Some people prefer to use bound books, while others want the pages in looseleaf format (which can be done by cutting apart a bound book or printing from PDF files). Sometimes, the decisive factor is cost-saving. International customers often find that printing is a much less expensive than paying for shipping.
Increasingly, parents and teachers are comfortable teaching from a laptop or tablet, so the PDF works fine for them, and saves a little money, too.
In most of our curriculum, the student uses all the workbook pages. In The Story of the World Student Pages or Coloring Pages, the student will probably use only a portion of the pages, which can be printed at will from PDF, and for as many students as are in the home.
If you wish to compare the cost of buying pre-printed books with printing PDF files do the math and compare the results:
- Physical materials cost = price of the book + shipping.
- Printing of PDF cost = price of the PDF + (cost of printing per page x number of pages) + cost of binding (if any).
Copy centers charge different rates, so check with a couple of vendors to confirm their rates.
Except for the Math With Confidence and Math Facts That Stick series, all the pages are black-and-white. The math materials can be printed in black and white (grayscale) to save a little money, but it is less attractive and less appealing for the young student.