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Challenging, problem-first textbooks from Prealgebra up, the next step after Beast Academy.
Updated September 2026 · 8 sources
| Grades | 6–12 (Prealgebra+) |
|---|---|
| Approach | Problem solving |
| Who teaches | The program does the teaching |
| Parent prep | Low (student-directed) |
| Screen time | A mix of screen and paper |
| Video lessons | Available: free videos for some books |
| Faith | No religious content |
| Cost | About $59 for the Prealgebra text and solutions; reusable (source) |
| Placement | Free readiness pretests An "Are you ready?" test for each course. |
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See my matchParents of strong math students say it teaches kids to think like mathematicians and prepares them well for contests. Reviewers warn it's text-heavy, deliberately hard, and a poor fit for kids who need visual support or who get upset when they can't get everything right.
These come straight from the scoring rules the quiz uses.
Art of Problem Solving is described as problem solving. It focuses on deep problem solving more than on spiral or mastery review.
Art of Problem Solving covers grades 6–12 (Prealgebra+).
About $59 for the Prealgebra text and solutions; reusable. Prices were checked on publisher or retailer pages in September 2026; check current prices before buying.
Art of Problem Solving is secular: it has no religious content.
A mix of screen and paper. The program does the teaching.
Yes. Free readiness pretests. An "Are you ready?" test for each course.
Summaries are in our own words.