Hi all, I'm writing an introductory algebra book, meant to teach without a teacher, meant to be easy to learn for kids 12-16. It's been my impression that traditional textbooks try to make the material seem complex so as to require a teacher, so that the school will order it (what school would order something that would put them out of business).
So in a way, my book is diametrically opposed to math textbooks, yet I also want to benefit from literally generations of math teaching and writing, which is why I use the AMS Book document class. I know a lot of you have written math books, so please, please, give me all the tips you can on writing a math book. I can't guarantee I'll do everything suggested, but I sure would like to be aware of the possibilities. One of the first things I've wondered about is book structure. Traditional math textbooks seem to break down to chapters, and within each chapter are several lessons, each with its own questions, exercises and the like. In my book I'm considering having each lesson be its own chapter, in an effort to make short, simple units. I'm trying very hard to have the book come in under 200 pages, maybe even under 100 pages. If the book goes long, I might make it into 2 books if I can find a way to divide the material. I figure with, let's say, a 120 page book, if I had 20 chapters each 6 pages long, that wouldn't be excessive, and it would give the learner a clear indication of how he/she is doing. Once again, I'm looking for any tips on writing a math book -- any tips at all. If you've written a math book and have a cool way of doing stuff, please do tell. If you've read math books and have a pet peeve, please tell me that too. I'm hoping to start the actual authoring in about a week, and would like to have the book's riffs defined by that time. Thanks SteveT Steve Litt Author: Universal Troubleshooting Process books and courseware http://www.troubleshooters.com/
