Essentials of Precalculus

This is the number one, best selling graphing-required version of Mike Sullivan's precalculus series. It is used by thousands of students and hundreds of instructors because, simply, "IT WORKS." "IT WORKS for both instructors and students because Mike Sullivan, after twenty-five years of teaching, knows exactly what students need to do to succeed in a math class and he therefore emphasizes and organizes his text around the fundamentals; preparing, practicing, and reviewing. Students who prepare (read the book, practice their skills learned in previous math classes), practice (work the math focusing on the fundamental and important mathematical concepts), and review (study key concepts and review for quizzes and tests) succeed in class. Instructors appreciate this emphasis as it supports their teaching goals to help their students succeed as well as appreciate the fact that this dependable text retains its best features- - accuracy, precision, depth, strong student support, and abundant exercises, while substantially updating content and pedagogy. After completing the book, students will be prepared to handle the algebra found in subsequent courses such as finite mathematics, business mathematics, and engineering calculus.PREPARE FOR CLASS Every chapter begins with. . . NEW - Chapter Opening Article & Project Each chapter begins with a current article and ends with a related project. The Article poses a real problem. The Project lets you apply what you learned to solve that problem. Every section begins with. . . NEW - Preparing for This Section Sections begin with a list of key concepts to review, with page numbers. Ever forget what you've learned? This feature highlights previously learned material to be used in this section. Review it, and you'll always be prepared for quizzes and tests. NEW - Now Work "Are You Prepared?" Problems Special problems that support the Preparing for This Section feature. Not sure you need the Preparing for This Section review? Work the 'Are You Prepared Problems. If you get one wrong, you'll know exactly what you need to review and where to review it! Learning Objectives Each section begins with a list of objectives. Objective numbers appear in the margin where the objective is covered. These focus your studying by emphasizing what's most important and where to find it. Most sections contain. . . Calculus Icon These appear next to information essential for the study of calculus. Pay attention-if you spend extra time now, you'll do better later! "Now Work" Problems These follow most examples, and direct you to a related exercise. We learn best by doing. You'll solidify your understanding of examples if you try a similar problem right away, before you forget what you've learned. Cautions Warnings are provided in the text. These point out common mistakes and help you avoid them. Seeing the Concept & Explorations These optional features suggest graphing utility activities. You will obtain a deeper and more intuitive understanding of theorems and definitions. NEW - In Words These provide alternative descriptions of select definitions and theorems. Does math ever look foreign to you? This feature translates math into plain English. Step-by-Step, Annotated Examples Examples contain detailed intermediate steps. Many include additional annotations. Work the examples on your own, uncovering the solution line-by-line as you go. Each line will verify your work, or stimulate your thinking. For additional help, consult the blue annotations. PRACTICE "Assess Your Understanding" sections (end-of-section exercises) contain a variety of problems. . . NEW - "Are You Prepared?" Problems These assess your retention of the prerequisite material you'll need. Answers are given at the end of the section exercises. This feature is related to the Preparing for This Section feature. Do you always remember what you've learned? Working these problems is the best way to find out. If you get one wrong, you'll know exactly what you need to review, and where to review it! NEW - Concepts and Vocabulary These Fill-in the-Blank and True/False items assess your understanding of key definitions and concepts. Learning math is more than memorization - it's about discovering connections. These problems help you understand the 'big ideas' before diving into skill building. Skill Development Correlated to section examples, these problems provide straightforward practice, organized by difficulty. It's important to dig in and develop your problem solving skills. These problems provide you with ample practice to do so. Graphical These problems utilize graphs in a variety of ways. You will supplement your analytical understanding with graphical understanding. Now Work Problems Many examples refer you to a related homework problem. These related problems are marked by a yellow pencil. If you get stuck while working problems, look for the closest Now Work problem and refer back to the related example to see if it helps. Applications Application problems ("word problems") follow basic skill development problems. Math is everywhere, and these problems demonstrate that. You'll learn to approach real problems, and how to break them down into manageable parts. These can be challenging, but are worth the effort. Graphing Calculator These optional problems require the use of a graphing utility, and are marked by a special icon. Your instructor will usually provide guidance on whether or not to do these problems. If so, these problems help to verify and visualize your analytical results. "DWR" "Discussion, Writing, and Research" problems are marked by a special icon and red numbers. These support class discussion, verbalization of mathematical ideas, and writing and research projects. To verbalize an idea, or to describe it clearly in writing, shows real understanding. These problems nurture that understanding. They're challenging, but you'll get out what you put in. REVIEW Chapter Reviews at the end of each chapter contain. . . "Things to Know" A detailed list of important theorems, formulas, identities, definitions, and functions from the chapter. Study these ideas and you'll know the most important material in the book! NEW - "You Should be Able To. . ." Contains a complete list of objectives by section, with corresponding practice exercises. Do the recommended exercises and you'll have mastery over the key material. If you get something wrong, go review the suggested page numbers and try again. Review Exercises These provide comprehensive review and practice of key skills, matched to the Learning Objectives for each section. Practice makes perfect. These problems combine exercises from all sections, giving you a comprehensive in one place. Practice Test The Review Exercises contain blue-numbered problems. Together, these blue-numbered problems constitute a Chapter Practice Test. Be prepared. Take the sample practice test. It'll get you ready for your instructor's tests. NEW - Chapter Projects The Chapter Project applies what you've learned in the chapter the chapter opener article. Additional projects are available on a website. The Project gives you an opportunity to apply what you've learned in the chapter to solve the problem posed in the opening article. If your instructor allows, these make excellent opportunities to work in a group, which is often the best way of learning math. NEW - Cumulative Review These problem sets appear at the end of Chapters 2-13. They combine problems from previous chapters, providing an ongoing cumulative review. These are really important. They will ensure that you are not forgetting anything as you go. These will go a long way toward keeping you constantly primed for quizzes and tests.