Intermediate Algebra: Connecting Concepts through Applications / Edition 2

by Mark Clark, Cynthia Anfinson

Overview

INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA: CONNECTING CONCEPTS THROUGH APPLICATIONS, 2nd Edition, shows you how to apply traditional mathematical skills in real-world situations. With an emphasis on skill building and applications, concepts are connected to the real world, helping you master the material and enhance your problem-solving skills. The authors have developed several techniques to make the concepts as vivid as possible for you. First, they integrated applications to show you why and how math applies to our lives. Second, the authors use "Concept Investigations" activities to explore patterns and relationships in the concepts studied. Third, they emphasize the tools needed for strong algebra skills with the Equation Solving Toolkit, Expression Simplifying Toolkit, Factoring Toolkit, and Modeling Toolkit. Fourth, the text underscores the importance of graphs and graphing by having you learn graphing by hand, while technology is used to display real-life data problems.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781337615587
Publisher:	Cengage Learning
Publication date:	01/01/2018
Series:	MindTap Course List
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	976
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 10.80(h) x 1.30(d)

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.

Cynthia (Cindy) Anfinson graduated from UCSD's Revelle College in 1985, summa cum laude, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mathematics and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She went to graduate school at Cornell University under the Army Science and Technology Graduate Fellowship. She graduated from Cornell in 1989 with a Master of Science Degree in Applied Mathematics. She is currently an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Palomar College and has been teaching there since 1995. Cindy Anfinson was a finalist in Palomar College's 2002 Distinguished Faculty Award.

Table of Contents

1. LINEAR FUNCTIONS. Solving Linear Equations. Fundamentals of Graphing and Slope. Intercepts and Graphing. Finding Equations of Lines. Functions and Function Notation. Using Data to Create Scatterplots. Finding Linear Models. 2. SYSTEMS OF LINEAR EQUATIONS AND INEQUALITIES. Systems of Linear Equations. Solving Systems of Equations Using the Substitution Method. Solving Systems of Equations Using the Elimination Method. Solving Linear Inequalities. Absolute Value Equations and Inequalities. Solving Systems of Linear Inequalities. 3. EXPONENTS, POLYNOMIAL AND FUNCTIONS. Rules for Exponents. Combining Functions. Composing Functions. Factoring Polynomials. Special Factoring Techniques. 4. QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS. Quadratic Functions and Parabolas. Graphing Quadratic Function from Vertex Form. Finding Quadratic Models. Solving Quadratic Equations by Square Root Property and Completing the Square. Solving Equations by Factoring. Solving Quadratic Equations Using the Quadratic Formula. Graphing Quadratic Functions from Standard Form. 5. 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. 6. LOGARITHMIC FUNCTIONS. Functions and Their Inverses. Logarithmic Functions. Graphing Logarithmic Functions. Properties of Logarithms. Solving Exponential Equations. Solving Logarithmic Equations. 7. RATIONAL FUNCTIONS. Rational Functions and Variation. Simplifying Rational Expressions. Multiplying and Dividing Rational Expressions. Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions. Solving Rational Equations. 8. RADICAL FUNCTIONS. Radical Functions. Graphing Radical Functions. Adding and Subtracting Radicals. Multiplying and Dividing Radicals. Solving Radical Equations. Complex Numbers. 9. CONICS SECTIONS. Parabolas and Circles. Ellipses and Hyperbolas. APPENDIX A. Basic Algebra Review. Review of Number Systems. Operations with Integers. Operations with Rationals. Review of Solving Linear Equations. Scientific Notation. Interval Notation. APPENDIX B. Matrices. Solving Systems of Three Equations. Introduction to Matrices. Matrix Row Reduction. Solving Systems with Matrices. Using Systems of Three Equations to Model Quadratics. APPENDIX C. Using the Graphing Calculator. Steps for Using the Graphing Calculator. Troubleshooting Error Messages. APPENDIX D. Answers to Odd-Numbered Exercises. APPENDIX E. Answers to the Example Practice Problems.

Editorial Reviews

"I like the approach that connects math with the ways that students will use it. Real learning combines the abstraction of math, which makes it useful in many situations, with genuine practice figuring out how to apply it to real world contexts. In my mind, this makes this book the best one on the market. There aren't other books like it out there."

"The thing that I like the most about this text is that it is well organized and easy to read for the student. The chapters, sections, examples, homework problems, etc. are well laid out and easy to follow. Also, there are lots of homework problems from which to choose. I never have a problem finding examples that I need."

"The text has good modeling application problems. It has diverse problems: numeric, drill and practice, graph interpretation, and applications."

From the Publisher