Book Description
Packed with practical examples, graphs, and Q&As, this complete self-teaching guide from the best-selling author of Algebra Demystified covers all the essential topics, including: absolute value, nonlinear inequalities, functions and their graphs, inverses, proportion and ratio, and much more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great Entrance Exam Refresher
I received this book 2 weeks before my college entrance exam to smooth over what I momentarily learned in high school I Do not want to end up in a lower than Calculus math class, paying for a class that does not give me any college credit. So far I have been getting through a chapter each day, in about hour and a half of on and off study.

It is continuing to get me more comfortable with my math skills in a very short time. I Recommend it to anyone who fears there college entrance exam, or interested in learning Precalc on their own.

At last. At long last
I am one of those pathetic cases who should have been a math major, but could not stay awake during the freshman pre-calc lectures conducted by bored and boring grad students. Now, nearly 40 years later I am determined to self-educate my way through calculus.

At first I took a crack at the Wiley "Precalculus A Self Teaching Guide". Holy cripes, what a disaster! Unnerving to find such an improbable number of errors, especially for student picking up after decades of non-study.

Then, I grabbed Rhonda Huettenmeuller's fine work, and am doing the practice at the end of chapter four. I actually remembered some of my advanced algebra and managed to work my way through the problems.

Well written and clear, she provides enough dimensions on problems to give you insight, then gives you room enough to have to think a bit. The answers are all provided, and are *correct*. Well, at least we agree, so that is certainly a good sign.

I especially appreciate how she teaches this from the perspective of tackling calculus as the next step, pointing out issues that particularly apply, and how, to more advanced mathematics.

Now, if we can just get her to write more books...

Actually 4 1/2 Stars for a wonderful book...
Greetings! I have to agree with the other reviewers, this book has just about everything needed... nice layout, clear explanations, correct answers and clear examples. The author's talent for teaching and obvious experience teaching shines in the examples. They are put forth in plain language, and amply illustrated by graphs where applicable. The teaching is done mostly through examples. The basic format is: basic theory, illustration of theory through numerous examples, practice, chapter review. By virtue of the step-by-step explanations, this book really does make it possible to learn the fundamentals of precalculus on your own.

About the 4 1/2 stars; my main gripe about this book (and I admit, I may be a little unreasonable with this) is that it doesn't have enough practice material. I personally prefer lots of practice material to become 'fluent' in the math at hand. Also, a cautionary note; this book is probably most useful to the person looking to master the manipulatives of pre-calc, that is, doing the rote processes of solving equations. If you are enrolled in a class with a very rigorous teacher who likes to emphasize theory or uses a lot of set notation, you might want to look for another book. (A good book, if you can find it, is College Algebra, 7th. ed. by Sparks and Rees. It covers every bit of material covered by this book and more theory besides.) I am not trying to emphasize minutiae, just to describe the book accurately. Thanks for bearing with me and I hope this review helps.

*Superb* Self-Teaching Instrument
I applaud Rhonda Huettenmueller and whole heartedly agree with the R. Orchanian review (the New York teacher). The very best available that absolutely takes the mystery out of this area of mathematics. The sequence of the chapters is superb, clear, concise and very, very accurate. It includes process steps that are left out of many *so called* self-teaching guides which leaves many students scratching their head. Just quite simply the very best book written on the subjct, hands down. I hope Ms. Huettenmueller doesn't stop here.

Wonderful Book
A great help in my Precalculus I class. The information is presented in a better manner than the textbook for the course. ... Read more

Book Description
Specifically designed to correspond to high school pre- calculus courses. Topics include algebraic laws and operations, coordinate system relations, linear functions, sequences, series, graphing, limits, and applications.A valuable study aid for students taking upper-level mathematics courses. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great book, but...
...on page 34, Problem 6-8, the answer given to B is what happens when 8E-8 is divided by 4.3E-5, but the problem asks the reader to multiply the two numbers, thereby obtaining the answer 3.44E-9 instead of the book'sanswer, 1.860. ... Read more

Book Description
A clear introduction to concepts and problems in pre- and introductory calculus

Pre-calculus classes offer introductory material designed to prepare students for studies in calculus and other advanced mathematical subjects. Pre-Calculus For Dummies serves as a course guide for students of all ages, covering often difficult and essential topics such as absolute value, quadratic equations, graphing trigonometry functions, matrix operations, polynomials, arithmetic and algebraic skills, and more. This practical, unintimidating resource is the perfect tool for anyone who needs more review before jumping into a calculus class or who just wants to be prepared for the further study of mathematics.

