Product 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 (21)

Invaluable!
As a senior in college and someone who never really took too well to math, I waited until my last semester to take pre-calculus. I was absolutely terrified, especially since it had been three years since taking college algebra. Personally, this book was exactly what I needed! I spent over $100 on the math text book and I never even opened it. Not once. I received my first A in a math class EVER. I would leave class clueless about what the teacher had just said, go home, study the lesson in this book, go back to class and actually understand what she was saying. I gave this book 4 stars because there was a section that was taught in class which was not in here.

DOES NOT cover all pre-calculus topics!
I didn't do enough research before buying this book, but after receiving this book, I've found out that it doesn't cover nearly all off the topics in pre-calculus. For example, it is missing Vectors and Parametric Equations. So, I would not recommend this book if you are taking an Honors Pre-cal course, as this book will disappoint you.

Great for passing CLEP
For my fellow CLEP students:

I studied this book for around 1.5 weeks, and with God's help easily passed the CLEP Precalculus. The book begins at a basic enough level, includes excellent explanations and good practice sections. Clarity and understandable-ness is excellent. The only comparable book I've found with more clarity is Saxon Advanced Mathematics. Another excellent resource - just designed for a longer study period.

I feel that Clep Precalculus is very Clep-able even with an exclusive, yet diligent study of this book.

Grad Student in Need of a Quick Learn
I'm a graduate student in psychology and I need to learn some math fairly quickly for my studies. So not being a "dummy", I decided to leave the "guide" to the idiots and buy a book to "demystify" concepts I learned long ago, and teach me new ones I have not yet come across. The book has been great so far and is worth the buy!

Pre-Calculus...for high school
The book is written for a college course, but it does not really cover thing taught there. It is a good book for review if you took it in high school, but not college Pre-Calculus. ... Read more

Product Description
Getting ready for calculus but still feel a bit confused? Have no fear. Pre-Calculus For Dummies is an unintimidating, hands-on guide that walks you through all the essential topics, from absolute value and quadratic equations to logarithms and exponential functions to trig identities and matrix operations.

With the help of this clear, easy-to-use resource, you’ll soon get a handle on all of the concepts — not just the number crunching — and understand how to perform all pre-calc tasks, from graphing to tackling proofs. You’ll also get a new appreciation for how these concepts are used in the real world, and find out that getting a decent grade in precalc isn’t as impossible as you thought. Discover how to:

• Apply the major theorems and formulas
• Understand quadratic, square-root, absolute value, cubic, and cube-root functions
• Graph trig functions like a pro
• Flip-flop with inverse functions
• Find trig values on the unit circle
• Work with trig identities and advanced identities
• Tackle analytic geometry
• Solve oblique triangles with the laws of sines and cosines
• Use polar coordinates to express points on a plane
• Identify function limits and continuity
• Place vectors on a coordinate plane.
• Rotate and shift conic section forms
• Solve systems with mingling and matrices

If “the fun and easy way to learn pre-calc” seems like an oxymoron to you, order Pre-Calculus For Dummies today, and get ready to be surprised! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

review of pre-calculus for dummies
a great book that was delivered in great condition in a very timely manner. Thank you!

great help!
This book is well-written. It explains the most complex lessons, from class, and "dumbs it down" for those of us who need that extra help. Pre-Cal for Dummies has helped me in many cases.

Terrible book.
This is one of the worst "dummies" books I've ever read.It was condescending, dull, and poorly written.If you're looking for pre-calculus help, look elsewhere.

Excellent Excercise Book but some mistakes and no errata???
It seems the authors break their own rule in the first chapter on PEMDAS. This is a simple problem, but they wrote it out wrong in answers where they perform addition and subtraction first before multiplication. I think it should be the other way around. i.e. Ex 4 - Ch 1. abs(5 * 1 - 4 + 6) = 7 not 9. Every monkey knows multiplication is performed first. I'm not sure what the authors were thinking starting with subtraction first???I'm kinda blushing here...I punched this into my TI-89 Titanium and I get the same answer as I had come up with for the nominator. Calculators follow PEMDAS rule, so am I missing something here? Please, put an errata up people and have a forum, otherwise your books are useless. This is a refresher for me as I'm going in for calculus next fall. Mistakes as such would flunk a student in those courses...

