2 comments about Precalculus Functions and Graphs: A Graphing Approach 5th Edition.

1. Full title is "Precalculus Functions and Graphs: A Graphing Approach".
   There is a good supplement to this book: 1997, 2nd ed., ISBN 0669417297 "Study and Solutions Guide for Precalculus Functions and Graphs: A Graphing Approach and Precalculus With Limits : A Graphing Approach" by Bruce Edwards and Dianna Zook (i.e. for ISBNs 0395882710 and 0669417580).



2. If your professor is planning on doing an accelerated summer course complete with the book's online functionality, drop the course. The whole book is example based with no explanation as to simple things such as "Why?" or "How?". It's all quite simply this does this, which leads to this, and you finally get that. It will probably work for the people that were calculus addicts in high school, but for an introductory college calculus course for people like me with no prior exposure except high level algebra, it seems that Larson goes with the stereotypical mathematician mindset. That is, he has a PhD in math and he wants you to know it by showing you a lot of arbitrary numbers and terminology without explanation to show how humbling math can be, how little an introductory college student can hope to gain, and to justify having the price tag above $100 and the special online code another $60 if you buy used. The website is just as useless because it's just an online version of the text complete with the exact same examples and practice problems. That is if you can get into the site since it's so buggy. It often times out and wipes your homework AND EXAMS IN PROGRESS which leads to it constantly being down for maintenance. Overall, unless you had pre-calc in high school, it shouldn't be a problem, but if you're just stepping into the subject get a different book or an excellent professor.

1 comments about Student's Solutions Manual for Precalculus: Graphical, Numerical, Algebraic.

1. Great Product, exactly as described and shipping was free! I enjoy ordering from amazon and will continue doing so.

5 comments about Trigonometry (Lial/Hornsby/Schneider Series).

1. This book really lacks proper theory and instruction. The book focuses more on giving you problems than it does trying to explain the principle and aspect covered in Trigonometry. If you are are looking for a book that can help you out by giving you work(math problems), this is it. Otherwise, stay clear of this book, find a book that has more instructions, more theories, simply more.



2. I used this book in a semester trigonometry course (covering Chapters 1 through 8), and the book was not the best. First of all, some lessons contained too much information and some too little. In addition, although the exercises are worthwhile, their difficulty levels differ from question to question, so there is no gradual increase in skill and difficulty. The book only provided good explanations on a couple of topics (for example, inverse trig. functions). All in all, the book is "okay"; if you have a good instructor, you'll still learn trigonometry.



3. This trig book I used in college in Spring 2005 was GREAT. When I'm stuck with difficult math problems, I looked at the examples in the book and then i got it figured it out and got right answers. This book made homework easier for me. The examples are very clear. This book was so much better than other book (I dont remember the title of the book and name of publisher and author's name) I used in high school trigonometry. The high school trig book was terrible and confusing and caused me to fail the class. Great job, Lial because this book made me to aced the trig final and pass the class with a B in college!



4. I first learned trigonometry 26 years ago, and am currently a tutor in a Tutoring Center where math and English are the primary calls for our assistance. We started using this book on Trigonometry by Lial, Hornsby and Schneider last year, and it has been a real aid to all of us.
   
   The chapters are designed with brief overviews, 'Chapter Openers', at the beginning of each. There are sample exercises in the explanations, as well as exercises in the problem sets keyed to specific application of examples. There are summary exercises that give review of mixed concepts, pull-quote boxes (here called 'Function Boxes') to highlight the reference aspect of the text, and useful chapter reviews to the same.
   
   One thing that stands out about this text from the one I used so many years ago is the colour aspect. There are pictures, multi-coloured graphs and illustrations, and a general feel to the book that makes it visually worthwhile to look at. This book also takes advantage of the increasing sophistication of calculators - again, back when I took trigonometry, there were tables of data in the back for looking things up, since calculators (such as they were) had only add/subtract/multiply/divide functions.
   
