Synopses & Reviews
Read Danica McKellar's posts on the Penguin Blog From a well-known actress and math genius—a groundbreaking guide to mathematics for middle school girls, their parents, and educators
As the math education crisis in this country continues to make headlines, research continues to prove that it is in middle school when math scores begin to drop—especially for girls—in large part due to the relentless social conditioning that tells girls they “can’t do” math, and that math is “uncool.” Young girls today need strong female role models to embrace the idea that it’s okay to be smart—in fact, it’s sexy to be smart!
It’s Danica McKellar’s mission to be this role model, and demonstrate on a large scale that math doesn’t suck. In this fun and accessible guide, McKellar—dubbed a “math superstar” by The New York Times—gives girls and their parents the tools they need to master the math concepts that confuse middle- schoolers most, including fractions, percentages, pre-algebra, and more. The book features hip, real-world examples, step-by-step instruction, and engaging stories of Danica’s own childhood struggles in math (and stardom). In addition, borrowing from the style of today’s teen magazines, it even includes a Math Horoscope section, Math Personality Quizzes, and Real-Life Testimonials—ultimately revealing why math is easier and cooler than readers think.
Review
“Hot X: Algebra Exposed is a must-have for any teen or tween girl who feels nervous about Algebra class."
-Washington PostReview
“Danica McKellar is a great teacher! She's warm and funny, and best of all, she explains algebra so clearly. My wife and I immediately ordered her books [for] our daughters.”—Steven Strogatz,
New York Times columnist and professor of mathematics, Cornell University
Synopsis
New York Times bestselling author Danica McKellar makes it a breeze to excel in high school geometry Hollywood actress and math whiz Danica McKellar has completely shattered the "math nerd" stereotype. For years, she's been showing girls how to feel confident and ace their math classes--with style With Girls Get Curves, she applies her winning techniques to high school geometry, giving readers the tools they need to feel great and totally "get" everything from congruent triangles to theorems, and more. Inside you'll find:
- Time-saving tips and tricks for homework and tests
- Illuminating practice problems (and proofs ) with detailed solutions
- Totally relateable real-world examples
- True stories from Danica's own life as an actress and math student
- A Troubleshooting Guide, for getting unstuck during even the trickiest proofs
With Danica as a coach, girls everywhere can stop hiding from their homework and watch their scores rise
Synopsis
"Dancing With The Stars" contestant Danica McKellar's (Math Doesn't Suck, Kiss My Math, Girls Get Curves) New York Times bestseller tackles the most feared of all math classes: Algebra!
Algebra: The word alone has been known to strike fear in the hearts of even the best students, but help is here! With her two earlier books, actress and math genius Danica McKellar shattered the "math nerd" stereotype and empowered girls to conquer middle-school math and pre- algebra. Sizzling with McKellar's trademark sass and style, Hot X: Algebra Exposed now shows high schoolers how to master algebra topics like square roots, polynomials, quadratic equations, word problems, and more. In addition to fun extras like personality quizzes, reader polls, and boy-crazy confessionals, Hot X includes
- time-saving tips and tricks
- sample problems with detailed solutions
- relatable real-world examples
Parents and daughters alike will cheer McKellar as they watch their test scores rise!
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Synopsis
In her two bestselling books,
Math Doesn't Suck and
Kiss My Math, actress and math genius Danica McKellar shattered the "math nerd" stereotype by showing girls how to ace middle school math-and actually feel cool while doing it!
Sizzling with Danica's trademark sass and style, Hot X: Algebra Exposed tackles algebra: the most feared of all math classes and the most common roadblock to high school graduation. McKellar instantly puts her readers at ease, showing teenage girls-and anyone taking algebra-how to feel confident, get in the driver's seat, and master topics like square roots, polynomials, quadratic equations, word problems and more . . . without breaking a sweat (or a nail).
Danica provides illuminating, step-by-step math lessons combined with reader favorites like personality quizzes, popular doodles, real-life testimonials, and stories from her own life, so girls feel like she's sitting right next to them. As hundreds of thousands of girls already know, Danica's irreverent, light-hearted approach opens the door to higher grades and higher test scores. Now, with Hot X: Algebra Exposed, the scary veil of algebra is finally lifted, making it understandable, relevant and maybe even a little (gasp!) fun for girls.
Synopsis
Read Danica McKellar's posts on the Penguin Blog.
The New York Times bestseller-from the "Dancing With The Stars" contestant and popular author of Math Doesn't Suck, Hot X: Algebra Exposed, and Girls Get Curves-teaches girls how to kick pre-algebra butt
In her New York Times bestselling books, actress and math genius Danica McKellar shatters the "math nerd" stereotype and gives girls the tools to ace middle-school math in her unique, just- us-girls style. Now, in her second book, Kiss My Math, McKellar empowers a new crop of girls-seventh to ninth graders-to tackle the next level of mathematics: pre-algebra.
Stepping up not only the math but the sass and style, McKellar helps math-phobic teenagers moving up into high school chill out and finally "get" negative numbers, variables, absolute values, exponents, and more. As she did so effectively in Math Doesn't Suck, McKellar uses personality quizzes, reader polls, real-life testimonials, and stories from her own life-in addition to clear instruction, helpful tips, and practice problems-revealing why pre-algebra is easier, more relevant, and more glamorous than girls think. McKellar is clearly reaching her audience: parents, teachers, and especially girls are asking for more.
Synopsis
New York Times bestselling author and mathemetician Danica McKellar tackles all the angles—and curves—of geometry
In her three previous bestselling books Math Doesn't Suck, Kiss My Math, and Hot X: Algebra Exposed!, actress and math genius Danica McKellar shattered the “math nerd” stereotype by showing girls how to ace their math classes and feel cool while doing it.