Another error from this book
p. 107
#4
"Figure 5.5 illustrates this last step, which yields the parent log's graph".If you look at the graph, it is labeled f(x)=log^x.The parent log being graphed is f(x)=logx.Two very different equations.

I checked Wiley's website.I cannot find errata for this book. ... Read more

Product Description
This new title in the Homework Helpers series will reinforce mathematical foundations and bolster students' confidence in pre-calculus. The concepts are explained in everyday language before the examples are worked. Good habits, such as checking your answers after every problem, are reinforced. There are practice problems throughout the book, and the answers to all of the practice problems are included. The problems are solved clearly and systematically, with step-by-step instructions provided.

Particular attention is placed on topics that students traditionally struggle with the most. While this book could be used to supplement standard pre-calculus textbooks, they could also be used by college students or adult learners to refresh long-forgotten concepts and skills.

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

Customer Reviews (2)

Yeap, it's helpful
As a previous reviewer stated, this is a really well written book. It actually did help me score higher on our first quiz. The author states in plain English what the textbook dances around. It doesn't replace a textbook, but it allows you to see the "big picture" of what you're dealing with. Also, the review sections on Algebra are really helpful since I've been out of school for a while and you've got to have Algebra down pat to perform the PreCalculus work.
I definitely recommend this book.

EASY TO FOLLOW: what I need
This book is excellent. I needed something to help me prepare for my college algebra and trig class and this was the perfect selection. The author is avoids using fancy math lingo and explains everything in an easy format. It really feels like I have personal tutor and honestly, this book is probably better than some professors who teach college math classes. I would recommend this book to ANYONE who struggled with college algebra and pre-cal or needs a refresher in this subject for any entrance exams (nursing, etc). All the homework helper series are amazing, as well. ... Read more

Product Description
The student solutions manual provides worked out solutions to the odd-numbered problems in the text. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Student Solution Manual for PreCalculus
Book was in good condition like the seller said. Delivered in a timely manor. All in all good.

Excellent Seller!!!
The seller shipped my book fast just like I had requested.I am happy and grateful, because I can now tackle on pre-calculus successfully during summer semester.Thank you so much!

Good if your prof only assigns ODD problems
Doesn't help when you get even problems assigned to you; which you can't tell by the title.

just what i needed!
this is exactly what i needed for my pre-calc course. The book is not only in excellent condition but arrive promptly.

Precalculus Student Solutions Manual
As far as solution manuals go, this is a pretty lazy attempt. It skips the middle steps of the problems and barely gives any more information on the solution then the answers in the back of the text book.Given the cost of the book I feel ripped off. ... Read more

Product 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 (46)

Precalculus Book Purchase
Item was sent on time and it was in the condition that the seller said it would be in. Seller is reliable when it comes to sending packages within the specified time.

Good speedy delivery
Wow, I was looking for this book and a good price $. This math book was a gift for my friend. Wow, good speedy delivery. Thank You!

precalculus
This book was bound together with duct tape, the edges were worn through so badly that the card board can be seen. Inside has names written all over, drawings, and a lot of profanity. . . good things it's just a math book and all of the problems are eligible.

Low rating is for the seller Bordee Enterprise, LLC
I selected a new book and my credit card was charged the 'new' book price.What arrived was a used book.I've contacted the seller to refund the difference.

Great book!
got the used book through amazon came on time for the first day of classes and is the same book/ problems as the normal as far as i can tell. A+ but this book IS different from the normal book (cover as far as i can see) so I don't think your local book store will buy it back ... Read more

Product Description
Get ready to master the principles and formulas of pre-calculus! Master Math: Pre-Calculus is a comprehensive reference guide that explains and clarifies pre-calculus and introductory calculus principles in a simple, easy-to-follow style and format. Beginning with the most basic fundamental topics and progressing through to the more advanced topics that will help prepare you for introductory calculus, the book helps clarify pre-calculus using step-by-step procedures and solutions, along with examples and applications. A complete table of contents and a comprehensive index enable you to quickly find specific topics, and the approachable style and format facilitate an understanding of what can be intimidating and tricky skills. Perfect for both students who need some extra help or rusty professionals who want to brush up on their basic math skills, Master Math: Pre-Calculus will help you master everything from sets and functions to derivatives and integrals. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Basic formulas, principals, discussions of sequences and progressions and step-by-step directions link formulas to everyday life
Joining others in the 'Master Math' series is this fine introduction on calculus, covering the basics of sets, functions and integrals. Basic formulas, principals, discussions of sequences and progressions, and step-by-step directions link formulas to everyday life and provide calculus students with an excellent foundation for progressing to the next step. The result is a 'must' for any high school or college collection where calculus is an introductory course, and for any student taking it.

