Marge Lial became interested in math at an early age–it was her favorite subject in the first grade! Marge's intense desire to educate both her students and herself inspired the writing of numerous best-selling textbooks. Marge, who received Bachelor's and Master's degrees from California State University at Sacramento, was affiliated with American River College. An avid reader and traveler, her travel experiences often found their way into her books as applications, exercise sets, and feature sets. She was particularly interested in archeology; trips to various digs and ruin sites produced some fascinating problems for her textbooks involving such topics as the building of Mayan pyramids and the acoustics of ancient ball courts in the Yucatan. We dedicate the new editions of the paperback developmental math series to Marge in honor of her contributions to the field in which she helped thousands of students succeed.

Stan Salzman is a long time resident of Sacramento, California. Stan has taught at American River College for many years, where he was a member of the business department. He is the author of Business Math and Essential Math, published by Pearson Education, Inc., and is coauthor of Basic Math.

Diana Hestwood lives in Minnesota and has taught at Metropolitan Community College in Minneapolis for two decades. She has done research on the student brain and is an expert on study skills. She is the author of Lial/Hestwood’s Prealgebra and coauthor of Lial/Salzman/Hestwood’s Basic Math and Lial/Hestwood/Hornsby/McGinnis’s Prealgebra and Introductory Algebra.

R. Prealgebra Review

R.1 Fractions

R.2 Decimals and Percents

            Study Skills: Using Your Math Textbook

            Study Skills: Reading Your Math Textbook

1. The Real Number System

1.1 Exponents, Order of Operations, and Inequality

            Study Skills: Taking Lecture Notes

1.2 Variables, Expressions, and Equations

            Study Skills: Tackling Your Homework

1.3 Real Numbers and the Number Line

            Study Skills: Using Study Cards

1.4 Adding Real Numbers

1.5 Subtracting Real Numbers

1.6 Multiplying and Dividing Real Numbers

            Summary Exercises Performing Operations with Real Numbers

1.7 Properties of Real Numbers

            Study Skills: Reviewing a Chapter

1.8 Simplifying Expressions

            Study Skills: Taking Math Tests

2. Equations, Inequalities, and Applications

2.1 The Addition Property of Equality

            Study Skills: Managing Your Time

2.2 The Multiplication Property of Equality

            Study Skills: Analyzing Your Test Results

2.3 More on Solving Linear Equations

            Study Skills: Using Study Cards Revisited

            Summary Exercises Applying Methods for Solving Linear Equations

2.4 An Introduction to Applications of Linear Equations

2.5 Formulas and Additional Applications from Geometry

2.6 Ratio, Proportion, and Percent

            Summary Exercises Applying Problem-Solving Techniques

2.7 Solving Linear Inequalities

3. Graphs of Linear Equations and Inequalities in Two Variables; Functions

3.1 Linear Equations in Two Variables; The Rectangular Coordinate System

            Study Skills: Preparing for Your Math Final

3.2 Graphing Linear Equations in Two Variables

3.3 The Slope of a Line

3.4 Writing and Graphing Equations of Lines

            Summary Exercises Applying Graphing and Equation-Writing Techniques for Lines

3.5 Graphing Linear Inequalities in Two Variables

3.6 Introduction to Relations and Functions

3.7 Function Notation and Linear Functions

4. Systems of Linear Equations and Inequalities

4.1 Solving Systems of Linear Equations by Graphing

4.2 Solving Systems of Linear Equations by Substitution

4.3 Solving Systems of Linear Equations by Elimination

            Summary Exercises Applying Techniques for Solving Systems of Linear Equations

4.4 Applications of Linear Systems

4.5 Solving Systems of Linear Inequalities

5. Exponents and Polynomials

5.1 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials

5.2 The Product Rule and Power Rules for Exponents

5.3 Multiplying Polynomials

5.4 Special Products

5.5 Integer Exponents and the Quotient Rule

            Summary Exercises Applying the Rules for Exponents

5.6 Dividing a Polynomial by a Monomial

5.7 Dividing a Polynomial by a Polynomial

5.8 An Application of Exponents: Scientific Notation

6. Factoring and Applications

6.1 Factors; The Greatest Common Factor

6.2 Factoring Trinomials

6.3 Factoring Trinomials by Grouping

6.4 Factoring Trinomials by Using the FOIL Method

6.5 Special Factoring Techniques

6.6 A General Approach to Factoring

6.7 Solving Quadratic Equations by Factoring

6.8 Applications of Quadratic Equations

7. Rational Expressions and Functions

7.1 Rational Expressions and Functions; Multiplying and Dividing

7.2 Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions

7.3 Complex Fractions

7.4 Equations with Rational Expressions and Graphs

            Summary Exercises Simplifying Rational Expressions vs Solving Rational Equations

7.5 Applications of Rational Expressions

7.6 Variation

8. Equations, Inequalities, and Systems Revisited

8.1 Review of Solving Linear Equations and Inequalities

8.2 Set Operations and Compound Inequalities

8.3 Absolute Value Equations and Inequalities

            Summary Exercises Solving Linear and Absolute Value Equations and Inequalities

8.4 Review of Systems of Linear Equations in Two Variables

8.5 Systems of Linear Equations in Three Variables; Applications

9. Roots, Radicals, and Root Functions

9.1 Radical Expressions and Graphs

9.2 Rational Exponents

9.3 Simplifying Radical Expressions

9.4 Adding and Subtracting Radical Expressions

9.5 Multiplying and Dividing Radical Expressions

            Summary Exercises Performing Operations with Radicals and Rational Exponents

9.6 Solving Equations with Radicals

9.7 Complex Numbers

10. Quadratic Equations, Inequalities, and Functions

10.1 Solving Quadratic Equations by the Square Root Property

10.2 Solving Quadratic Equations by Completing the Square

10.3 Solving Quadratic Equations by the Quadratic Formula

10.4 Equations Quadratic in Form

            Summary Exercises Applying Methods for Solving Quadratic Equations

10.5 Formulas and Applications

10.6 Graphs of Quadratic Functions

10.7 More about Parabolas and Their Applications

10.8 Polynomial and Rational Inequalities

11. Inverse, Exponential, and Logarithmic Functions

11.1 Operations on Functions and Composition

11.2 Inverse Functions

11.3 Exponential Functions

11.4 Logarithmic Functions

11.5 Properties of Logarithms

11.6 Common and Natural Logarithms

11.7 Exponential and Logarithmic Equations and Their Applications

12. Nonlinear Functions, Conic Sections, and Nonlinear Systems

12.1 Additional Graphs of Functions; Operations and Composition

12.2 The Circle and the Ellipse

12.3 The Hyperbola and Other Functions Defined by Radicals

12.4 Nonlinear Systems of Equations

12.5 Second-Degree Inequalities and Systems of Inequalities

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