Synopses & Reviews
Moran/Davis/Murphy's text implements a modern approach to teaching precalculus by heavily emphasizing contexts in which mathematics can be used to solve real-world problems, and through active involvement of the student in the learning process. Students are asked to answer questions and discover ideas throughout the body of the text, and to explore mathematical concepts in group lab projects. It employs a lively, fun writing style to communicate concepts to students in a way that can be easily understood. Graphing utilities are thoroughly integrated into the text, and their use is required. Users and reviewers have given this text high acclaim for its fresh applications, projects, and wonderful use of the discovery approach.
Review
"The writing style is lively and fun. The strengths of this text are introducing mathematical ideas through real-life phenomena. Beautifully written labs and projects ... encourage students to think independently and learn to work together as a group, and it is absolutely a fun book to read. It is definitely not boring."
Review
"I like the use of applications in the examples as the first exposure to new concepts."
"He summaries with chapter section references and the algebra review given at the very end are great."
About the Author
Judith Flagg Moran is the director of the mathematics help center at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. She has conducted NSF-funded workshops together with colleagues at the University of Hartford to promote the use of technology and collaborative learning. She is an active member of the American Mathematical Society (AMS), the Mathematical Association of America (MAA), and the Association of Women in Mathematics.Marsha Davis currently teaches at Eastern Connecticut State University, and has been involved in mathematics education reform for over 20 years. Specializing in the use of technology in the mathematics and statistics classroom, she is one of the core contributing writers on the ARISE project, a NSF-funded comprehensive secondary curriculum development project. She has been an invited speaker at numerous national conferences, including AMATYC, ICTCM, SIAM, ASA, and AMA, and will be speaking at the January '03 MAA/AMS meeting.Mary Murphy has taught mathematics in high school, in community colleges, and at liberal arts colleges. Currently at Smith College, she teaches a precalculus course tailored to the needs of women of non-traditional age, and participates in programs to encourage and retain students of color in the sciences. She is an active member of MAA.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCING FUNCTIONS. Defining Functions. Using Functions to Model the Real World. Watching Function Values Change. Projects and Explorations: The Graphing Game & Exploring Linear Functions; Home on the Range & Domains and Ranges; A Piece of Pie & Rational and Irrational Numbers; A Big Moosetake; and Just Algebra. Lab 1A: Fahrenheit. Lab 1B: Jurassic. 2. LINEAR AND EXPONENTIAL MODELS. Introducing Linear Models. Introducing Exponential Models. Linear Model Upgrades. Projects and Explorations: How Fitting! & The Least Squares Line; Skeleton Keys; Jail Time & Modeling California's Prison Population; Power Trip & Exploring Exponential Functions; Pyramid Power; A Taxing Problem & Piecewise Linear Income Tax;and Just Algebra. Lab 2: Atmospheric Pressure. 3. TRANSFORMING FUNCTIONS. Transformations. Sequential Relationships. Inverse Relationships. Projects and Explorations: Symmetry; Vertical and Horizontal Effects; Companion Points; Absolutely! & Absolute Values in Functions; and Beautiful Compositions & Linear Transformations. Lab 3: Graph Trek. 4. EXPONENTIAL AND LOGARITHMIC FUNCTIONS. Exponential Functions. The Natural Exponential Function. Logarithmic Functions. Logarithmic Transformations. Logistic Growth. Projects and Explorations: Compound Interest; Same Difference; Vamoose; Steep Learning Curves; Exploring Logistic Growth; I Hear the Train A-Comin'à; and Just Algebra. Lab 4A: AIDS. Lab 4B: Turtles. Lab 4C: Earthquakes. 5. POLYNOMIAL AND RATIONAL FUNCTIONS. Quadratic Functions and Models. Polynomial Functions and Models. Rational Functions and Model. Projects and Explorations: Diagonals; It's Not Easy Being Green; Completing the Square; Galileo; A Higher Power & Repeated Zeros; Making a Difference; Taking the Plunge & Vertical Asymptotes and Holes; From Here to Eternity & Long-Term Behavior of Rational Functions; Let's Ban Waste!; Drug Testing; and Just Algebra. Lab 5A: Packages. Lab 5B: Doormats. 6. PERIODIC FUNCTIONS. The Sine and Cosine Functions. Circular Functions and Their Graphs. Sinusoidal Models. Inverse Circular (Trigonometric) Functions. Projects and Explorations: Copycats & Exploring Sine and Cosine Functions. Aliases & Investigating Trig Identities; Down the Drain; Fuels Rush In; Sad and Latitude; Day by Day & An Alternate Variety of SAD;and Just Algebra. Lab 6A: Daylight and SAD. Lab 6B: Modeling Moonlight. 7. TRIANGLE TRIGONOMETRY. Right Triangles and Trigonometric Functions. The Trigonometry of Non-Right Triangles. Angles, Arc Lengths, and Radians. Projects and Explorations: Special Angles & Some Exact Trig Values; How High the Moon?; Don't Lean on Me; Foreshortening; and Just Algebra. Lab 7: Modeling Outer-Planet Light. 8. MULTIPLE INPUTS/MULTIPLE OUTPUTS. Functions with More Than One Input Variable. Parametric Equations & Motion Along a Line. Parametric Equations & Motion Along a Curve. Projects and Explorations: Quilts; Dimensia; What Goes Around Comes Around; and Just Algebra. Lab 8A: Bordeaux. Lab 8B: Bezier Curves. Supplementary Projects. Algebra Appendix. Trigonometry Appendix. Answers to Odd-Numbered Exercises. Index.