Relatively minimal breadth of coverage of calculus and geometry, perhaps less obvious due to larger than normal font.
This is a nicely written and well-organized book. While not error-free, the relative number of mathematical errors seems similar to review books from competitors.

The text's main flaw is its breadth of coverage. It's really closer in size to a pamphlet than a book. Particularly as the font appears to have been "artificially" enlarged to make this short work appear even longer. You can confirm this yourself by using Amazon helpful, "Look inside this book" feature. Compared to, for example, the author's "Master Math: Calculus" in this same series, the font here appears to be about 40% larger. In addition, sections often end with considerable white space remaining before the end of the page.

Even with its larger font, this is quite a small-sized text, excluding the index, of less than 170 pages. Using a more typical font size, this text would probably be around 100 pages long. Of the 170 pages. about 90 pages are actually devoted to pre-calculus and geometry. The remainder, almost one-half the book, covers calculus topics: limits, derivatives, and integrals. Thus, the breadth of coverage of both pre-calculus and geometry is quite limited. This allows the author to concentrate on some key topics in both areas, but a consequence is that breadth of coverage is relatively minimal.

One of the earlier reviewers said, "Lots of good trig". While what's presented is nicely done, the chapter on trigonometry is less than 20 pages, and there are some presentation problems. For example, the graphs for the sine and cosine appear to have been constructed from joined semicircles rather than displaying actual sine and cosine functions.

Although mathematical plotting software was widely when this work was published, the author did not include output from such software in this book. This has resulted in many inappropriately drawn curves not only in the trigonometry section, as mentioned above, but in the sections on derivatives and integrals.

This book is more a sampler of many interesting topics in its title, but it cannot be recommended if a relatively comprehensive coverage of pre-calculus, geometry, or introductory calculus is needed.

Go, get it!
This is the third one in the `Master Math' series. Like the earlier ones, this too follows the same style. Simple, but effective. As I told in the review for the first two books, I was looking for a book to brush up my math after 22 years. I am repeating the same stuff, just keep one thing in mind; this is neither a text book nor a replacement for it. Written in a very simple and clear language and it is not just a collection of formulas and definitions. If you are starting after a long break, it is better you follow the reading order, go through the first and second books first. I agree with one of the reviewer with respect to the value of `Pi'; it is written clearly as "The value of Pi is 22/7 or approximately 3.141592654" but when we divide 22 by 7, what we get is 3.14285714 `. About the confusion regarding the relationship of pi, circumference and diameter, the book clearly says that "More specifically, Pi is equivalent to the circumference divided by the diameter of a circle".This book won't disappoint you. If all you want is to brush up or learn the basics or a fast reference, this is the book for you. If you are serious about the subject, add one more book and don't minus this.

Some facts are just wrong.
This is a decent book if you want to review this material. However, when I read a math book and there are basic facts that are just plain wrong I get worried. In chapter 1, page 23, the author begins to discuss Pi. In just two bullet points the author makes several incorrect or incomplete statements.

1) "Pi defines the ratio between the circumference and the diameter of a circle." CORRECT, the author should have stopped here.

2) "More specifically, Pi is the equivalent to the circumference divided by the radius of a circle." WRONG. The formula for circumference is: Circumference = Pi * Diameter. Therefore Pi = Circumference / Diameter.

NOTE: Another reviewer has stated that the above statement is wrong. I stand by my statement. Either he has a different version of the book or he read it wrong. The version that I have was published in 1996 and the full paragraph says the following:
"Pi, or (symbol for Pi here), defines the ratio between the circumference and the diameter of a circle. More specifically, Pi is equivalent to the circumference divided by the radius of a circle."
The author starts off correctly but makes the error in the second sentence which is the statement I originally quoted.

