Precalculus: Functions and Graphics (Barnett & Ziegler's college algebra/precalculus series) - Softcover

Barnett, Raymond A.; Ziegler, Michael R.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0070039380 ISBN 13: 9780070039384

Publisher: McGraw-Hill Inc.,US, 1989

Synopsis

This supplement is available for sale to the student, and includes detailed solutions to all odd-numbered problems and most review exercises.

About this title

Book Description

Mathematical reform is the driving force behind the organization and development of this new precalculus text. The use of technology, primarily graphing utilities, is assumed throughout the text. The development of each topic proceeds from the concrete to the abstract and takes full advantage of technology, wherever appropriate. The first major objective of this book is to encourage students to investigate mathematical ideas and processes graphically and numerically, as well as algebraically. Proceeding in this way, students gain a broader, deeper, and more useful understanding of a concept or process. Even though concept development and technology are emphasized, manipulative skills are not ignored, and plenty of opportunities to practice basic skills are present. A brief look at the table of contents will reveal the importance of the function concept as a unifying theme. The second major objective of this book is the development of a library of elementary functions, including their important properties and uses. Having this library of elementary functions as a basic working tool in their mathematical tool boxes, students will be able to move into calculus with greater confidence and understanding. In addition, a concise review of basic algebraic concepts is included in Appendix A for easy reference, or systematic review. The third major objective of this book is to give the student substantial experience in solving and modeling real world problems. Enough applications are included to convince even the most skeptical student that mathematics is really useful. Most of the applications are simplified versions of actual real-world problems taken from professional journals and professional books. No specialized experience is required to solve any of the applications.

About the Author

I was born and raised in Cleveland, and started college at Bowling Green State University in 1984 majoring in creative writing. Eleven years later, I walked across the graduation stage to receive a PhD in math, a strange journey indeed. After two years at Franklin and Marshall College in Pennsylvania, I came home to Ohio, accepting a tenure-track job at the Hamilton campus of Miami University. I’ve won a number of teaching awards in my career, and while maintaining an active teaching schedule, I now spend an inordinate amount of time writing textbooks and course materials. I’ve written or co-authored either seven or twelve textbooks, depending on how you count them, as well as several solutions manuals and interactive CD-ROMS.After many years as developmental math coordinator at Miami Hamilton, I share the frustration that goes along with low pass rates in the developmental math curriculum. Far too many students end up on the classic Jetson’s-style treadmill, with the abstract nature of the traditional algebra curriculum keeping them from reaching their goals. Like so many instructors across the country, I believe the time is right to move beyond the one-size-fits-all curriculum that treats students the same whether they hope to be an engineer or a pastry chef. “Because we’ve always done it that way” is NOT a good reason to maintain the status quo in our curriculum. Let’s work together to devise alternate pathways that help students to learn more and learn better while hastening their trip into credit-bearing math courses. Since my book (Math in Our World) is written for the Liberal Arts Math and Quantitative Literacy market, I think I’m in the right place at the right time to make a difference in the new and exciting pathways course.I’m in a very happy place right now: my love of teaching meshes perfectly with my childhood dream of writing. (Don’t tell my publisher this – they think I spend 20 hours a day working on textbooks – but I’m working on my first novel in the limited spare time that I have.) I’m also a former coordinator of Ohio Project NExT, as I believe very strongly in helping young college instructors focus on high-quality teaching as a primary career goal. I live in Fairfield, Ohio with my lovely wife Cat and fuzzy dogs Macleod and Tessa. When not teaching or writing, my passions include Ohio State football, Cleveland Indians baseball, heavy metal music, travel, golf, and home improvement.

Edition details

• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Inc.,US
• Publication date: 1989
• ISBN 10: 0070039380
• ISBN 13: 9780070039384
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 832