Good math books?

[YourCall]

I'm having difficulty with the math in the physical section. I've heard some people grab a fifth grade math textbook and use that as a way to practice the basic math.

Does anyone recommend a certain book or site?

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[PingPongPro]

Get the EK verbal reasoning and Mathematical techniques book. Its a little bit older. I think it came out 2007. But it has pretty much everything you are looking for, and a bunch of mcat relevant math techniques and problems.

Not to mention it comes with real aamc verbal passages from AAMC #1 and #2.

I got it for like 14 bucks, and it was definitely worth it.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Not to mention it comes with real aamc verbal passages from AAMC #1 and #2.

I don't think those were real exams. I read somewhere that AAMC 3 was the first actual MCAT they released. I think AAMC stopped offering 1 and 2 so they could say that their exams were all real MCATs.

The math stuff I already knew and pretty much just glossed over that in ~1-2 minutes. If you did/do Berkeley Review, they teach a lot of the same math tricks in their physics/chem books.

I'm quoting you from another thread and want to add on a bit. The physics and chem books from BR have some great math tips integrated throughout the text and passages. They aren't organized into a single section, so you have to fish for them. But there are some great ones there that you won't find anywhere else.

 

[PingPongPro]

I don't think those were real exams. I read somewhere that AAMC 3 was the first actual MCAT they released. I think AAMC stopped offering 1 and 2 so they could say that their exams were all real MCATs.

You probably know more about MCAT prep material than me so you are probably right. I just remember reading from the note in the book that said "This section...includes material from the MCAT Practice Test 1. Materials are reprinted with permission of AAMC". So I suppose they weren't actual MCAT tests, but they are a source for more verbal passages written from the AAMC writers.

I'm quoting you from another thread and want to add on a bit. The physics and chem books from BR have some great math tips integrated throughout the text and passages. They aren't organized into a single section, so you have to fish for them. But there are some great ones there that you won't find anywhere else.

I personally did not find the math in this book useful since I am a Math guy by nature, but the OP seemed like he was someone who was struggling with the calculations. This type of book is probably aimed more towards people like him. Its also probably a lot more in line for what he is looking for rather than just referring him to all the BR books.

I do want to say however, that the Berkeley Review books have the best tips, calculation techniques, test taking strategy, etc. out there. For people deciding on a company to choose, its probably arguably the best. I personally really like how they spend the time to examine each answer choice and explain why its wrong or right. Knowing why a wrong answer is wrong and in what cases its right, is probably the best way I learn. A lot of other books don't focus enough on the wrong answers.

I understand as a BR rep you have a vested interest in advertising their books, but I think the OP was looking more for a quick reference guide, rather than investing in a whole new set of material.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

PingPongPro:

You are such a great asset to SDN. I look forward to reading your posts, as they are always candid and fall into either the insightful category or the funny category, both of which are what an online forum needs more than anything else. I hope you one day make the 1000+ post group as it would make SDN better overall.

You bring something up that bounces around my cranium everytime I post. I'm a homer who collects a paycheck. So while I get no bonus if sales are good, I have a vested interest in that BR can afford tutors and editors because of sales.

I try my best to post comments that I would make whether employed or not and hope to always maintain some form semblance of Switzerlandtivity. In this particular case, I wholeheartedly believe in my comment about the unique tricks. But you are 100% correct that the OP was fishing for something conslidated into a small manual. In retrospect, I probably should have passed on responding, like I do most of the time. Can't go back now.

I look forward to seeing you post more.