3) "The value of Pi is 22/7 or approximately 3.141592654."Absolutely WRONG and Partially WRONG. You can NOT say that Pi IS 22/7. This is so commonly used. In fact, I learned the same thing in grade school. However, if we divide 22 by 7 it is not equal to Pi by the third decimal place. 22/7 = 3.142...and Pi = 3.141...which leads me to the partially wrong portion of the statement. Whenever giving an approximate value of Pi it should be followed by ...

So, while the book can be a good review, be careful.

Table of Contents
Master Math: Pre-Calculus Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 Geometry

1.1. Lines and angles 1.2. Polygons 1.3. Triangles 1.4. Quadrilaterals (four sided polygons) 1.5. Circles 1.6. Perimeter andarea of planar two-dimensional shapes 1.7. Volume and surface area ofthree-dimensional objects 1.8. Vectors

Chapter 2 Trigonometry

2.1. Introduction 2.2. General trigonometric functions 2.3.Addition, subtraction and multiplication of two angles 2.4. Obliquetriangles 2.5. Graphs of cosine, sine, tangent, secant, cosecant andcotangent 2.6. Relationship between trigonometric and exponentialfunctions 2.7. Hyperbolic functions

Chapter 3 Sets and Functions 3.1.Sets 3.2. Functions

Chapter 4 Sequences, Progressions and Series

4.1. Sequences 4.2. Arithmetic progressions 4.3. Geometricprogressions 4.4. Series 4.5. Infinite series: convergence anddivergence 4.6. Tests for convergence of infinite series 4.7. The powerseries 4.8. Expanding functions into series 4.9. The binomialexpansion

Chapter 5 Limits

5.1. Introduction to limits 5.2. Limitsand continuity

Chapter 6 Introduction to the Derivative

6.1.Definition 6.2. Evaluating derivatives 6.3. Differentiatingmultivariable functions 6.4. Differentiating polynomials 6.5.Derivatives and graphs of functions 6.6. Adding and subtractingderivatives of functions 6.7. Multiple or repeated derivatives of afunction 6.8. Derivatives of products and powers of functions 6.9.Derivatives of quotients of functions 6.10. The chain rule fordifferentiating complicated functions 6.11. Differentiation of implicit vs.explicit functions 6.12. Using derivatives to determine the shape ofthe graph of a function (minimum and maximum points) 6.13. Other rules ofdifferentiation 6.14. An application of differentiation: curvilinearmotion

Chapter 7 Introduction to the Integral

7.1. Definition of theantiderivative or indefinite integral 7.2. Properties of theantiderivative or indefinite integral 7.3. Examples of common indefiniteintegrals 7.4. Definition and evaluation of the definite integral 7.5.The integral and the area under the curve in graphs of functions 7.6.Integrals and volume 7.7. Even functions, odd functions and symmetry 7.8.Properties of the definite integral7.9. Methods for evaluatingcomplex integrals; integration by parts, substitution and tables

Index

Appendix Tables of Contents of First and Second Books in theMaster Math Series ... Read more

Product 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 studentstaking upper-level mathematics courses. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Review of High School Pre-Calculous Tutor book
The book arrived at the specified date, was well packaged and was not damaged in shipment. It will be used by a senior high school student in Ghana, West Africa and he has received the book - their school year just started. He is very happy with the book and believes that it will be very useful for him during his next 3 years of school. Thank you for your help as these books are needed but not available for sale in Ghana. If anything more is needed, I will know where to look for the item. Thank you again.

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

Product Description
Master pre-calculus from the comfort of home!

Want to "know it ALL" when it comes to pre-calculus?This book gives you the expert, one-on-one instruction you need, whether you're new to pre-calculus or you're looking to ramp up your skills.Providing easy-to-understand concepts and thoroughly explained exercises, math whiz Stan Gibilisco serves as your own private tutor--without the expense!His clear, friendly guidance helps you tackle the concepts and problems that confuse you the most and work through them at your own pace.

Train your brain with ease!

