algebra-based textbooks

[Ben Crowell <bcrowell@SPRINTMAIL.COM>]

Wolfgang Rueckner wrote:
> I recently looked at Hecht's algebra/trig
> Physics book and liked what I saw - especially the problems.  Does
anyone
> out there have any classroom experience with this book that s/he would
care
> to share (pros or cons)?

I used Hecht for a year, and it was not a success. The students hated
it, partly
for unfair reasons (it's written at a real college level), and partly
for what I'd
consider fair reasons: many topics are just explained badly, or
explained in
a very abstract and general way when it would have been better to start
out
with simpler cases. For more of my fascinating opinions ;-) on Hecht and
other
books, see my web page, http://www.lightandmatter.com/area1recs.html   .

    Ben Crowell
    Fullerton College