All the reviews below appear in Amazon.com's website page of the book "The Trachtenberg Speed System of Basic Mathematics" by Ann Cutler & Rudolph McShane.
Please note that the reviews ARE NOT reviews of the software available here. However, the software is based on Trachtenberg's system that is described in this book.
Customer Reviews
Avg. Customer Rating:
Number of Reviews: 8
(Rating reported as of May 2001; please check Amazon.com for latest ratings)
THIS IS THE ONE - THROW YOUR CALCULATOR AWAY!, August 5, 2000
Reviewer:
Martin Diosdado (see more about me)
from
I wish someone had guided me when this book came
out, as I could see it's potential when I was eight years old. Later in
Junior High in Grand Junction, Colorado, this sytem was taught by a former
United States Air Force Strategic Air Command Navigator as a Math Teacher.
His students were able to add, subtract, and multiply numbers that were 15
or more digits across, and 15 or more down, in the time it took to type
this. When I transferred in, in May of 1969, I felt WAAAAY behind the
times as I was given homework out of a text where all I did was add and
subtract, and do long division, all the usual way. My Math teacher was
surprised when I asked him if what he was teaching was indeed, the
Tratchtenberg Method. I told him I had checked the book out from our Sharp
Elementary School Library in Brownsville, Texas....Say, what if YOUR kids
learned this, some summer....?
fantastic book - but you can GET IT ELSEWHERE FOR CHEAPER
, July 30, 2000
Reviewer: A reader from
this book rules. Amazing math is still
taught "the old way". shame about the price though... (used, but who
cares).
It works!, December 4, 1999
Reviewer: A
reader from
Ok, I'll admit it.
I did not read this book. My father did, when I was in third grade and
failing miseribly. He taught me this method at home every night and when I
was tested at the end of the year I had not only mastered multiplication
and division, but finished the test before anyone else. The
addition/subtraction was a God-send as well. If you have a child
struggling with math, this is an excellent resource. Take it from one who
knows, and who has the degree to prove it. <grin>
Gave me the impetus to explore a subject that I hated most.
, December 3, 1999
Reviewer:
Robert
Hanks (see more about me) from Redondo
I was introduced to the Trachtenberg method in the 3rd
and 4th grade by my mother, through home study. I was an absolute mess in
arithmetic and higher level math. The system gave me the encouragement,
confidence and skills to go on - and go on I did, through 8 quarters of
calculus for my degree in economics and beyond. This is absolutely the
best foundation for any mom and dad that want to help their children with
numbers, but are unsure of themselves or their skill. Techniques can be
picked up so fast it's unbelievable. Highly recommend; I intend, as an
older father with two year old girl twins, to use this book intensively,
but not in the immediate future of course. I'd be interested in hearing
from other readers on this, and I can be reached at bob_hanks@msn.com.
Multiplication and division don't have to be boring at
all!, August 30, 1999
Reviewer: A reader from
This method of mathematics was introduced to
me as a freshman in high school. My teacher, who was proficient at it,
used to race me multiplying multi-digit numbers together. He had the
chalkboard and his brain and I had my calculator. He won regularly! We
will be using it to home school our children, skipping the drudgery of
memorizing the multiplication tables. If you or your children struggle
with multiplication and division, this book is a must. It also has another
method for addition and other aspects of math as well. Very highly
recommended.
Fantastic book, August 29, 1999
Reviewer:
A reader from
This is a
fantastic book, even for non-maths types. So intuitive, you wonder why
it's not taught in schools. Shame about the price tho - try your local
library....?
EXCELLENT!, July 28, 1999
Reviewer:
If you are a math educator, you should not be
without this book. Trachtenberg's methods demonstrate that there is more
than one way to solve a problem - and what FUN they can be to solve! I
have demonstated Trachtenberg's techniques in workshops and have left
life-long teacher's in awe. This is one book that I won't loan out,
because you really must have your own.
A phenominal book for math shortcuts, and basics,
December 29, 1997
Reviewer: Detta@webtv.net from
United States
I was given this book when I was a
freshman in High School. I must say it really opened my eyes to the FUN
you can have with math. NO, I was not a bookworm, or the teachers pet.
This book made math so easy and fast, that I amazed many of my teachers
with the skill it gave me. I was able to perfrom in seconds what it took
my teachers many times longer to accomplish. Over the years, I have wished
I still had the hardbound copy to refer to and to use in helping my
daughter get the GRIP on math that all school aged children should have. I
would like to see it used as a tool for learning in our schools. Of all
the books I have come across, this one is a particular favorite of mine. I
am going to have to order a copy for my daughter who is in college now,
but has heard me talk about this book for years.I still find myself
working problems with the methods this book taught me.
Please note that the reviews above ARE NOT reviews of the software available here. The software, however, is based on Trachtenberg's system that is described in the book reviewed above.