Pre-Calculus Know-It-ALL features:

• Checkpoints to help you track your knowledge and skill level
• Problem/solution pairs and chapter-ending quizzes to reinforce learning
• Fully explained answers to all practice exercises
• A multiple-choice exam to prepare you for standardized tests
• "Extra Credit" and "Challenge" problems to stretch your mind

Stan's expert guidance gives you the know-how to:

• Calculate distance in Cartesian two-and three-space
• Perform vector multiplication
• Work with cylindrical and spherical coordinates
• Understand relations and functions
• Learn the properties of conic sections
• Graph exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric curves
• Define curves with parametric equations
• Work with sequences, series, and limits
• Take college entrance examinations with confidence
• And much more!

Customer Reviews (1)

Math porn of the highest degree
This book is a great read for people who don't like to blindly accept math as it is usually given by hurried teachers, anxious to move on to the next concept. The author takes care to strip it down and explain the concepts in depth, and I appreciate the hell out of it. Throughout high school, I was given the conclusions of Pythagoras, and none of the meat; the connections without the dots.

Thankfully, this book fills in all the back story. I love that sort of thing. This book has been a very enjoyable read for me. It might not be that great for someone wanting to just pick up enough math to get through a semester of high school and dump it all, but it might be just the thing for people interested in fully grasping the foundational maths. ... Read more

Product Description
Get the confidence and math skills you need to get started with calculus

Are you preparing for calculus? This hands-on workbook helps you master basic pre-calculus concepts and practice the types of problems you'll encounter in the

course. You'll get hundreds of valuable exercises, problem-solving shortcuts, plenty of workspace, and step-by-step solutions to every problem. You'll also memorize the most frequently used equations, see how to avoid common mistakes, understand tricky trig proofs, and much more. Pre-Calculus Workbook For Dummies is the perfect tool for anyone who wants or needs more review before jumping into a calculus class. You'll get guidance and practical exercises designed to help you acquire the skills needed to excel in pre-calculus and conquer the next contender-calculus.

• Serves as a course guide to help you master pre-calculus concepts
• Covers the inside scoop on quadratic equations, graphing functions, polynomials, and more
• Covers the types of problems you'll encounter in your coursework

With the help of Pre-Calculus Workbook For Dummies you'll learn how to solve a range of mathematical problems as well as sharpen your skills and improve your performance. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Pre-Calculus Workbook BY Dummies
I purchased this book to refresh myself on a subject I hadn't touched in over 10 years.I haven't made it through Chapter 1: Beginning at the Very Beginning: Pre-Pre-Calculus.I'm working on the practice exercises and am up to Problem #7 of 10 on Page 11.***PAGE 11!!!***I spent well over an hour trying to figure out what I did wrong on Problem #4 only to discover by chance that the problem was written wrong.I wrote in the correction by hand for future reference.I checked my work on #7 with the answer/explanation section.Though I got the right answer, my method appeared wrong.I spent another half hour or so going step-by-step checking for any possible errors I may have made until I discovered it was yet another error.I also wrote in that correction by hand.

Sometimes there are typos and minor flaws with which you can get away in the publishing industry.But for a math book, a typo involving numbers and orders of operations makes a HUGE difference when trying to learn the content.I have no idea how many of these flaws there are, but from what I've gotten to so far (only the first 7 problems mind you), 28% of the material I've reviewed has mistakes.That statistic will go up or down the further I get into the book but at least I know how to divide correctly, which is more than I can say about the people who put this book together.

I DO NOT recommend this book!

Full of Errors
This book is full of errors, from the Unit Circle on the cheat sheet in the beginning through some examples, to problems and solutions.I called to complain they did not seem concerned and said there was a website for errata.I say, why not edit it properly.If i wanted to learn through a website, I wouldn't have bought the book.

It did what i needed it to do
I purchased this book, to help me get through my class with assistance from the regular dummies textbook.I was pleased to find that what I needed it for, was in there.Just like some of the other "for dummies" books I have purchased, I found it to be very helpful and has given me insight to learning a new subject.

(AUTHOR) Michelle Rose Gilman is a JERK !!!
Like another reviewer, I too purchased this text to re-sharpen old math skills, and prepare for a Fall Semester of Calculus.The book is written well and set up intelligently, but there are simply scores and scores of awful mathematical errors.It enraged me.Every problem I have to not only "double check" my own work, but ALSO DOUBLE CHECK the work of the book creators: it's that painful.

