage than Fitzpatrick? I find that the Fitzpatrick Mathematics Extension 1 book leaves a lot of things out. What about the Cambridge Mathematics Extension 2 book? Why are the explanations sometimes not clear in it? Is it because the things are only explained in one particular way?

Are the Cambridge Mathematics Extension 1 & 2 books generally comprehensive (i.e. the questions and explanations cover all necessary cases)?

I'm considering purchasing these books in the near future, so any information about them would be appreciated... (there is only so much you can see in flipping through it in the bookstore -- and I would hate to spend approximately $50 on each and end up being disappointed).

[SoulSearcher]

The Cambrigde Extension 1 books are certainly quite through in their explanations and questions, so the money wouldn't be wasted there, not so sure about the Cambridge Extension 2 book.

[Riviet]

Cambridge extension 2 is great for some variety and definitely worth getting for more challenging questions.

[Grey Council]

lol, are you serious? =\

Coroneos:
+ This book is great. It's good at all the areas: Good diagrams, good explanations, many question to practice with.
+ The questions are the strength of this text. They cover the entire spectrum of skills which students require and lead you into the hard questions progressively.
+ The harder questions often involve interesting skills which are not taught at a 2u level but would be classified as "component B", of which the HSC must comprise at least 20%. Thus it is worth your while to try these questions.
+ With regard to explanations and worked solutions: The book is DESIGNED SO THAT A STUDENT CAN TEACH HIMSELF/HERSELF. Suffice it to say, I taught myself 3 4u maths topics from nothing but coroneos book for 4u. And most of the 2u course from the 2u coroneos book. Like half of the 3u course from the 3u coroneos book. yeah, i'm a terrible student but i got 96 for 3u, so I did something right
- Doesn't look very flashy. No high tech pictures etc etc


with all due respect, Coroneos is by far the best course book. For 2u, 3u AND 4u.

I honestly have no idea how you managed to get such a low opinion of it, it has great explanations, each exercise having like 4 pages worth, with EVERY sort of question explained before each chapter.

I wouldn't say fitzpatrick has great explanations =\ in many cases the explanation is insufficient. And with the 'wide' variety of questions, it gets ridiculous heaps of times. eg: 3u fitzpatrick's circle geometry. heh, even 4u doesn't ask some of that stuff :|

edit:
ah buchanan, sorry to hear that. I met him in person when i bought the books off him, he was a v nice man. RIP

[satie]

At least you guys are given books that were made after you were born. We are using the green Jones and Couchman books. The two books we have were last updated in 1982 and 1983. Why is it that they replace the year 7 books before year 12? All the juniors ever do is break them. Anyway I have the Fitzpatrick, its better than the J&Cs, just a bit confusing with some of the explanations.

[xxtiaxchelseaxx]

Our school uses Maths in Focus written in 1994! Which is completely terrible.

[ashraf91]

coroneos all the way, for 2 u and 3u, 4 unit terry lee and arnold arnold
best ever witha different range of questions. the whole 2u course was done alone in 1.5 terms using coroneos, may he r.i.p.

[ashraf91]

i got this new book called fundamental mathematics by terry lee, dont let funtamental fool u, it says itz a 2unit book, but hardy anyfing is from 2unit, itz a 3unit/4unit book, but on d coer it says itz a 2unit, i showed ma teacher, and he said this is mix of hard 3unit and 4unit, but itz a really gud book, go out and buy it, and itz not 1 wit just answers, it has WORKED SOLUTIONS, so yea if ur independant like me and prefer to teach ur self, this is the ultimate book, but still coroneos has a place in my heart lol

[wrxsti]

can you ever got a worse combination... then Couchman and Jone (from the freakn stone age) and "Maths in Focus" (a year 2 kid could do all the questions)

Thats the books we use for 2unit and 3unit.
Makes no difference wat kinda book you use in the end. if you understand concepts thats all that matters