   The chapters go in a fairly standard pattern for trigonometry. Chaptes progress from basic Trigonometric Functions, defining triangular and angular ideas. This continues more in depth with Acute Angles and Right Angles, then proceeds to Circular Functions, introducing Radian Measures in for good measure. The fourth chapter introduces graphing ideas for the circular functions (sine, cosine, etc.), while the sixth chapter introduces the idea of the inverse circular and trigonometric functions. Other chapters include trigonometric identities (this always seemed to me to be like geometry or logic using trig functions), vectors, complex numbers, polar equations, exponential and logarithmic functions. Many of these concepts have direct application in engineering and other sciences.
   
   This book is also geared for students who will be advancing on to calculus, and gives marginal notes on how trigonometry is used in calculus (so as to pre-empt the question, 'when am I ever going to use this?').
   
   Actually, I found trigonometry to be among the more enjoyable math courses I ever took; together with geometry, it confirmed an early love of the discovery of patterns and symmetry in the very fabric of existence. This book reminds me of those early days of exploring ideas, and it is a pleasure to share these same ideas with new students via this text.



5. This text was required for my university Trig class. Other reviewers have argued that math text books are only supplemental to the material covered in class - that it's the teacher that makes the difference. If that's the case, without a good teacher, this book is nearly useless. Whether the authors are covering fundamentals or advanced concepts/calculations, most everything gets a very cursory, succinct treatment. Should you not understand something covered in class, this text likely will not help to clarify. If you are at all unfamiliar with Trigonometry (as I was going in to this class), this text is not intended to enhance your understanding.

5 comments about Math Fables.

1. Math Fables is another great book by Greg Tang! I love the easy flow of this book, the vibrant illustrations that capture the students' attention, but more so, I love the fact that it shows students that math is all around us. This book is ideal for the target age group as an introduction to a lesson or for pleasure reading. My students loved it! A must have for any primary teacher.



2. Heather Cahoon provides the whimsical and fun illustrations to a collection of Greg Tang's math-based fables offering 'lessons that count'. The numbers are embedded within each rhyming wildlife story, making for a fun way for kids to become familiar with numbers through text.



3. Greg Tang's books are splendid for children of many ages. As a former math professor, math tutor and grandmother, I have used Tang's books with 5, 6, 7, and 10-year olds. They are teaching real mathematics, not just counting.
   In "Math Fables" a young child understands a number as an amount but also as made up of other numbers. For example, the number 4 is seen as composed of 3 and 1 or 2 and 2. This is the beginning of good mathematics understanding.
   Brita Immergut
   Professor Emerita, LaGuardia Community College,CUNY
   Author of: "How to Help Your Child Excel in Math"
   "Master Math: Solving Word Problems"
   "Arithmetic and Algebra....Again"



4. This is exactly what my 1st grader is learning in school. 3 and 7 makes 10, etc. Very cute and beautifully illustrated book.



5. I purchased this book to give as a gift. I borrowed a copy from the library to see what I thought of it first and I believe it is a worthwhile purchase. The gentle rhymes present simple math concepts in an appealing way. Example: a group of 10 animals might be depicted in sets of 7 and 3, 5 and 5, and 8 and 2. I highly recommend it.

5 comments about Painless Fractions (Painless Series).

1. This book is a wonderful Math book, you will love Math after getting it. I highly Recommend buying this one.



2. Other than drawing a couple of cartoon characters, there was nothing that made this painless. i was looking for a book that would help older kids get over their aversion to fractions. this was not it.



3. still tons better than your average, run-of-the-mill, text book book! I was so looking forward to this book after buying Painless Algebra (which I gave five stars...that's a TERRIFIC book!)thinking it would be just as good. With "...Algebra" I was able to read and understand what they were talking about once or twice and do the exercises/brain ticklers fairly easily. With this book, I find myself having to go back, several times, to grasp what they are saying in order to complete them. Again..much, much better than the ordinary text book and I would recommend this to anyone who struggles with fractions ~ whether it's for a child just learning this or an adult who wants to conquer it!



