Art of Problem Solving  4.3/5 (4)

Comment: Wow, I'm in love with this curriculum! I didn't like math in school, but this curriculum helps you see math differently. These math problems really make you think and puzzle out the answers. You need to understand the concepts in order to figure things out. No plug and chug here. I plan to continue with the series through high school. My son didn't like it at first, but it grew on him and by the end of the first book he not only liked the curriculum, but he liked math too.

Pros: Thorough coverage of concepts
Teaches you to really understand
Hard problems
Teaches in a whole to part way

Cons: Some hard problems require lots of time.
May not be suitable for some kids.

Comment: DS loves this curriculum. He is bright and abstract in his thinking and although he seems like the kid who would thrive in math, he has struggled with a typical piecemeal approach that most math curriculums provide.
His attitude about math changed with AOPS. After an adjustment period to the new layout, he actually loves math time now. He works (mostly) independently through the books and receives assistance from us when needed. We use the online Alculmus as an objective way to measure his level of knowledge. The Alculmus badges that he can earn have been great motivation for him.
I am amazed by negative reviews that I have read on other sites. AOPS has been such an excellent fit for us that we switched younger DS to Math Beast and love this curriculum as well.

Comment: My son loves this, he is a problem solver and this is the only math I have ever tried that he actually LIKES. Its very affordable, and easy to use, but I dont think it can be used as a whole math curriculum, this is just one aspect of math.

Comment: I got AOPS Pre-algebra for my two middle-school children, and found it quite challenging! Being a math teacher myself, I was thrilled with how the questions stretched us and applied math in new ways. This is not your typical math book by any means! I haven't given up on it, but think it would work best with kids naturally inclined to math and ready to do quite independent thinking. Also, it has no repetitive practice problems, so I think that as we continue to use it, I'll supplement with extra practice that helps solidify the basic concepts and skills.