Beginning and Intermediate Algebra: Connecting Concepts Through Applications - Hardcover

Clark, Mark; Anfinson, Cynthia

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1133364012 ISBN 13: 9781133364016

Publisher: Brooks Cole, 2012

Synopsis

BEGINNING AND INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA: CONNECTING CONCEPTS THROUGH APPLICATIONS, shows students how to apply traditional mathematical skills in real-world contexts. The emphasis on skill building and applications engages students as they master algebraic concepts, problem solving, and communication skills. Students develop sound mathematical skills by learning how to solve problems generated from realistic applications, instead of learning techniques without conceptual understanding. Authors Mark Clark and Cynthia Anfinson have developed several key ideas to make concepts real and vivid for students. First, the authors place an emphasis on developing strong algebra skills that support the applications, enhancing student comprehension and developing their problem solving abilities. Second, applications are integrated throughout, drawing on realistic and numerically appropriate data to show students how to apply math and to understand why they need to know it. These applications require students to think critically and develop the skills needed to explain and think about the meaning of their answers. Third, important concepts are developed as students progress through the course and overlapping elementary and intermediate content in kept to a minimum. Chapter 8 sets the stage for the intermediate material where students explore the "eyeball best-fit" approach to modeling and understand the importance of graphs and graphing including graphing by hand. Fourth, Mark and Cynthia's approach prepares students for a range of courses including college algebra and statistics. In short, BEGINNING AND INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA: CONNECTING CONCEPTS THROUGH APPLICATIONS develops strong mathematical skills using an engaging, application-driven and problem solving-focused approach to algebra.

About this title

Review

R. REVIEW OF PREALGEBRA. Operations with Integers. Operations with Fractions. Operations with Decimals and Percents. The Real Number System. 1. BUILDING BLOCKS OF ALGEBRA. Exponents, Order of Operations, and Properties of Real Numbers Exponents. Algebra and Working with Variables. Simplifying Expressions. Graphs and the Rectangular Coordinate System. 2. LINEAR EQUATIONS AND INEQUALITIES WITH ONE VARIABLE. Addition and Subtraction Properties of Equality. Multiplication and Division Properties of Equality. Solving Equations with Variables on Both Sides. Solving and Graphing Linear Inequalities on a Number Line. 3. LINEAR EQUATIONS WITH TWO VARIABLES. Graphing Equations with Two Variables. Finding and Interpreting Slope. Slope-Intercept Form of Lines. Linear Equations and Their Graphs. Finding Equations of Lines. 4. SYSTEMS OF LINEAR EQUATIONS. Identifying Systems of Linear Equations. Solving Systems Using the Substitution Method. Solving Systems Using the Elimination Method. Solving Linear Inequalities in Two Variables Graphically. 5. Exponents and Polynomials. Rules for Exponents. Negative Exponents and Scientific Notation. Adding and Subtracting Polynomials. Multiplying Polynomials. Dividing Polynomials. 6. FACTORING AND QUADRATIC EQUATIONS. What It Means to Factor. Factoring Trinomials. Factoring Special Forms. Solving Quadratic Equations by Factoring. 7. Rational Expressions and Equations. The Basics of Rational Expressions and Equations. Multiplication and Division of Rational Expressions. Addition and Subtraction of Rational Expressions. Solving Rational Equations. Proportions, Similar Triangles, and Variation. 8. MODELING DATA AND FUNCTIONS. Solving Linear Applications. Using Data to Create Scatterplots. Finding Linear Models. Functions and Function Notation. 9. INEQUALITIES AND ABSOLUTE VALUES. Absolute Value Equations. Absolute Value Inequalities. Non-Linear Inequalities of One Variable. Solving Systems of Linear Inequalities. 10. RADICAL FUNCTIONS. From Squaring a Number to Roots and Radicals. Basic Operations with Radical Expressions. Multiplying and Dividing Radical Expressions. Radical Functions. Solving Radical Equations. Complex Numbers. 11. QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS. Quadratic Functions and Parabolas. Graphing Quadratics in Vertex Form. Finding Quadratic Models. Solving Quadratic Equations by Square Root Property. Solving Equations by Completing the Square. Solving Quadratic Equations by Using the Quadratic Formula. Graphing Quadratics from Standard Form. 12. EXPONENTIAL FUNCTIONS. Exponential Functions: Patterns of Growth and Decay. Solving Equations Using Exponent Rules. Graphing Exponential Functions. Finding Exponential Models. Exponential Growth and Decay Rates and Compounding Interest. 13. LOGARITHMIC FUNCTIONS. Functions and Their Inverses. Logarithmic Functions. Graphing Logarithmic Functions. Properties of Logarithms. Solving Exponential Equations. Solving Logarithmic Equations. 14. CONIC SECTIONS, SEQUENCES AND SERIES. Parabolas and Circles. Ellipses and Hyperbolas. Arithmetic Sequences. Geometric Sequences. Series Appendix A: Matrices. Appendix B: Using the Graphing Calculator. Appendix C: Practice Problems Answers. Appendix D: Answers to Selected Exercises.

About the Author

Mark Clark graduated from California State University, Long Beach, and holds bachelor's and master's degrees in Mathematics. A full-time associate professor at Palomar College, since 1996, Mark is committed to teaching using applications and technology to help students understand mathematics in context and communicate results clearly. Intermediate algebra is one of his favorite courses to teach and he continues to teach several sections of this course each year. He is co-author of BEGINNING ALGEBRA: CONNECTING CONCEPTS THROUGH APPLICATIONS, INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA: CONNECTING CONCEPTS THROUGH APPLICATIONS, and BEGINNING AND INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA: CONNECTING CONCEPTS THROUGH APPLICATIONS published by Cengage. Mark shares his passion for using applications to teach mathematical concepts by delivering workshops and talks to other instructors at local and national conferences.

Edition details

• Publisher: Brooks Cole
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1133364012
• ISBN 13: 9781133364016
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 1408