4. It might be more effective to tackle questions than to read explanations for Jr. high and elder students. They have already learned how to solve them at school. Skimming through this item, I believe most exercises are quite easy. In other words, it is a waste of time to read every explanation to the end. Besides, it tires your mind. Of course, you may have to read the explanation carefully if you get stuck in tricky or difficult questions, though. Actually, I'm not very good at math, but I feel like Painless Fractions is going to lighten the loads of my brain. Therefore, you might as well deal with this if math you learned at school is too tough!



5. This book was horrible. I couldn't really understand it and it was very wordy and little work problems. Don't waste your money.

5 comments about Schaum's Outline of PreCalculus, 2nd Ed. (Schaum's Outlines).

1. Although this would also make a nice supplement for college students taking Precalculus, it really shines as a test preparation manual for students preparing to take the COMPASS math placement test that is required in many junior colleges. It starts with very basic material on the sets of numbers used in algebra, axioms for the real number systems, and precedence of operators and then moves on to cover everything that you should have seen in two years of high school algebra, trigonometry, and analytical geometry. Plus it even has a few chapters at the end on solving systems of linear equations and even some material on partial fraction expansion.
   
   This is not a book with any proofs in it. It is strictly applied mathematics - a "how to" book. The outline is careful to define all terms used, and shows general methods and alternate methods of solutions for different types of problems using clearly numbered steps. The examples and exercises are both excellent illustrations of the concepts involved.
   
   Thus, if you are starting out in college calculus or if you need to pass a college math placement exam at the precalculus level so that you are eligible to enroll in calculus, this is the book that I recommend you use. Remember that it is important for many college students to be eligible to enroll in calculus, since the vast majority of engineering and science undergraduate degrees do not count any math class of a lower skill level than calculus as credit toward their degree plans.



2. I would highly recommend this outline! This book shows step by step explanations of problems that helped my daughter understand sections of precal that she did not understand from her professor's explanations. She considered it a great help in passing the course with a higher grade than she would have made without it.



3. The book is well organized and clear on its points. Also includes tons of practice problems of every level of difficulty. I would recommend this to anyone who needs to review or self-teach the material.



4. Based on my experience with this series, I bought this for a college freshman in need. She loved the book and has since bought two other math books.



5. Excellent Study Guide. Provides a summary of the theory required to understand each math topic, many worked out examples and supplementary problems with answers at the end of the book.

2 comments about Precalculus (CliffsQuickReview).

1. i ordered this for my daughter to help with her homework because her teacher was not helping her with her explanations



2. I bought this book to help me with my Pre-Calculus work and found it v ery helpful, however it does come up a bit short in comparison to what is included in most of today's precalculus textbooks. I would say that 75-85% of my textbook was included in this book. What was included in the book was extremely helpful as a last minute test review which reflected on my test scores.

2 comments about Basic College Mathematics: An Applied Approach.

1. Was shocked by the EXCELLENT QUALITY and EXTREMELY PROMPT DELIVERY of the TEXT!



2. I've taught out of this book for several semesters, since the department requires it. Personally, I wouldn't recommend it. It's way too expensive, and I found the explanations given by the authors lack in some way or another. Students taking this course at any college usually won't receive any credit towards graduation. Having a text book that costs over $50 for such a class is simply criminal.

3 comments about Short-Cut Math.

1. Being slightly math phobic, I have always tried to find easier ways to solve math problems. This book gave my current methods credibility and gave me new ideas and methods to try. It even helped me feel more confident about my abilities. I'm sure just about anyone could get something out of this book.



