Synopses & Reviews
The new edition of BEGINNING and INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA is an exciting and innovative revision that takes an already successful book and makes it more compelling for today's users. The new edition has been thoroughly updated with a new interior design and other pedagogical features that make the book both easier to read and easier to use. Known for its clear writing and an engaging, accessible approach that makes algebra relevant, BEGINNING and INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA helps users to develop problem-solving skills and strategies that they can use in their everyday lives. The new edition welcomes two new co-authors Rosemary Karr and Marilyn Massey who along with David Gustafson have developed a learning plan to help users succeed in Beginning Algebra and transition to the next level in their coursework.
Review
"[The primary feature which prompted the adoption was] the quality of writing."
Review
". . . there seems to be a good progression from easy to difficult problems with the greatest quantity in moderate to difficult. This is desirable. The vast majority of the systems have independent equations, which is also appropriate. Inconsistent systems and systems of dependent equations, however, are appropriately represented. The problems are fairly well balanced between those that involve fractions or have fractional solutions and those that are strictly integer based. This again is very good as excessive use of integer problems is usually a common problem in developmental texts. Good job on this! Finally, the problems appear to be exceptionally balanced on their distribution by the characteristics emphasized in each of the examples."
Review
"There is a good variety of problems with varying difficulty levels. Most answers come out nicely yet there are sufficient numbers of problems where a student gets no solution, infinitely many solutions, and fractional answers. I liked the fill in the blank questions and explanation problems, also."
Synopsis
Get the grade you want in algebra with Gustafson and Frisk's BEGINNING AND INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA! Written with you in mind, the authors provide clear, no-nonsense explanations that will help you learn difficult concepts with ease. Prepare for exams with numerous resources located online and throughout the text such as online tutoring, Chapter Summaries, Self-Checks, Getting Ready exercises, and Vocabulary and Concept problems. Use this text, and you'll learn solid mathematical skills that will help you both in future mathematical courses and in real life!
Synopsis
Get the grade you want in algebra with Gustafson and Frisk's BEGINNING AND INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA! Written with you in mind, the authors provide clear, no-nonsense explanations that will help you learn difficult concepts with ease. Prepare for exams with numerous resources located online and throughout the text such as online tutoring, Chapter Summaries, Self-Checks, Getting Ready exercises, and Vocabulary and Concept problems. Use this text, and you'll learn solid mathematical skills that will help you both in future mathematical courses and in real life!
About the Author
R. David Gustafson is Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at Rock Valley College in Illinois and has also taught extensively at Rockford College and Beloit College. He is coauthor of several best-selling mathematics textbooks, including Gustafson/Frisk/Hughes, College Algebra, Gustafson/Karr/Massey's Beginning Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, Beginning and Intermediate Algebra: A Combined Approach, and the Tussy/Gustafson and Tussy/Gustafson/Koenig developmental mathematics series. His numerous professional honors include Rock Valley Teacher of the Year and Rockford's Outstanding Educator of the Year. He has been very active in AMATYC as a Midwest Vice-president and has been President of IMACC, AMATYC's Illinois affiliate. He earned a Master of Arts from Rockford College in Illinois, as well as a Master of Science from Northern Illinois University.Rosemary Karr graduated from Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) in 1976 with a B.S. in Mathematics, attained her M.A. at EKU in Mathematics Education in 1981, and earned her Ph.D. from the University of North Texas in 1996. After two years teaching high school mathematics, she joined the faculty at Eastern Kentucky University, where she earned tenure as Assistant Professor of Mathematics. A professor of mathematics at Collin College in Plano Texas since 1990, Prof. Karr has written more than 10 solutions manuals, presented numerous papers, and been an active member in several educational associations (including President of the National Association for Developmental Education). She has been honored several times by Collin College, and has received such national recognitions as U.S. Professor of the Year (2007).Marilyn Massey teaches mathematics at Collin College in McKinney, Texas. She has been President of the Texas Association for Developmental Education, featured on the list of Who's Who Among America's Teachers and received an Excellence in Teaching Award from the National Conference for College Teaching and Learning. Professor Massey has presented at numerous state and national conferences; her article "Service-Learning Projects in Data Interpretation" was one of two included from community college instructors for the Mathematical Association of America's publication, Mathematics in Service to the Community. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Secondary Education from the University of North Texas and Master's Degree in the Art of Teaching Mathematics from the University of Texas at Dallas.
