Preface
This textbook is intended to be used in a variety of teaching situations from a traditional classroom lecture to individually paced instruction. Its primary function is to be used by the students.
Learning business mathematics is much like learning tennis. One can watch an instructor demonstrate a topspin forehand or read about it, but to master the technique, one needs careful explanation and practice, practice, and more practice. This textbook provides students with clear, detailed explanations of concepts followed by the necessary practice. Students participate actively in the course. A three-step procedure is followed:
Step 1: First, students read some explanatory material and are led through one or more worked examples.
Step 2: Second, students complete practice problems in the Your Turn feature.
Step 3: Finally, immediate feedback is provided using close-by answers and detailed solutions.
This three-step sequence facilitates the students' comprehension of various business math concepts by providing a means of 'learning by doing.'
Special features are included to make this text effective for students:
- Careful attention has been given to readability and the visual organization of the instructional material.
- All business math techniques are clearly outlined in a Steps sequence, giving step-by-step guidance.
- Each section ends with an extensive set of practice problems and real-life applications. Each student has abundant opportunity for practicing the business mathematics operations being learned. Answers to the odd-numbered section problems are at the end of the book.
- Each chapter ends with a Self-Test covering the work of that chapter.
- The format is designed for students; it is clear and easy to follow. This text respects the individual needs of readers so as to ensure their understanding and continued attention.
- Answers to all the even-numbered problems in the text, along with the solutions and answers to selected odd-numbered problems, are given in an Instructor's Manual.
- A light, lively conversational style of writing and a pleasant, easy-to-understand visual approach are used. Humor is used both to appeal to the student and to provide nonthreatening answers to the often-asked questions students hesitate to voice.
This book has been used in both classroom and individualized instruction settings, and it has been carefully field-tested with thousands of students. Students who have used this book tell us it is helpful, interesting, even fun to work through. More important, it works.
Flexibility of use was a major criterion in the design of the book, and field testing indicates that the book can be used successfully in a variety of course formats. It can be used as a textbook in traditional lecture-oriented courses. It is also very effective in situations where an instructor wishes to modify a traditional course by devoting a portion of class time to independent study. The book is especially useful in programs of individualized or self-paced instruction, whether in a learning lab situation, with tutors, or in totally independent study.
The fifth edition contains several new features:
- Problems and worked examples have been brought up to date and new applications have been added.
- All problem sets, self-tests, exercises, and applications have been revised and updated in response to reviewer suggestions.
- A case study involving a more extensive, real-life application has been added to each chapter.
- New business concepts and methods have been mentioned where appropriate, and some seldom-used methods have been dropped.
- The material on determining time in interest calculations has been simplified and improved.
- The use of calculators in performing arithmetic operations with fractions has been emphasized.
- Material on taxes has been moved to the chapters on percent and payroll.
