Elementary Algebra for College Students

For freshman-level, one- or two- semester courses in Developmental Algebra. The Angel Series continues to offer proven pedagogy sound exercise sets and superior student support. An emphasis on the practical applications of algebra motivates students and encourages them to see algebra as an important part of their daily lives. The student-friendly writing style uses short, clear sentences and easy-to-understand language, and the outstanding pedagogical program makes the material easy to follow and comprehend. The new editions continue to place a strong emphasis on problem solving, incorporating it as a theme throughout the texts. Angel's solid exercise sets are recognized by reviewers as of the highest standard providing a large number of problems, paired exercises, and a broad and increasing range of difficulty.

This book was written for college students and other adults who have never been exposed to algebra or those who have been exposed but need a refresher course. My primary goal was to write a book that students can read, understand, and enjoy. To achieve this goal I have used short sentences, clear explanations, and many detailed, worked-out examples. I have tried to make the book relevant to college students by using practical applications of algebra throughout the text. Features of the Text Full-Color Format.Color is used pedagogically in the following ways: Important definitions and procedures are color screened. Color screening or color type is used to make other important items stand out. Artwork is enhanced and clarified with use of multiple colors. The full-color format allows for easy identification of important features by students. The full-color format makes the text more appealing and interesting to students. Readability.One of the most important features of the text is its readability. The book is very readable, even for those with .weak reading skills. Short, clear sentences are used and more easily recognized, and easy-to-understand language is used whenever possible. Accuracy.Accuracy in a mathematics text is essential. To ensure accuracy in this book, mathematicians from around the country have read the pages carefully for typographical errors and have checked all the answers. Connections.Many of our students do not thoroughly grasp new concepts the first time they are presented. In this text we encourage students to make connections. That is, we introduce a concept, then later in the text briefly reintroduce it and build upon it. Often an important concept is used in many sections of the text. Students are reminded where the material was seen before, or where it will be used again. This also serves to emphasize the importance of the concept. Important concepts are also reinforced throughout the text in the Cumulative Review Exercises and Cumulative Review Tests. Chapter Opening Application.Each chapter begins with a real-life application related to the material covered in the chapter. By the time students complete the chapter, they should have the knowledge to work the problem. A Look Ahead.This feature at the beginning of each chapter gives students a preview of the chapter and also indicates where this material will be used again in other chapters of the book. This material helps students see the connections between various topics in the book and the connection to realworld situations. The Use of Icons.At the beginning of each chapter and of each section, a variety of icons are illustrated. These icons are provided to tell students where they may be able to get extra help if needed. There are icons for theStudent's Solution Manual;theStudent's Study Guide); CDs and videotapes; Math Pro the Prentice Hall Tutor Center;and theAngel Website.Each of these items will be discussed shortly. Keyed Section Objectives.Each section opens with a list of skills that the student should learn in that section. The objectives are then keyed to the appropriate portions of the sections with red numbers such as1. Problem Solving.Polya's five-step problem-solving procedure is discussed in Section 1.2. Throughout the book problem solving and Polya's problem-solving procedure are emphasized. Practical Applications.Practical applications of algebra are stressed throughout the text. Students need to learn how to translate application problems into algebraic symbols. The problem-solving approach used throughout this text gives students ample practice in setting up and solving application problems. The use of practical applications motivates students. Detailed. Worked-Out Examples.A wealth of examples have been wo