Upon emailing the Author to inform her of her shortcomings in this book, she responded the following way:

"Dear Joel,

Yes, we are aware of the unfortunate errors found in the pre calc WB.We are in the process of making corrections to the 1st edition.All of the corrections should be on the Wiley website very soon.I take offense at your language [I did swear at her - she sucks whatever].And for your information, the copyeditor and the tech editors proof a book."

SCREW HER!No updates have been posted "very soon" on the Wiley website.I sent her then ANOTHER email, offering to NOTE ALL the mathematical typos I found and send them TO her: essentially doing a lot of hard work for free... She has ignored my offer.

It appears Michelle Rose Gilman is content with a low grade product.

Bottom line - until the REVISED EDITION of this is in print, I would buy a different book.Hopefully though Michelle gets wise and LISTS those UPDATES on WILEY.

-JOEL ARTHUR

Great idea, but a frustrating number of errors.
My copy showed up yesterday, and my experience has been less than positive.I already own Pre-Calculus for Dummies, but was getting weary from scouring the web for worksheets and quizzes to reinforce everything I was re-learning.(It's amazing how much you can forget after 10 years outside of the classroom.)This workbook was going to allow me to be sure that I was grasping all of the material, so that I could finally crack open that Calculus I textbook and get a jump-start on the fall semester.

I was very impressed with the first few problems, as they didn't waste time with simple examples.These were nitty-gritty, down-and-dirty problems that put my mettle to the test.So far, so good.Then we hit Chapter 2, and things went downhill fast.In the span of 3 pages (26-29), there were 4 glaring errors in either examples or practice problems.The first time I went through, I assumed it had to be me that was in error.I went back and tried the problems again...still no dice.I read the step-by-step solutions to the problems, and was left more confused than when I started. I ultimately verified with a few of my mathematically inclined friends that, somehow, the folks at Wiley Publishing put out a remedial math book without bothering to check their own answers first.Even the tear-out cheat sheet in the front of the book has errors in the trig identities.If I had been addressing the material for the first time, I would have given up in frustration by page 30.

I'm still convinced that the Pre-Calculus Workbook for Dummies could be one of the best resources for people interested in learning (or relearning) the math skills that will get them ready for college level calculus.It is shame that poor proofreading has turned it into such a source of frustration.
... Read more

Product Description
REA's Super Reviews help students brush up on tough subjects. They are more thorough than ordinary subject reviews but less complex than voluminous study guides. Numerous solved problems accompany the review and bring it to life. The Pre- Calculus Super Review includes sets, numbers, operations and properties, coordinate geometry, fundamental algebraic topics, solving equations and inequalities, functions, trigonometry, exponents and logarithms, conic sections, matrices, and determinants. Exercises and quizzes enable students to check whether they have learned what they need to know, whether they understand the subject and have command of it. ... Read more

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

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

Customer Reviews (7)

Unclear if this book is a good resource or not
As a previous reviewer pointed out, some rather simple mistakes on the 10th problem (not corrected in the 1985ed, btw) cast a shadow on the reliability of this book.Many other problems seem to be worked out correctly, but it's beyond me to check every one.The book is helpful in spots, but the fact that they answered "105%" for "What percent of 100 is 99.5?" leaves me more than a bit unsure of their subsequent answers.As a math teacher, I would suggest a basic textbook instead of this (you'll have graphics anyway, which are critical to understanding math well).

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. ... Read more

Product Description
Hardcover. ... Read more

Product Description
The student solutions manual provides worked out solutions to the odd-numbered problems in the text. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

This book sucks
I agree with C Towner, this book sucks.

For example, section 3.3, question 39:"ax^2 - (2a+1)x + (a+1) = 0 (a != 0)". The first step of the solution is: "[ax - (a+1)] (x-1) = 0". It takes several complex steps to get to that point, yet it's the first step of the solution. I asked some smart people how get to that point and they showed me. Believe me, it's not intuitive. The book really should have shown the intermediate steps.

In other examples, sometimes they factor, and sometimes they use the quadratic equation, but I can never figure which ahead of time. So again, I can't check my work simply because I used a different method from them.

The book is filled with things like that, and it only covers every other question. So how do I verify the answers to any of the even numbered questions? And it doesn't ever tell you why they did what they did. Math is all about understanding the why behind the what. So this book fails on multiple counts.