Table of Contents
1. REAL NUMBERS AND THEIR BASIC PROPERTIES. Real Numbers and Their Graphs. Fractions. Exponents and Order of Operations. Adding and Subtracting Real Numbers. Multiplying and Dividing Real Numbers. Algebraic Expressions. Properties of Real Numbers. Projects. Chapter Summary. Chapter 1 Test. 2. EQUATIONS AND INEQUALITIES. Solving Basic Equations. Solving More Equations. Simplifying Expressions to Solve Equations. Introduction to Problem Solving. Motion and Mixture Problems. Formulas. Solving Inequalities. Projects. Chapter Summary. Chapter 2 Test. Cumulative Review Exercises. 3. GRAPHING AND SOLVING SYSTEMS OF EQUATIONS AND INEQUALITIES. The Rectangular Coordinate System. Graphing Linear Equations. Solving Systems of Equations by Graphing. Solving Systems of Equations by Substitutions. Solving Systems of Equations by Addition. Applications of Systems of Equations. Systems of Linear Inequalities. Projects. Chapter Summary. Chapter 3 Test. 4. POLYNOMIALS. Natural-Number Exponents. Zero and Negative Integral Exponents. Scientific Notation. Polynomials and Polynomial Functions. Adding and Subtracting Polynomials. Multiplying Polynomials. Dividing Polynomials by Monomials. Dividing Polynomials by Polynomials. Projects. Chapter Summary. Chapter 4 Test. Cumulative Review Exercises. 5. FACTORING POLYNOMIALS. Factoring out the Greatest Common Factor: Factoring by Grouping. Factoring the Difference of Two Squares. Factoring Trinomials with Lead Coefficients of 1. Factoring General Trinomials. Factoring the Sum and Difference of Two Cubes. Summary of Factoring Techniques. Solving Equations by Factoring. Problem Solving. Projects. Chapter Summary. Chapter 5 Test. 6. PROPORTIONS AND RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS. Simplifying Rational Expressions. Multiplying and Dividing Rational Expressions. Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions. Complex Fractions. Solving Equations That Contain Rational Expressions. Applications of Equations That Contain Rational Expressions. Ratios. Proportions and Similar Triangles. Projects. Chapter Summary. Chapter 6 Test. Cumulative Review Exercises. 7. MORE EQUATIONS, INEQUALITIES, AND FACTORING. Review of Equations and Inequalities. Equations Containing Absolute Values. Inequalities Containing Absolute Values. Review of Factoring. Review of Rational Expressions. Synthetic Division. Projects. Chapter Summary. Chapter 7 Test. 8. WRITING EQUATIONS OF LINES, FUNCTIONS, AND VARIATION. A Review of the Rectangular Coordinate System. Slope of a Nonvertical Line. Writing Equations of Lines. A Review of Functions. Graphs of Nonlinear Functions. Variation. Projects. Chapter Summary. Chapter 8 Test. Cumulative Review Exercises. 9. RADICALS AND RATIONAL EXPONENTS. Radical Expressions. Applications of Radicals. Rational Exponents. Simplifying and Combining Radical Expressions. Multiplying and Dividing Radical Expressions. Radical Equations. Complex Numbers. Projects. Chapter Summary. Chapter 9 Test. 10. QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS, INEQUALITIES, AND ALGEBRA OF FUNCTIONS. Solving Quadratic Equations by completing the square. Solving Quadratic Equations by the Quadratic Formula. The Discriminant and Equations that can be Written in Quadratic Form. Graphs of Quadratic Functions. Quadratic and Other Nonlinear Inequalities. Algebra and Composition of Functions. Inverses of Functions. Projects. Chapter Summary. Chapter 10 Test. Cumulative Review Exercises. 11. EXPONENTIAL AND LOGARITHMIC FUNCTIONS. Exponential Functions. Base-e Exponential Functions. Logarithmic Functions. Base-e Logarithms. Properties of Logarithms. Exponential and Logarithmic Equations. Projects. Chapter Summary. Chapter 11 Test. 12. CONIC SECTIONS AND MORE GRAPHING. The Circle and the Parabola. The Ellipse. The Hyperbola. Piecewise-Defined Functions and the Greatest Integer Function. Projects. Chapter Summary. Chapter 12 Test. Cumulative Review Exercises. 13. MORE ON SYSTEMS OF EQUATIONS AND INEQUALITIES. Solutions of Two Equations and Two Variables. Solutions of Three Equations in Three Variables. Solution by Matrices. Solution by Determinants. Solving Simultaneous Second-Degree Equations and Inequalities. Projects. Chapter Summary. Chapter 13 Test. 14. MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS. The Binomial Theorem. The nth Term of a Binomial Expansion. Arithmetic Sequences. Geometric Sequences. Infinite Geometric Sequences. Permutations and Combinations. Probability. Projects. Chapter Summary. Chapter 14 Test. Cumulative Review Exercises. APPENDICES. Symmetries of Graphs. Tables. Answers to Selected Exercises.