Sizzling with Danica's trademark sass and style, her fourth book, Girls Get Curves, shows her readers how to feel confident, get in the driver's seat, and master the core concepts of high school geometry, including congruent triangles, quadrilaterals, circles, proofs, theorems, and more!
Combining reader favorites like personality quizzes, fun doodles, real-life testimonials from successful women, and stories about her own experiences with illuminating step-by-step math lessons, Girls Get Curves will make girls feel like Danica is their own personal tutor.
As hundreds of thousands of girls already know, Danica's irreverent, lighthearted approach opens the door to math success and higher scores, while also boosting their self-esteem in all areas of life. Girls Get Curves makes geometry understandable, relevant, and maybe even a little (gasp!) fun for girls.
Synopsis
Three-time New York Times bestselling author Danica McKellar and popular "Dancing With The Stars" contestant now makes it a breeze to excel in
Geometry! Hollywood actress and math whiz Danica McKellar has completely shattered the math nerd” stereotype. For years, shes been showing girls how to feel confident and ace their math classes with style! With Girls Get Curves, she applies her winning techniques to high school geometry, giving readers the tools they need to feel great and totally get” everything from congruent triangles to theorems, and more. Inside youll find:
· Time-saving tips and tricks for homework and tests
· Illuminating practice problems (and proofs!) with detailed solutions
· Totally relatable real-world examples
· True stories from Danicas own life as an actress and math student
· A Troubleshooting Guide, for getting unstuck during even the trickiest proofs!
With Danica as a coach, girls everywhere can stop hiding from their homework and watch their scores rise!
About the Author
Danica McKellar is the bestselling author of Math Doesn't Suck, Kiss My Math, and, most recently, Girls Get Curves. Best known for her roles on The Wonder Years and The West Wing, Danica is also an internationally recognized mathematician and advocate for math education. A summa cum laude graduate of UCLA with a degree in Mathematics, she has been honored in Britainandrsquo;s esteemed Journal of Physics and The New York Times for her work in mathematics, most notably for her role as co-author of a groundbreaking mathematical physics theorem, which bears her name (The Chayes-McKellar-Winn Theorem.) Her passion for promoting girlsandrsquo; math education began in 2000, when she was invited to speak before Congress on the importance of women in math and science. Since then, Danica has made it a priority to find time in her busy acting schedule to promote math education, often appearing around the country as a speaker at national mathematics conferences.
Table of Contents
Hot Topics
Acknowledgments vi Hot… X? xi FAQs: How to Use This Book xiii
PART 1: MEET THE VARIABLES
Chapter 2: Happy Birthday to Me
GCFs and LCMs with Variables
15 Chapter 3: Listen to Your Gut
Factoring with Variables
30 CONFESSIONAL: Are You Boy Crazy? ON THE COVER 39 Chapter 4: Meow Mix
Rational Expressions: Fractions with Variables in Them
42 Chapter 5: Eating Pizza in the Dark
Adding and Subtracting Fractions with Variables
57 QUIZ: Are You Bold or Shy? ON THE COVER 72
PART 2: SOLVING FOR X
Chapter 6: Your Holiday Shopping List
Strategies for Solving for X
76 Chapter 7: How Picky Are You?
Solving Equations with Absolute Value
91 Chapter 8: Control Freaks, Unite!
Solving Inequalities with Absolute Value
99 MOOD ZAPPER: Take Control of Your Feelings! 113
PART 3: FUNCTIONS, GRAPHING, AND SYSTEMS OF EQUATIONS
Chapter 9: Can You Keep a Secret?
Functions and Relations
116 Chapter 10: They’re Going Steady
Equations of Lines, and Graphing Lines and Linear Inequalities
130 Chapter 11: Mystery Woman
Writing Equations for Lines, Including Parallel/Perpendicular Lines
147 Chapter 12: Little Miss People Pleaser
Solving and Graphing Systems of Linear Equations
164 CONFESSIONAL: Dumbing Ourselves Down—the Sequel! 182
PART 4: WORD PROBLEMS
Chapter 13: The Guy of Your Dreams
Motion Problems: Using r . t = d
184 Chapter 14: Dip in the Pool, Anyone?
Rate of Work Problems
198 Chapter 15: Savvy Business Chick
Word Problems: Percents and Simple Interest
208 Chapter 16: The Perfect Party Snack
Word Problems Involving Mixtures
224
PART 5: EXPONENTS AND SQUARE ROOTS
Chapter 17: Ms. Exponent Gets Her Whip
The Product, Power, and Quotient Rules for Exponents
239 Chapter 18: Keep Your Day Job
Negative (and Zero) Exponents
257 Chapter 19: The Benefi ts of a Diary
Intro to Square Roots and Radical Expressions
273 CONFESSIONAL: How Can I Focus and Avoid Distractions? 291
PART 6: POLYNOMIALS
Chapter 20: Chocolates for Breakfast
Intro to Polynomials and Adding/Subtracting Them
294 Chapter 21: A Day at the Hair Salon
Multiplying Polynomials and the FOIL Method
309 Chapter 22: The Jewelry Dilemma
Factoring Trinomials with Reverse FOIL and Grouping
323 Chapter 23: Boyfriend or "Special" Friend
Factoring Special Polynomials
343 QUIZ: Take Control of Your Feelings! 348
PART 7: QUADRATIC EQUATIONS
Chapter 24: Puppies, Please?
Solving Quadratic Equations by Factoring
353 Chapter 25: The Lemonade Stand
Solving Quadratic Equations by Completing the Square
369 Chapter 26: What You Can Learn at the Mall
Using the Quadratic Formula
385
A Final Word 397 Appendix 398 Answer Key 402 Index 413 About the Author 418