2. I live a life dominated by numbers so anything I find that speeds the manipulation of large computations is a godsend. This little book handles the equation nicely. Its unassuming stature hides a powerhouse of mathematical linguistics that brings speed and better accuracy to a wide range of numerical problem solving situations. It's simple, clean-cut approach to finding easy solutions to everyday math problems should be a tremendous help to everyone who reads it.



3. What a great little book! If you are like me, doing most of your math through computers, you may find the need to go back and brush up on the fundamentals. For me, one of the most valuable sections was on how to set up a columnar addition problem to work it left to right. I can do long division, algebra....you name it...but I have had problems adding columns of numbers in the conventional manner. Perhaps its a form of dyslexia. Anyway, Kelly shows you how to work the problems left to right, which I found helpful. His explanation of aliquot relationships was better than I got in junior high.
   
   I like the emphasis on learning to work the problem to the level of precision you need. Say, if your house is so many square feet rounded and you want to find out how much paint will cover the surface, you may require 5.452 gallons of paint, but you'll have to buy 6 gallons from the store. So what's the point of the precision?
   
   This book is exceptionally well written. Each problem is worked out or resolved completely. When I used it, I covered up the answers and worked each problem. I spent no more than 20-30 minutes a day to keep it fresh and drudgery free.

5 comments about Precalculus (8th Edition).

1. I taught 2 sections of precalculus with this book last spring. This book is well designed for self study. Examples are keyed to specific exercises so the student is directed to use a concept immediately after seeing it employed in a suitable exercise.
   
   My one quibble with the book is the way trigonometry is introduced. It seems to be needlessly convoluted so if you are thinking of adopting it you should read the first two or three sections covering trig. I chose to supplement it with my own notes.
   
   I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to supplement a high school precalculus course with a book that is stronger on theory vs. graphing calculator techniques. There are some very inadequate precalculus texts out there. If you are serious about mathematics and your school is using an approach that employs graphing calculators in a heavy way, you may want to use this book. In that case consider an older (cheaper) edition.
   
   Update: Another reviewer comments that the 7th ed and the 6th ed may be significantly different. Well, they are not.



2. why are the reviews for the 6th and 7th edition of this book the same? is there no difference between editions, such that reviews for the 6th should be kept for the 6th. the 7th edition might have changes that could cause some to review/change a viewpoint about its content. maybe at the core they are the same book/method, but it is overall a different book and the reviews should be kept edition specific.
   
   it is my opinion that amazon will not post this as it obviously not a review, but it my contention that the 8 posted are not reviews of this edition, either. why are they posted?
   



3. At the beginning I was a bit worried about the way the book explains the material. It seemed too simple for a book dealing with more complex subjects in math such as functions, trigonometry and analytic geometry. Then again it could be said that this quality is the one that makes the book such a joy to read.
   
   Not a single time did I felt lost or confused by the presentation. Most of the graphics and photos do supplement the explanation, and help the reader grasp the information better. One of the highlights, one that perhaps most people will miss, is the simple review questions at the beginning of each section. These little snippets of previous material force the reader to review those concepts that will be essential for further understanding.
   
   Every new section in the book is short and clear; thus reducing the amount of explanation, but at the same time maintaining just enough so that the reader will not feel lost in the many formulas and derivations. If this book does not get "5 starts" from my review it is only because it could be more mathematically rigorous by presenting more proofs. But by not doing so it increases the clarity and easy presentation the book possesses - great book well worth the price.



4. Precalculus (8th Edition) is a great textbook. A little on the heavy side (as in the weight of the book, need a wheel barrel to get it around).



5. This is my first time purchasing anything on Amazon.com. I was a bit skeptical and uncertain. I wondered if the book I ordered would arrive and if so, in what condition.
   I was pleasantly surprised when I received the package in the mail. When I opened it, I was alarmed that the book was in such good condition and everything that was mentioned about it was true.
   I purchased a few other books which arrived in the time specified that it would arrive and in the condition that was stated in the ad.
   I have no fear using this site to purchase other materials.