Deborah Rumsey, PhD (Westerville, OH) is Director of the Ohio State University Mathematics and Statistics Learning Center, Director of the Consortium of the Advancement of Undergraduate Statistics Education (CAUSE), and a member of the Executive Committee of the American Statistical Association Section on Statistics Education. She is the author of the highly successful Statistics For Dummies (0-7645-5423-9), Statistics Workbook For Dummies (0-7645-8466-9), Probability For Dummies (0-471-75141-3), and Intermediate Statistics For Dummies (0-470-04520-5). ... Read more

Book Description
Polynomials, functions, and trig, oh my!

From the author of two bestselling Complete Idiot’s Guides‚ comes a book aimed at high school and college students who need course help or a brush-up. It follows a standard precalculus curriculum, includes sample problems, and will help students make sense of their textbooks. Difficult topics, such as quadratic equations, logarithms, graphing trig functions, and matrix operations are presented with W. Michael Kelley’s signature wit and wisdom.
• College enrollment is projected to increase 23% between 2000 and 2013
• According to figures released by ACT Inc., nearly 75% of all college-bound students take precalculus or calculus in high school
• Author is an award-winning math teacher recognized for his ability to make intimidating math topics approachable for even the most terrified students
... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

nice supplement
Very helpful in giving additional examples to students in pre-calculus.Examples are easy to understand.

Absolutely essential
Don't even think of starting calculus unless you have read this book.Even in the best of educations there is always something that remains uncertain and this book will clear those things up.Don't leave home without it!

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Precalculus
This book is worth its weight in gold. However, it is not a substitute for a complete textbook. Mr. Kelley has a gift. He makes algebra and trigonometry easy to understand. My students rave about The Complete Idiot's Guide to Precalculus. Regardless of your ability level this book will significantly increase your insight and understanding. Many teachers can do precalculus. There are not a lot of teachers who are good at explaining precalculus. W Michael Kelley is great. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Precalculus is so good I felt compelled to write this review. You will cherish the book.

easilyunderstood
The author accomplishes what he sets out to do,to make precalculus easily understandable. The humerous tone of the book makes for a relaxed atmosphere in which to learn. Whether approaching the subject matter for the first time,or just becoming reacquainted , this is a worthy addition to your library

A review, not a teaching
This book is a good review of precalculus math, but I don't recommend it for someone who needs to re-learn the subjects. It has few problems, and no examples of practical uses for the techniques. ... Read more

Book Description
Prepares students for calculus courses.Thorough coverage of first-year college math, including algebraic, trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions and their graphs.Includes solutions of linear and quadratic equations, analytic geometry, elementary statistics, differentiation and integration, determinants, matrices, and systems of equations.Problem-solving strategies are included at the beginning of every chapter for each topic covered. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Examples
This book provides numerous examples that aid in understanding the complex world of precalculus.

disappointment
sure it is somewhat helpful but in limited terms.I have come across solved algebra and precalculus books sold for Turkish college students. I recommend these excellent books written by Nesime Aydýn, Kerim Yeniay, Hasan Özer, Mevlut Gündoðdu, Emrullah Eraslan to math-lovers all around the world because the math language is universal and the books are written an easy fashion to follow the steps in any way.

In a word: Excellent
This is the book to go to to remember how to do all those mathematical things, before calculus, we used to know but either forgot, took for granted, or shortcut and circumvented. Perfect example: solving inequalities involving absolute values -> the method I was using was producing right answers, however it was 'shotcutting' rather than solving the problem properly and robustly. Had a look inside...found an example...instant recollection and on my way again, the right way!

As far as I can tell there are not obvious mistakes (the review further down obviously has a really old copy or is just mistaken) and the coverage is quite comprehensive (though there are no problems for you to solve...as the title says, it is entirely solved problems and LOTS of them!). This isn't a book to teach you everything (though, I think if you worked through every example in whatever section, you would be a significantly better mathematician then when you started). As Einstein said, learng by example isn't just a way to learn...it's the only way to learn! It is a fine supplemental text and reference. The solutions are very clear, explicit and step by step. There are no logic jumps that can leave you wondering how the hell did they get from here to there? It is very systematic (even with explanations of what operation they are doing along the way- like a good teacher explaning how to do something without jumping steps).

