TABLE OF CONTENTS:
One Mathematical Cat, Please!
A First Course in Algebra (Offline Version)

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Download this offline course

Welcome! This is the offline version of One Mathematical Cat, Please! A First Course in Algebra, created by Dr. Carol JVF Burns. Just like the online version, it is carefully sequenced, totally free, requires no logins, and has no ads. Once downloaded, everything works without an internet connection.

You won’t just learn algebra. You’ll learn the language of mathematics while you’re learning algebra.

What’s Included?

Everything needed for the entire course resides in a single folder. Once it’s on your computer, it will never change unless you decide to change it. No forced updates. No disappearing features. No unexpected redesigns. More importantly—if you’re a teacher—you’ll never need to rewrite a carefully-planned syllabus because something changed outside your control.

It has unlimited randomly-generated exercises and worksheets in every lesson, so you’ll never run out of practice. Every lesson has audio with text highlighting, so you can hear the math being read aloud (by me)!

There’s also a print version of this Algebra course—the complete book behind the lessons. It includes more detailed explanations and active reading exercises—quick-and-easy opportunities to pause, digest new information, and check understanding.

The $164^+$ lessons (below) and the print book are designed to work together: the book gives full explanations with guided exercises; the computer-based lessons give concise explanations, audio, and unlimited practice.

Plus, the book has a super cute cover. You can keep the book nearby as a conversation piece—or simply as a reminder that this entire Algebra course lives right on your computer.

(front and back cover of the printed book)

For extra flexibility, the entire book (pdf version) is also available in the first column below. Just click ‘Read Section $1\,$’, ‘Read Section $2\,$’, and so on.

There’s also a detailed index that:

• links directly to the offline web lessons
• gives page numbers for the book (print or pdf version)

You’re about to learn that $\,x\,$ is to mathematics as ‘cat’ is to English. Next time you see ‘$\,x\,$’, I hope you think One Mathematical Cat, Please! and laugh a bit—making mathematics a little less stressful and a little more fun.

How to Use This Algebra Course

Jump back-and-forth between the $164^+$ computer lessons and book (print/pdf)—whatever works for you. But go in order, from beginning to end. Really.

Fly through parts that are easy for you, but don’t skip anything. (Especially don’t skip any section with a green background!) Why? This isn’t a traditional Algebra course, and there will be lots of ideas you’ve never seen before. If you miss them, things won’t flow.

Sections with the green background are from the original ‘cat’ book (Cat-on-Swing). It became the foundation for this complete First Course in Algebra.

And there’s more! (A printed book can only be so long...) The following additional lessons have everything you need, right in the web page.

Want a print version to work away from the computer? Supplement: The Extra Sections contains all $40$ extra lessons (sections $38$–$47$), together with a worksheet for each section. There’s plenty of space to work problems right in the book.