<p>This market-leading text continues to provide both students and instructors with sound, consistently structured explanations of the mathematical concepts. Designed for a one- or two-term course that prepares students to study calculus, the new Seventh Edition retains the features that have made <i>Precalculus</i> a complete solution for both students and instructors: interesting applications, cutting-edge design, and innovative technology combined with an abundance of carefully written exercises.</p><ul><li><i>New </i> <i>Side-by-side Example Solutions</i> for select examples include multiple problem solving approaches&#151;such as algebraic, graphical, and numerical&#151;to appeal to a variety of teaching and learning styles.<li><i>New </i> <i>Checkpoints</i> after each Example/Solution refer students to similar drills in the Section Exercises, allowing students to practice and reinforce the concepts they just learned. Answers to Checkpoints are included at the back of the book.<li><i>New </i> <i>Vocabulary Checks</i> open every set of Section Exercises. This review of mathematical terms, formulas, and theorems provides regular assessment and reinforcement of students&#039; understanding of algebraic language and concepts.<li><i>Exercise Sets</i> have been carefully analyzed and revised to improve the categorization of problems from <i>basic skill-building</i> to <i>challenging;</i> improve the pairing of similar odd- and even-numbered exercises; update all real data; and add real-life and real-dataapplications.<li><i>New </i> <i>Make a Decision</i> applications&#151;presented throughout the text at the end of selected exercise sets&#151;are based on large sets of real data. These extended modeling applications give students the opportunity to use all the mathematical concepts and techniques they&#039;ve learned and apply them to large sets of real date&#151;analyzing it, graphing it, and making conjectures about its behavior. These applications are featured in Eduspace and the Online Learning Center in an interactive format.<li><i>Eduspace, powered by Blackboard, </i> Houghton Mifflin&#039;s online learning environment, brings your students quality online homework, tutorials, multimedia, and testing that correspond to the <i>College Algebra</i> text. This content is paired with the recognized course management tools of Blackboard.<li>For copyright 2007, two titles have been added to the Precalculus Series: Precalculus with Limits and Precalculus: A Concise Course. These titles enhance the scope of the series, making it even more flexible and adaptable to a variety of learning and teaching styles.</ul>

This market-leading text continues to provide both students and instructors with sound, consistently structured explanations of the mathematical concepts. Designed for a one- or two-term course that prepares students to study calculus, the new Seventh Edition retains the features that have made Precalculus a complete solution for both students and instructors: interesting applications, cutting-edge design, and innovative technology combined with an abundance of carefully written exercises.

Ron Larson received his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Colorado and has been a professor of mathematics at The Pennsylvania State University since 1970. He has pioneered the use of multimedia to enhance the learning of mathematics, having authored over 30 software titles since 1990. Dr. Larson has also conducted numerous seminars and in-service workshops for math teachers around the country about using computer technology as a teaching tool and motivational aid. His INTERACTIVE CALCULUS (a complete text on CD-ROM) received the 1996 Texty Award for the most innovative mathematics instructional material at the college level, and it was the first mainstream college textbook to be offered on the Internet.The Pennsylvania State University, The Behrend College Bio: Robert P. Hostetler received his Ph.D. in mathematics from The Pennsylvania State University in 1970. He has taught at Penn State for many years and has authored several calculus, precalculus, and intermediate algebra textbooks. His teaching specialties include remedial algebra, calculus, and math education, and his research interests include mathematics education and textbooks.

Note: Each chapter concludes with a Chapter Summary, Review Exercises, a Chapter Test, Proofs in Mathematics, and P.S. Problem Solving. 1. Functions and Their Graphs 1.1 Rectangular Coordinates 1.2 Graphs of Equations 1.3 Linear Equations in Two Variables 1.4 Functions 1.5 Analyzing Graphs of Functions 1.6 A Library of Parent Functions 1.7 Transformations of Functions 1.8 Combinations of Functions: Composite Functions 1.9 Inverse Functions 1.10 Mathematical Modeling and Variation 2. Polynomial and Rational Functions 2.1 Quadratic Functions and Models 2.2 Polynomial Functions of Higher Degree 2.3 Polynomial and Synthetic Division 2.4 Complex Numbers 2.5 Zeros of Polynomial Functions 2.6 Rational Functions 2.7 Nonlinear Inequalities 3. Exponential and Logarithmic Functions 3.1 Exponential Functions and Their Graphs 3.2 Logarithmic Functions and Their Graphs 3.3 Properties of Logarithms 3.4 Exponential and Logarithmic Equations 3.5 Exponential and Logarithmic Models Cumulative Test: Chapters 1-3 4. Trigonometry 4.1 Radian and Degree Measure 4.2 Trigonometric Functions: The Unit Circle 4.3 Right Triangle Trigonometry 4.4 Trigonometric Functions of Any Angle 4.5 Graphs of Sine and Cosine Functions 4.6 Graphs of Other Trigonometric Functions 4.7 Inverse Trigonometric Functions 4.8 Applications and Models 5. Analytic Trigonometry 5.1 Using Fundamental Identities 5.2 Verifying Trigonometric Identities 5.3 Solving Trigonometric Equations 5.4 Sum and Difference Formulas 5.5 Multiple-Angle and Product-to-Sum Formulas 6. Additional Topics in Trigonometry 6.1 Law of Sines 6.2 Law of Cosines 6.3 Vectors in the Plane 6.4 Vectors and Dot Products 6.5 Trigonometric Form of a Complex Number Cumulative Test: Chapters 4-6 7. Systems of Equations and Inequalities 7.1 Linear and Nonlinear Systems of Equations 7.2 Two-Variable Linear Systems 7.3 Multivariable Linear Systems 7.4 Partial Fractions 7.5 Systems of Inequalities 7.6 Linear Programming 8. Matrices and Determinants 8.1 Matrices and Systems of Equations 8.2 Operations with Matrices 8.3 The Inverse of a Square Matrix 8.4 The Determinant of a Square Matrix 8.5 Applications of Matrices and Determinants 9. Sequences, Series, and Probability 9.1 Sequences and Series 9.2 Arithmetic Sequences and Partial Sums 9.3 Geometric Sequences and Series 9.4 Mathematical Induction 9.5 The Binomial Theorem 9.6 Counting Principles 9.7 Probability Cumulative Test: Chapters 7-9 10. Topics in Analytic Geometry 10.1 Lines 10.2 Introduction to Conics: Parabolas 10.3 Ellipses 10.4 Hyperbolas 10.5 Rotation of Conics 10.6 Parametric Equations 10.7 Polar Coordinates 10.8 Graphs of Polar Equations 10.9 Polar Equations of Conics Appendix A. Review of Fundamental Concepts of Algebra A.1 Real Numbers and Their Properties A.2 Exponents and Radicals A.3 Polynomials and Factoring A.4 Rational Expressions A.5 Solving Equations A.6 Linear Inequalities in One Variable A.7 Errors and the Algebra of Calculus Appendix B. Concepts in Statistics (web) B.1 Representing Data B.2 Measures of Central Tendency and Dispersion B.3 Least Squares Regression