Personally I regard the $18 as money well spent. It is an enormous book for the price, rich in content and extremely helpful. And given the price, what more could you want? It's a very useful addition to your library, if only as a reference work. There are basic attack strategies at the beginning of each chapter and masses of problems! Sure, the theory it covers is contained within the problems, not explicitly...hence you may need your course book along with this (or maybe as I said earlier: just try to learn from this book, which might be kinda weird and fun).

In all: well worth 5 stars! YOu can't expect a magical panacea for all your mathematical woes to be found within...but it tries! And it does deliver a great deal...

Happy Mathematics!

If you're mathematically competent but lazy, get this book!
This book is not a tutorial or self-teaching guide, it's more of a reference book. If you are not familiar with intermediate algebra and trigonometry this book will not be useful to you. But if you know the basic concepts of alg/trig you will find this book useful for that one difficult problem that is in every workset of your textbook. So, if you don't want to spend time concentrating on one problem, you can spend time searching for a similar problem in this book that will get you started on the original problem. But if you need the entire problem worked out with explanations this is not the book for you.

This book adheres to the highest editorial standards
With all due respect to the reviewer who found two errors in this book, these mistakes were corrected over 16 years ago. Our assumption is that he has a very outdated edition. The reviews of this book have been excellent and we are confident that it will help any student in pre-calculus. ... Read more

Book Description
This best selling author team explains concepts simply and clearly, without glossing over difficult points. Problem solving and mathematical modeling are introduced early and reinforced throughout, so that when students finish the course, they have a solid foundation in the principles of mathematical thinking. This comprehensive, evenly paced book provides complete coverage of the function concept and integrates substantial graphing calculator materials that help students develop insight into mathematical ideas. The authors' attention to detail and clarity, as in James Stewart's market-leading Calculus text, is what makes this text the market leader. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Precalculus: Matheatics for Calculus: 5th Edition (with CD-rom)
I have never used the CD, but the book is okay. If you are going to take calculus in the future than you should get a cheaper precalculus book and save some money. This is essentially the same as the 4th edition, except the price tag. Only get if you absolutely must for a class.

Precalculus: Mathematics for Calculus: 5th Ed (w/CD-Rom)
This product was everything that it promised to be. I will continue to order from amazon.

Alright but not great
There are tons of textbooks on Precalculus like this one out there. Larson's is just another equally good textbook on the subject of calculus and Precalculus. However, I see no much uniqueness and innovations in any of the calculus books like this type. Richard Feynman, one of America's greatest physicists, once said most of the popular textbooks (on physics) were somewhat mediocre. I would recommend those who are aspired for an austere treatment of elementary mathematics, ie, pre-calculus and beginning calculus, to go for the book High-school mathematics by some Russian mathematicians. ISBN: 5030010114 This series is just so comprehensive with lucid explanations that every high school math teacher should take a look at it. It's both fun and benefitial to read books on math translated from another language.

One of the top two precalculus texts available
There is a mind-numbing sameness to precalculus and calculus textbooks, and this book is more of the same. The coverage starts with real numbers, exponents, expressions and solving equations. The basic principles of functions, polynomial, exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric functions, solving systems of equations, sequences, series, counting and probability, analytic geometry and limits follow this. I personally can do without the chapter on limits, when I teach precalculus, I am hard pressed to cover the other material. There is plenty of time to cover limits in calculus and it provides a better context. There are a large number of exercises at the end of each section and solutions to the odd-numbered ones are included in an appendix. As appears to be the case with many books, some of the exercises could have been left out with no decline in quality. At times I suspect there is the mathematical equivalent of an "arms race" to see how many exercises can be included at the end of a chapter.
The previous paragraph could be used to describe nearly every precalculus text on the planet, so it fits into the category of obvious, but necessary. Therefore, the key point is what makes this book different from the competition. The answer is not much. The approach is the standard statement of the new material followed by a series of worked examples, which is also the fundamental strategy used in all lower level math books. Short biographical asides of some of the major historical figures in mathematics are interjected on a regular basis. I like that, but wonder how often the students read them. What is different about this book is that the quality of the writing is somewhat better than most. In a field where there is very little to differentiate the texts, that is enough to make me rank this book in the top two precalculus books that are available.

