Blitzer, Algebra and Trigonometry, 7th Edition
Core Code Alignment
Mathematics
Other Mathematics
07070000010: Mathematics Electives-Algebra or Higher
Other Mathematics
07070000010: Mathematics Electives-Algebra or Higher
Recommendation
Recommended Limited
Evaluation
This is a good option for either higher level high school classes, or for lower level college courses in algebra and trigonometry. Blitzer's goal was to make a textbook for those who don't read textbooks by focusing on real-world application and on clarity of explanation. Design is very traditional using direct instruction. While there are hints and questions along the side of the text suggesting exploration and deeper student inquiry, students might naturally pass over those in favor of the main design of the text. Instructors of remedial courses should view this text with some caution (see below), as should those who are looking for a more open-ended approach to concept development.
Educators Using These Materials
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Rubric : Mathematics 2025
Compliance with State Law (Required)
| Item | 3 - Extensive | 2 - Adequate | 1 - Inadequate | 0 - None | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sensitive Materials and Prohibited Submission 53G-10-103, R277-628 | This item has not been graded. | |||||
| Prohibited discriminatory practices 53G-2-103-5, 53B-1-118 and 67-27-107 | This item has not been graded. | |||||
| Maintaining constitutional freedom in the public schools. 53G-10-202 | This item has not been graded. | |||||
| Free from advertising, e-commerce, or political interest | This item has not been graded. | |||||
Focus and Coherence: Non-Negotiable
| Item | 3 - Extensive | 2 - Adequate | 1 - Inadequate | 0 - None | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-negotiable materials must focus coherently on the Major Work of the grade in a way that is consistent with the progressions in the standards. | Student and teachers using the materials as designed devote the majority of time to the Major Work of the grade. | Supporting Work enhances focus and coherence simultaneously by also engaging students in the Major Work of the grade. | Materials follow the grade-by-grade progressions in the Standards. Content from previous or future grades does not unduly interfere. | Lessons that only include mathematics from previous grades are clearly identified. | ||
| This text squarely focuses on algebra and trigonometry, mostly in the context of functions and sequences. It extends to matrices, conic sections, and some probability. However, there is virtually no geometry, statistics, etc. It could be paired with a whole-year geometry class, or it could be a third- or fourth-year course in high school. It cannot be used as an integrated Math I or integrated Math II text. | ||||||
Rigor and Balance
| Item | 3 - Extensive | 2 - Adequate | 1 - Inadequate | 0 - None | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The materials support the development of students’ conceptual understanding of key mathematical concepts, especially where called for in specific standards or cluster headings. | Meets | Partially meets | N/A | Does not meet | ||
| This text assumes students learn best with direct instruction, either from an e-text, or from videos. That fails to use the rich opportunities of group tasks or other open-ended explorations to develop conceptual understanding. | ||||||
| The materials are designed so that students attain the fluencies and procedural skills required by the Standards. | Meets | Partially meets | N/A | Does not meet | ||
| The online practice quizzes are a strength of this textbook. The questions give clear and useful hints after each attempt, and have links to "Help Me Solve This," "View and Example," and "More Help." There are many questions per section in the text, and easy options for the instructor to assign review quizzes. The e-Text also has review questions mid-chapter, and at the end of each chapter. Each chapter also includes a cumulative review set of problems covering the text up to that point. | ||||||
| The materials are designed so that teachers and students spend sufficient time working with applications, without losing focus on the Major Work of each grade. (Are there single and multi-step contextual problems that develop the mathematics of the grade, afford opportunities for practice, and engage students in problem solving?) | Meets | Partially meets | N/A | Does not meet | ||
| The author's introduction states the use of application as a primary goal of this textbook. And, the e-text uses lots of real-world examples of the math in question. However, the direct instruction approach dilutes the usefulness of those applications by reducing them to word problems, which is quite a different thing to doing math in a real context where the approach and information needed are often not clear at the outset. The online practice problem sets are heavily weighted toward procedural problems, which could reinforce for students that the application problems are merely attempts to be interesting instead of the core work of the course. | ||||||
Standards for Mathematical Practice
| Item | 3 - Extensive | 2 - Adequate | 1 - Inadequate | 0 - None | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials address the practice standards in such a way as to enrich the Major Work of the grade; practice standards strengthen the focus on Major Work instead of detracting from it, in both teacher and student materials. | Meets | Partially meets | N/A | Does not meet | ||
| Instructors are encouraged to build a study plan for students that includes textbook reading, practice quizzes, and selected videos. Students can see their progress in completing the tasks assigned to them in this plan. | ||||||
| Tasks and assessments of student learning are designed to provide evidence of students’ proficiency in the Standards of Mathematical Practice. | Meets | Partially meets | N/A | Does not meet | ||
| Students in this program would need to be persistent and precise in order to successfully complete the review questions. | ||||||
| Materials support the Standards’ emphasis on mathematical reasoning. | Meets | Partially meets | N/A | Does not meet | ||
| Students are offered questions that nearly all have exact answers. A small set of questions are open-ended and allow for more detailed explanations. | ||||||
Access to the Standards for All Students
| Item | 3 - Extensive | 2 - Adequate | 1 - Inadequate | 0 - None | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support for English Language learners and other special populations is thoughtful (evidence-based) and helps those students meet the same Standards (and rigor) as all other students. The language in which problems are posed is carefully considered. | Meets | Partially meets | N/A | Does not meet | ||
| An "accessible e-Text" is listed, but not yet available. The main eText uses color and other strategies to enhance learning and retention of vocabulary and concepts. Videos use voice actors with a slow cadence which could help students learning English. However, because this text assumes students can learn from example problems in a textbook, it is likely less effective than other programs that emphasize deep understanding of concepts and student-driven learning. | ||||||
| Materials provide scaffolding, differentiation, intervention, and support for a broad range of learners with gradual removal of supports, when needed, to allow students to demonstrated their mathematical understanding independently. | Meets | Partially meets | N/A | Does not meet | ||
| See above. | ||||||
| Design of lessons incorporates strategies such as using multiple representations, deconstructing/reconstructing the language of problems, providing suggestions for addressing common student difficulties, etc. to ensure grade-level progress for all learners. | Meets | Partially meets | N/A | Does not meet | ||
| The eText does a good job of deconstructing example problems and providing clear explanations of how they work. This is also true of the online practice problems and their hints. | ||||||
| Ethnic Studies- (Ethnic studies in core standards and curriculum should be a narrowly tailored incorporation of age-appropriate opportunities that naturally arise through education without pretextual effort in courses, programs, or activities where ethnic studies is not a primary focus. The material should incorporate a curriculum of people and cultures that reflect the state’s various demographics without commentary that seeks to violate the neutrality standard established in codes: 53B-1-118, 53G-2-103, 53G-2-104, 53G-2-105, 67-27-107, | This item has not been graded. | |||||
| Shared Values and Character Traits | This item has not been graded. | |||||
Assessment
| Item | 3 - Extensive | 2 - Adequate | 1 - Inadequate | 0 - None | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple measurements of individual student progress occur at regular intervals ensuring success of all students. | Meets | Partially meets | N/A | Does not meet | ||
| Review problem sets occur mid-chapter, at the end of each chapter, and with online quizzes to provide lots of opportunities to practice. | ||||||
| Assessments measure what students understand and can do through well designed mathematical tasks and applications. | Meets | Partially meets | N/A | Does not meet | ||
| The vast majority of assessment questions can be answered with a short math answer. Only a tiny minority of questions could be described as well-designed tasks. | ||||||
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