Math Mammoth vs Singapore Math (Dimensions Math)

Math Mammoth is Maria Miller's self-teaching worktext curriculum for grades 1-8. The explanations are written directly to the student on the page, with worked examples and visual models followed by practice. Digital PDFs run about $30-$40 per grade, and frequent sales push that lower, which makes it one of the cheapest serious math programs on the market. The catch is the format: the pages are dense and text-heavy, so the program fits kids who read well and can work from a page of written instruction.

Dimensions Math takes the concrete-pictorial-abstract route. Students start with physical manipulatives, move to bar models and diagrams, and only then work with bare numbers. Bar model problem solving is the signature skill, and it pays off for years in word problems and later in algebra. Coverage is PreK-8, grade bundles run $123-$169, and the Home Instructor's Guide is essential because the parent does real teaching, especially in the early grades.

Both programs build strong number sense, and both end at 8th grade. The honest tradeoff: Math Mammoth puts the teacher on the page and saves you money and time. Singapore makes you the teacher and rewards that work with a deeper, more visual foundation.