Precalculus -
I'd say it's a rather interesting book, especially concerning the set of problems at the end of each chapter. Covers basics of linear algebra and preparation for calculus, with reasonable amount of problems and examples. Clear prose. Warns about mistakes to avoid.

Brief biographies of prominent mathematicians are introduced in the margin sometimes. Occasionally refers to external sources that you may find interesting.

I'm giving it 5 stars because this book is rather non-traditional. The authors undoubtedly wanted to introduce it as an interesting subject and does cover needed preparatory material for calculus. ... Read more

Book Description
Successful game programming requires at least a rudimentary understanding of central math topics. While most books neglect the point-by-point details that are necessary to truly hone these skills, Beginning Pre-Calculus for Game Developers tackles each task head on, using easy-to-understand, hands-on exercises. You will conquer the basics of these essential math topics and will then learn how to specifically apply each skill to the field of game programming. Whether you are searching for an entertaining, engaging way to improve your math skills or you wish to develop the background skills necessary to boost your game programming, Beginning Pre-Calculus for Game Developers serves as the step-by-step guide that will help you tackle pre-calculus with confidence. ... Read more

Book Description
This new title in the Homework Helpers series will reinforcemathematical foundations and bolster students' confidence in pre-calculus.The concepts are explained in everyday language before the examples areworked. Good habits, such as checking your answers after every problem, arereinforced. There are practice problems throughout the book, andthe answers to all of the practice problems are included. The problems aresolved clearly andsystematically, with step-by-step instructions provided.

Particular attention is placed on topics that students traditionallystruggle with the most. While this book could be used to supplementstandard pre-calculus textbooks, they could also be used by collegestudents or adult learners to refresh long-forgotten concepts andskills.

Homework Helpers: Pre-Calculus is a straightforward, understandable,and thorough reviewof the topics in a typical pre-calculus class, including:
-Linear functions
-Polynomials
-Rational functions
-Exponential functions
-Logarithmic functions
-Systems of equations ... Read more

Book Description

While Teach Yourself Calculus is perfect for beginners who want to acquire a working knowledge of calculus, at the same time it is an excellent tool for anyone who wants to expand their knowledge beyond the basics. In a progressive, step-by-step fashion, the book builds from the ground up to offer comprehensive coverage of a range of more advanced topics such as multiple integrals. Each chapter features numerous worked examples and graded exercises.

Customer Reviews (3)

Incorrect answers
I have not yet finished the book; I do think it is clearly written.

I would have awarded four stars but due to some incorrect answers that cause one to waste time trying to find where the reader (me) made a mistake, a penality of one star is assessed.

There is nothing more frustrating.

Best little book of calculus
I was looking for a little book of calculus I could carry around with me, my textbook from school is just too big. I knew that such a book wouldn't cover every single topic in calculus, but if it covered the major stuff and had good presentation, I would be pleased, since the rest could be filled in using online resources, etc.
I saw this book at the bookstore, and thought it looked pretty decent, it was only $13, so I bought it.I'm glad I did, the introduction to e and natural logarithms is the best I've seen. The author is able to explain concepts in the most clear and concise manner, such as is rarely seen.
This book is the best little book of calculus I've seen.

The benefits of reading and using "Teach Yourself Calculus"
Hundreds of Calculus texts claim to teach this rich field of mathematics easily or well. Most texts send students running out of class. As an educator, my goal is to explain all of the fundamental techniques of Calculus, with their proofs, in a manner and pace that a tenth grade inner-city student can comprehend. I believe this is quite feasible using this book as a comprehensive guide if the teacher loves math, uses the text, and loves the students. The self-tests are cogent and progress gradually in complexity - keeping pace with the growing power of the chapters. This is the first book I reach for when a Geometry or Algebra student asks me "Do you think I could ever take Calculus?" You bet! Hugh Neill's masterful "Teach Yourself Calculus". I recommend it without reservation. N. Montero, MD ... Read more

Book Description
You will have no trouble succeeding with the Study Guide for PRECALCULUS MATHEMATICS FOR CALCULUS. It is packed with detailed explanations, worked-out examples, and practice problems - with the corresponding text and study guide sections you will stay right on track! ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (3)

A Waste of Money
If you have not had a pre-calculus class and are looking to learn pre-calc, do not look here. The book is riddled with mistakes that were very confusing.Not to mention, the explanations are often vague and uncheritably written.Al in all, a terrible book.Check out Pre-calculus demystified instead.