The answer key in the back of the original textbook covers all the same problems this book does. The only difference is this solution manual "shows the work," and as I pointed out, it's bad at that too.

But it will point you in the right direction when you're stuck, so I consider this book a bit of a necessity if you're struggling with the material (perhaps you have a bad teacher), but it's still pretty poor on the whole, so you'll still need some additional help from time to time.

To be honest, I'm glad I have this book, and I wouldn't want to take this class without it. I'm constantly finding I skipped obvious steps when I do the exercises, and I want to make these mistakes *before* I take the test. But, I suspect they used a computer program to solve the equations, and because of that the solutions can be non-intuitive.

Exercise your own discretion when buying this book.

It depends on what you are looking for
I purchased the solution manual for one of my students, hoping that it would help her with the even number problems. But it has only the answers to odd numbers problems. If you are looking for help with odd-number questions, it will help you. Otherwise it's only as good as the answers at the back of your textbook. ... Read more

Product Description
Building off the success of Zill and Dewar's popular Precalculus with Calculus Previews, Fourth Edition, the new Expanded Volume includes all the outstanding features and learning tools found in the original text while incorporating additional coverage that some courses may require. With a continued aim to keep the text complete, yet concise, the authors added three additional chapters making the text a clear choice for many mainstream courses. New chapters include: Triangle Trigonometry, Systems of Equations and Inequalities, and Sequences and Series.This student-friendly, four-color text offers numerous exercise sets and examples to aid in students' learning and understanding, and graphs and figures throughout serve to better illuminate key concepts. The exercise sets include engaging problems that focus on algebra, graphing, and function theory, the sub-text of so many calculus problems. The authors are careful to use the terminology of calculus in an informal and comprehensible way to facilitate the student's successful transition into future calculus courses. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Quick and Easy Transaction
I had ordered a book, which I received in mint (LIKE NEW) condition. The shipping was fast and I recieved the book with extra care taken, in the packaging for the item. I recommend this seller for future transactions. The item I received was exactly how it was discribed and am very happy for the great trasaction.

Happy Customer
I ordered this item through Amazon from one of their used book sellers, Book Depository.The book was new as described and arrived timely.I never ordered used books, but as with all of us I am trying to save a dollar where possible.Thanks, Amazon for providing other options for ordering textbooks through your site.If you are a little apprehensive about ordering used, the price indicated on Amazon's ($125.00) site is a good price for this book.I have shared this information with other parents and they were happy to save a dollar as well.I would defitnely order from Amazon and when possible order from their provided list of sellers. ... Read more

Product Description
Instructors are always faced with the dilemma of too much material and too little time.Perfect for the one-term course, Precalculus with Calculus Previews, Fourth Edition provides a complete, yet manageable, introduction to precalculus concepts while focusing on important topics that will be of direct and immediate use in most calculus courses.Consistent with Professor Zill's eloquent writing style, this four-color text offers numerous exercise sets and examples to aid in students' learning and understanding, and graphs and figures throughout serve to better illuminate key concepts.The exercise sets include engaging problems that focus on algebra, graphing, and function theory, the sub-text of so many calculus problems.The authors are careful to use the terminology of calculus in an informal and comprehensible way to facilitate the student's successful transition into future calculus courses.With an extensive Student Resource Manual and a full Solutions Manual for instructors, Precalculus with Calculus Previews offers a complete teaching and learning package! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Precalculus with Precalculus Review "Better than 5 Star"
Super good price.Came in much better Condtion than the advertised Excellent.Almost seemed NEW previous owner must not have taken it to class or studied much with it.Super Quick Shipping. Came in less than a week.A Better than Perfect Transaction. Thank you, Ron

Great book for those afraid of Calculus!
I got this book for school and I love it!Honestly, math is never easy for me and this book really takes it slow and makes it easy to grasp, one concept at a time.If only all of my text books were so clear! ... Read more

Product Description
The unique feature of this compact student's introduction is that it presents concepts in an order that closely follows a standard mathematics curriculum, rather than structure the book along features of the software. As a result, the book provides a brief introduction to those aspects of the Mathematica software program most useful to students. The second edition of this well loved book is completely rewritten for Mathematica 6 including coverage of the new dynamic interface elements, several hundred exercises and a new chapter on programming. This book can be used in a variety of courses, from precalculus to linear algebra. Used as a supplementary text it will aid in bridging the gap between the mathematics in the course and Mathematica. In addition to its course use, this book will serve as an excellent tutorial for those wishing to learn Mathematica and brush up on their mathematics at the same time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Fast and useful manual...cheap too
Needed this for a math lab course. Not much to say other than it came in really fast and in great condition... though I'm sure I would only be using it for this semester only.

