Synopses & Reviews
The fundamental goal in Tussy and Gustafson's PREALGEBRA, Third Edition is to teach students to read, write, and think about mathematics through building a conceptual foundation in the language of mathematics. The book blends instructional approaches that include vocabulary, practice, and well-defined pedagogy, along with an emphasis on reasoning, modeling, communication, and technology skills to develop students' fluency in the "language of algebra". Tussy and Gustafson understand the challenges of teaching developmental students, and this book reflects a holistic approach to teaching mathematics that includes developing study skills, problem solving, and critical thinking alongside mathematical concepts. New features in this edition include a pretest for students to gauge their understanding of prerequisite concepts, problems that make correlations between student life and the mathematical concepts, and study skills information designed to give students the best chance to succeed in the course. Additionally, the text's widely acclaimed Study Sets at the end of every section are tailored to improve students' ability to read, write and communicate mathematical ideas.
Synopsis
Offering a uniquely modern, balanced approach, Tussy/Gustafson/Koenig's PREALGEBRA, Fourth Edition, integrates the best of traditional drill and practice with the best elements of the reform movement. To many developmental math students, algebra is like a foreign language. They have difficulty translating the words, their meanings, and how they apply to problem solving. Emphasizing the "language of algebra," the text's fully integrated learning process is designed to expand students' reasoning abilities and teach them how to read, write, and think mathematically. It blends instructional approaches that include vocabulary, practice, and well-defined pedagogy with an emphasis on reasoning, modeling, communication, and technology skills.
About the Author
: Alan Tussy teaches all levels of developmental mathematics at Citrus College in Glendora, CA. He has written nine math books-a paperback series and a hard-cover series. An extraordinary author, he is dedicated to his students' success, relentlessly meticulous, creative, and a visionary who maintains a keen focus on his students' greatest challenges. Alan received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of Redlands and his Master of Science degree in Applied Mathematics from California State University, Los Angeles. He has taught up and down the curriculum from prealgebra to differential equations. He is currently focusing on the developmental math courses. Professor Tussy is a member of the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges. 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, 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. Diane Koenig received a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Math Education from Illinois State University in 1980. She began her career at Rock Valley College in 1981, when she became the Math Supervisor for the newly formed Personalized Learning Center. Earning her Master's Degree in Applied Mathematics from Northern Illinois University, Ms. Koenig in 1984 had the distinction of becoming the first full-time woman mathematics faculty at Rock Valley College. In addition to being nominated for AMATYC's Excellence in Teaching Award, Diane Koenig was chosen as the Rock Valley College Faculty of the Year by her peers in 2005, and, in 2006, she was awarded the NISOD Teaching Excellence Award as well as the Illinois Mathematics Association of Community Colleges Award for Teaching Excellence. In addition to her teaching, Ms. Koenig has been an active member of the Illinois Mathematics Association of Community Colleges (IMACC). As a member, she has served on the board of directors, on a state-level task force rewriting the course outlines for the developmental mathematics courses, and as the association's newsletter editor.
Table of Contents
"The Tussy/Gustafson text places an emphasis on mathematical vocabulary, and a verbal understanding of mathematical concepts that is not found in other texts I am familiar with.""The students find the text very readable and the examples supportive of the exercise sets."