Very Disappointing
This book seemed at first glance to be very promising as a review guide for someone who hasn't had a math class in several years, but after only the first chapter and a half, I found so many mistakes and misleading explanations that I gave up.Different methods of review work for different people, but I can't recommend this to anyone, even as a reference.You'd only be constantly questioning whether or not the text was correct.

WARNING
I give this book a poor rating because I found many mistakes in the problems at the end of chapters. Personally, I still got alot of use out of the book because I basically knew the material and just needed to brush up. However, if you truly need a study aid to help you learn the material, I don't recommend this book. The errors will just serve to confuse you.. ... Read more

Book Description
Reviews sets, numbers, operations and properties, coordinate geometry, fundamental algebraic topics, solving equations and inequalities, functions, trigonometry, exponents and logarithms, conic sections, matrices and determinants. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good Reference
I use this text in my college-level math review course and find it to be an excellent reference. As an earlier reviewer noted, it does not go into great detail on any of the subjects, but that was not the intent of the text. It is intended as a listing of "just the essentials" and should be used only as a reference, not as primary instruction. For its intended purpose, I find it invaluable.

Not recommended.
This study guide didn't match up well with my Precalculus texts, or lectures, and I found it to be useless.Very little information is presented on each topic, and worse, topics seem to be haphazardly picked for inclusion. ... Read more

Book Description

The Second Edition of this engaging text for the two-semester applied calculus and finite mathematics course uses intriguing, real-world applications to capture the interest of business, economics, life, and social science majors. This practical approach to mathematics, along with the integration of graphing calculators and Excel spreadsheet explorations, exposes students to the tools they will encounter in future careers.

A wealth of pedagogy includes the following distinctive features: detailed Worked-out Examples with Annotations help students through more challenging concepts; Practice Problems are offered to help students check their understanding of concepts presented in the examples; Section Summaries briefly restate essential formulas and key concepts; Chapter Summary with Hints and Suggestions unify chapter themes, give specific reminders, and reference problems in the review exercises suitable for a practice test; and Cumulative Review Exercises appear at the end of groups of chapters to reinforce previously learned concepts and skills.

• Graphing Calculator Examples and Exercises located throughout the text explore new topics, guide students through "messy" calculations, or show technology pitfalls. These may be omitted without disrupting the flow or cohesion of the text.
• Application Previews place mathematics in a real-world context and motivate students' interest in the material.
• Annotations beside many formulas and solution steps emphasize the importance of being able to "read mathematics" by restating much of the mathematics in words.
• Eduspace is Houghton Mifflin's online learning tool. Powered by Blackboard, Eduspace is a customizable, powerful and interactive platform that provides instructors with text-specific online courses and content.

Customer Reviews (1)

Two good books, less than the sum of the parts
While I teach a course in finite mathematics and received this book for consideration as a textbook, I will not be adopting it. The course is finite mathematics only and the calculus portions of the books are unsuitable for the class. My personal opinion is that it is a mistake to combine finite mathematics and calculus into a single class. The two topics are so distinct that melding them in a single class is inappropriate.
The finite mathematics portion of the book takes up the first 523 pages and calculus the remaining 540 pages. The coverage in the finite mathematics section is standard fare and the chapter headings are as follows:

*) Functions
*) Mathematics of finance
*) Systems of equations and matrices
*) Linear programming
*) Statistics
*) Markov chains

The coverage in the applied calculus section is also standard and the chapter headings are as follows:

*) Derivatives and their uses
*) Further applications of derivatives
*) Exponential and logarithmic functions
*) Integration and its applications
*) Integration techniques and differential equations
*) Calculus of several variables

Two additional chapters that are available on the web are:

*) Game theory
*) Logic

I cover logic in my course in finite mathematics, so I strongly disagree with the decision to shunt it off to the web.
The explanations are within the bounds of most students, although it is clear that this is a text for more advanced students as calculus is not a part of finite mathematics. There are plenty of exercises and solutions to the odd numbered exercises are in the back of the book.
In my opinion, it is two books, suitable only for situations where there is a sequence of finite mathematics followed by applied calculus. If only one of the courses is being taught, then the other half of the book is rendered superfluous at best and an expensive hindrance at worst. The cost of textbooks is soaring and there is no reason to force students to purchase more than they really have to. ... Read more