Synopses & Reviews
Yoshiwara's INTRODUCTORY ALGEBRA was written with two goals in mind: to present the skills of algebra in the context of modeling and problem solving; and to engage students as active participants in the process of learning. Unlike other introductory algebra texts, Yoshiwara's INTRODUCTORY ALGEBRA, builds an intuitive framework for the future study of functions in intermediate algebra. This clearly differentiates Yoshiwara from standard introductory algebra texts. The text emphasizes the study of tables and graphs, and the concept of the variable is developed from that platform. Graphs are used extensively throughout the book to illustrate algebraic technique and to help students visualize relationships between variables. The numerous labeled grids paired with exercises throughout the text reinforce the need to draw graphs by hand while helping students to focus on the properties of the graphs by eliminating the time-consuming task for beginning students of choosing the appropriate scales for the axes. Suggestions for calculator activities are included on the text web site by the authors believe that this skill must be learned through practice with pencil and paper.
Review
"Traditional topics are presented in a manner which students can understand. Students are expected to be participants in their learning and not passive watchers imitating examples from the text or from the lectures of the instructor."
Review
"I like interweaving the symbolic and graphical methods of solving equations, from as early on as section 1.7, and consistently throughout the text. Traditional algebra books isolate symbolic methods from graphing... Students using this text should gain a good appreciation of the graphical perspective on equations."
Review
"The large number of applications that have been researched carefully for relevancy to students' lives is impressive. Because of this the homework sections do not look like traditional texts with hundreds of problems."
Review
"Elementary Algebra continues (to use early introduction tables) of organizing data to recognize patterns. Using tables to solve equations with trial and error is excellent... Using the graphs to solve equations is used continuously. This is a skill that students do not develop in the standard algebra text."
Review
"Overall, this text presents an exciting change, but one that could be implemented by most teachers who are open to the new recommendations by AMATYC."
About the Author
Kathy Yoshiwara was born in Derby in the UK and grew up in Richmond, Virginia. She attended Michigan State University, where she studied Greek and mathematics. She did graduate work at UCLA and earned an MA in mathematics in 1977. She left UCLA in 1979 to join the faculty at Pierce College, where she has been teaching ever since, except for the 1988-1999 academic year, when she taught at Barnsley College in Yorkshire (northern England) on a Fulbright teaching exchange. She is the author or co-author of three mathematics textbooks and is a member of the Calculus Consortium for Higher Education, where she is part of the writing team for their Precalculus text. She is a member of the MAA (Mathematical Association of America) and currently serves on the Committee for Curriculum Renewal and the First Two Years (CRAFTY). In 1996 she received the Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics from the Southern California Section of the MAA. She is married to Bruce Yoshiwara and benefits from his expertise in all things mathematical. Bruce Yoshiwara has taught full-time at L.A. Pierce College since 1989 (except for the 1998-1999 academic year, when he and his wife Katherine Yoshiwara both had Fulbright Teacher Exchange positions at Barnsley College, England). He is co-author (Katherine is the principal author) of three algebra and pre-algebra textbooks. He serves on the Mathematical Association of American (MAA) Committee on Computers in Mathematics Education and is a consultant for Project NExT (New Experiences in Teaching). Bruce is editor of the Pierce Math Department newsletter and maintains the department web page.
Table of Contents
1. VARIABLES AND EQUATIONS. Tables and Bar Graphs. Line Graphs. Variables. Algebraic Expressions. Graphs of Equations. Midchapter Review. Solving Equations. Problem Solving with Algebra. Order of Operations. More Algebraic Expressions. Equations with Two or More Operations. Chapter Summary and Review. 2. LINEAR EQUATIONS. Adding Signed Numbers. Subtracting Signed Numbers. Multiplying and Dividing Signed Numbers. Graphs of Linear Equations. Solving Linear Equations. Midchapter Review. Solving Linear Inequalities. Intercepts of a Line. Like Terms. The Distributive Law. Line of Best Fit. Chapter Summary and Review. 3. APPLICATIONS OF LINEAR EQUATIONS. Ratio and Proportion. Similarity. Direct Variation. Slope. Slope-Intercept Form. Midchapter Review. Systems of Linear Equations. Algebraic Solution of Systems. Applications of Systems of Equations. Point-Slope Form. Using the Point-Slope Form. Chapter Summary and Review. 4. QUADRATIC EQUATIONS. Exponents and Formulas. Square Roots. Nonlinear Graphs. The Pythagorean Theorem. Products of Binomials. Midchapter Review. Graphing Quadratic Equations. Solving Quadratic Equations. Factoring Quadratic Trinomials. More About Factoring. The Quadratic Formula. Chapter Summary and Review. 5. POLYNOMIALS AND RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS. Polynomials. Products of Polynomials. Factoring Polynomials. Special Products and Factors. Inverse Variation. Midchapter Review. Algebraic Fractions. Operations on Algebraic Fractions. Lowest Common Denominators. Equations with Algebraic Fractions. Chapter Summary and Review. 6. MORE ABOUT EXPONENTS AND RADICALS. Laws of Exponents. Negative Exponents. Scientific Notation. Midchapter Review. Properties of Radicals. Operations with Radicals. Equations with Radicals. Chapter Summary and Review. Appendix A: Review of Arithmetic Skills. Reducing and Building Fractions. Multiplying and Dividing Fractions. Adding and Subtracting Fractions. Mixed Numbers and Improper Fractions. Decimal Fractions. Rounding Decimal Numbers. Adding and Subtracting Decimal Numbers. Multiplying and Dividing Decimal Numbers. Percents. Laws of Arithmetic. Measures of Central Tendency: Mode, Mean, and Median. Appendix B: Additional Topics. Prime Factorization. Completing the Square. Polynomial Division. Inequalities in Two Variables. Complex Numbers. Answers to Od-Numbered Proglems. Glossary. Index.