an excellent introduction
I read through this quickly today and found it very informative, if alittle short
on 'wow' factor. Learning Mathmatica depends on gaining a command of its
quirky syntax and i thought the author did a good job of guiding the reader through
an interesting array of examples in precalc, calc and lin alg, nicely driving home
various syntax issues in multiple contexts. Graphing and Manipulate functions get
special attention. The threshold issue on help books is "is this better than the
documentation". The answer is a decided yes. I might have wished for some extended
problem examples--like newton's method, or pendelum problem--that lend themselves
to the mathmatica notebook format. Minus one star for an unsatisfactory introduction
to wolfram programming. Overall--a very readable and likable presentation of an
exciting software. Addendum: added back a star after visiting the website and
downloading the reference notebooks--an awesome collection of syntax.

Wonderful supplement
Being that Dr Bruce Torrence is my academic advisor at Randolph-Macon College, my opinion is obviously biased.However, I do know for a fact that both authors have worked with Mathematica in its many iterations and are very good at what they do; they have watched the software grow and expand and, as such, are very familiar with the program.An excellent supplement for his classroom, this book is a brilliant introduction as well as reference for new and old Mathematica users alike.

Just right!
This is the perfect start for someone who knows a modest amount of this math and nothing about Mathematica. The exercises flow logically and I find them fun to do. I tried a few other guides and zzzz!

A Great First Step
This book is designed to jump start the reader's experience with Mathematica. Since people learn best by example, reviewing "basic" math examples (Algebra, Calculus, and Linear Algebra) provides a "painless" introduction to the new environment. This book is not intended to be complete in any sense. But it WILL make you feel comfortable with the daunting new interface of Mathematica.

This is the only Mathematica book that I have finished. It was a great introduction, and I still use as a reference.

If you are thinking about buying Mathematica--DON'T get it without some introductory book. This one as a good start. ... Read more

Product Description
For anyone who needs to learn calculus, the best place to start is by gaining a solid foundation in precalculus concepts. This new book provides that foundation. It includes only the topics that they’ll need to succeed in calculus. Axler explores the necessary topics in greater detail. Readers will benefit from the straightforward definitions and examples of complex concepts. Step-by-step solutions for odd-numbered exercises are also included so they can model their own applications of what they’ve learned. In addition, chapter openers and end-of-chapter summaries highlight the material to be learned. Any reader who needs to learn precalculus will benefit from this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

book came just as described. perfect.
product was how the item was described/new. just wish the shipping didnt take forever but it did get to the right place. thanks.

Very Jargon Heavy and Technical
The explanations in this book are very technical, and it throws a lot of concepts at you full speed. I know what a function is from other books and other math classes I've taken, but here is their definition, "A function associates every number in some set of real numbers, called the domain of the function, with another real number." If that sentence didn't make your thoughts wander as you read that, then maybe this book is for you, but if you had to read it a few times to process it like I did, then you're better off learning pre-calculus from another book unless this is the required text for you class. Even though the theory isn't explained in an engaging way, there are many examples, and the solutions are worked out thoroughly. But then again, whats the point of merely following and memorizing formulas if you don't fully understand what you're doing. I don't believe math has to be boring, but this book makes it very much so.

good enough but not quite what i expected
not quite what i expected.... but it works- dont know how i will sell it back after now. eh.

I wanted to give this six stars....
After working through the author's linear algebra done right book I came across this precalculus book.There is no better book.It has complete - and I mean complete - worked out solutions for all the odd problems.I know many students who have suffered through incredibly badly written books dealing with this subject and most, if not all, of them are.This book is a rigorous introduction to calculus - by this I mean that this book develops all ideas logically that a high school student can understand without an instructor - yes, without an instructor.All the usual topics of precalculus are covered in this book - only much better.Buy this for yourself, for your high schooler child and if you are a math teacher in a high school, at the very least, pilot this book! ... Read more