Editorial Review:Description:The Standard Deviants teach you math basics the easy way. You'll learn everything you need to do basic math problems. Watch and learn as the Standard Deviants introduce you to the world of math. Includes such topics as: integers, division, addition, the order of operations, subtraction, rounding integers and decimals, multiplication, fractions, prime numbers, ratios, percents. Running time: 1 hr 45 min
'I purchase the Standard Deviants to help my students. I think the lighthearted approach will reduce their anxiety.' --Professor Karen Gaines, St. Louis Community College
Amazon.com:In 'The Zany World of Basic Math,' the Standard Deviants, an ebullient troupe of young performers whose specialty is taking serious subjects and making them offbeat enough to be memorable, tackle the most basic concepts of mathematics. Starting off with explanations of integers, the program proceeds to cover addition, subtraction, and multiplication before moving into more advanced concepts such as exponents and division. Throughout the program the cast cracks painfully corny jokes and occasionally dresses up in some bad costumes to make their points. Indeed, this must be the only math lesson to have a 'comedy editor' listed in the opening credits. The underlying principle is that if the performers make spectacles of themselves, that serves as a mnemonic device and makes the serious material they're imparting easier to remember. After covering the basics, the program moves into decimals, fractions, ratios, and percents. Following each section a quiz appears, which the student can either take or skip, and a 'Grand Slam Exam' concludes the entire set of lessons. While the presentation may be unorthodox, the academic material has been approved by a panel of professors. Though it's not intended as a substitute for classes in math, students would benefit by using this as review material.
--Robert J. McNamara
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
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My daughter says too much humor too little teaching
My daughter thought there was too much entertainment and not enough teaching. She went through Spanish one in a hour or two and took the Spanish final test and passed.
Rating: -
Too much entertainment, not enough education
While this tape may appeal to children in the 8 - 12 year old ranges and also teaches them some mathematics; older people will most likely find it dull. The problem is that a great deal of time is spent in the telling of jokes designed to appeal to children of that age range. In my opinion, much more time than is reasonable. After all the primary purpose of the tape is to teach math with the humor being a secondary supplement. However, the way the tape is put together, the humor is foremost and the math is secondary.
All of the following basic concepts are covered, but not to the depth necessary for understanding.
*) Integers and how to add, subtract, multiply and divide them.
*) The names of all the components of an arithmetic problem.
*) Fractions, their components and how to reduce them.
*) The order of operations.
*) Prime numbers and how to factor integers.
*) Exponents and scientific notation.
*) Ratios and percents.
While I think this tape would be good as a supplement, I don't think that it could be used as a primary learning tool. Too much focus on entertainment and not enough on learning.
Rating: 
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Not for younger children
I bought this DVD for my third-grade twins who are having difficulty memorizing math facts, and don't quite understand the relation between these math facts and the real world. I thought this DVD would be perfect, explaining basic math facts with humor and real life examples. But their explanations are way over the heads of this age group. In explaining the concept of "carrying over" while adding, for instance, here is what is said and written out on the screen: "Carrying over means you take the digit in the tensplace of the digit place sum, and carry over that digit to the next digit place to the left in your addition problem. You do this whenever the sum amount in the digit place is greater than nine."
Yeah, *I* get it, but it is not the simplest way to present it to an elementary grade child.
I'm not certain what grade level this series is for -- perhaps middle school and above? -- but definitely not for those just starting out.
Rating: 
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I love this stuff
What an excellent way to learn numbers. The songs are fun and the info is spot on. Learning with the Standard Deviants is the way to go.