Synopses & Reviews
College Algebra: Concepts and Models provides a solid understanding of algebra, using modeling techniques and real-world data applications. The text is effective for students who will continue on in mathematics, as well as for those who will end their mathematics education with college algebra. Instructors may also take advantage of optional discovery and exploration activities that use technology and are integrated throughout the text. A brief version of this text, College Algebra: A Concise Course, provides a shorter version of the text without the introductory review.
About the Author
Dr. Ron Larson is a professor of mathematics at The Pennsylvania State University where he has taught since 1970. He received his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Colorado and is considered the pioneer of using multimedia to enhance the learning of mathematics, having authored over 30 software titles since 1990. Dr. Larson conducts numerous seminars and in-service workshops for math educators around the country about using computer technology as an instructional tool and motivational aid. He is the recipient of the 2012 William Holmes McGuffey Longevity Award for PRECALCULUS: REAL MATHEMATICS, REAL PEOPLE and the 1996 Text and Academic Authors Association TEXTY Award for INTERACTIVE CALCULUS (a complete text on CD-ROM that 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. Bruce Edwards has been a mathematics professor at the University of Florida since 1976. Dr. Edwards majored in mathematics at Stanford University, graduating in 1968. He then joined the Peace Corps and spent four years teaching math in Colombia, South America. He returned to the United States and Dartmouth in 1972, and he received his PhD. in mathematics in 1976. Dr. Edwards' research interests include the area of numerical analysis, with a particular interest in the so-called CORDIC algorithms used by computers and graphing calculators to compute function values. His hobbies include jogging, reading, chess, simulation baseball games, and travel.
Table of Contents
Note: Each chapter includes a Mid-Chapter Quiz, Summary, Review Exercises, and Chapter Test. R1. Fundamental Concepts of Algebra R1.1 Real Numbers: Order and Absolute Value R1.2 The Basic Rules of Algebra R1.3 Integer Exponents R1.4 Radicals and Rational Exponents R1.5 Polynomials and Special Products R1.6 Factoring R1.7 Fractional Expressions Make a Decision Project: Musical Notes and Frequencies R2. Equations and Inequalities R2.1 Linear Equations R2.2 Mathematical Modeling R2.3 Quadratic Equations R2.4 The Quadratic Formula R2.5 Other Types of Equations R2.6 Linear Inequalities R2.7 Other Types of Inequalities Make a Decision Project: Salaries in Professional Baseball Cumulative Test: Chapters R1-R2 1. Functions and Graphs 1.1 Graphs of Equations 1.2 Lines in the Plane 1.3 Linear Modeling and Direct Variation 1.4 Functions 1.5 Graphs of Functions 1.6 Transformations of Functions 1.7 The Algebra of Functions 1.8 Inverse Functions Make a Decision Project: Demographics 2. Polynomial and Rational Functions 2.1 Quadratic Functions and Models 2.2 Polynomial Functions of Higher Degree 2.3 Polynomial Division 2.4 Real Zeros of Polynomial Functions 2.5 Complex Numbers 2.6 The Fundamental Theorem of Algebra 2.7 Rational Functions Make a Decision Project: Renewable Energy 3. Exponential and Logarithmic Functions 3.1 Exponential Functions 3.2 Logarithmic Functions 3.3 Properties of Logarithms 3.4 Solving Exponential and Logarithmic Equations 3.5 Exponential and Logarithmic Models Make a Decision Project: Newton's Law of Cooling Cumulative Test: Chapters 1-3 4. Systems of Equations and Inequalities 4.1 Solving Linear Systems Using Substitution 4.2 Solving Linear Systems Using Elimination 4.3 Linear Systems in Three or More Variables 4.4 Systems of Inequalities 4.5 Linear Programming Make a Decision Project: Newspapers 5. Matrices and Determinants 5.1 Matrices and Linear Systems 5.2 Operations with Matrices 5.3 The Inverse of a Square Matrix 5.4 The Determinant of a Square Matrix 5.5 Applications of Matrices and Determinants Make a Decision Project: Market Share 6. Sequences, Series, and Probability 6.1 Sequences and Summation Notation 6.2 Arithmetic Sequences and Partial Sums 6.3 Geometric Sequences and Series 6.4 The Binomial Theorem 6.5 Counting Principles 6.6 Probability 6.7 Mathematical Induction Make a Decision Project: The Multiplier Effect Cumulative Test: Chapters 4-6 Appendices A. An Introduction to Graphing Utilities B. Conic Sections B.1 Conic Sections B.2 Conic Sections and Translations C. Further Concepts in Statistics (Available on the web/CD only) C.1 Data and Linear Modeling C.2 Measures of Central Tendency and Dispersion