Elementary Algebra: Algebra Within Reach

Emphasis on study skills and self-responsibility--Each chapter presents a study skill essential to success in mathematics called Study Skills in Action, followed by a Smart Study Strategy that offers concrete ways that students can help themselves with the skill. These Study Skills were written by noted study skills expert, Kimberly Nolting.

Cumulative Review exercises--Each exercise set (except those in Chapter 1) is followed by exercises that cover concepts from previous sections. This serves as a review for students and also helps them connect old concepts with new concepts.

Emphasis on learning objectives and outcomes--Every section begins with a list of learning objectives to show what will be covered in each section.

Detailed, titled examples to develop concepts--Each example has been carefully chosen to illustrate a particular mathematical concept or problem-solving technique. The examples cover a wide variety of problems and are titled for easy reference. Many include detailed, step-by-step solutions with side comments that explain the key steps of the solution process.

Real-world applications--A wide variety of real-life applications are integrated throughout the text in examples and exercises, demonstrating the relevance of algebra in the real world. Many of the applications use current, real data.

Straightforward problem-solving approach--The text provides many opportunities for students to sharpen problem-solving skills. In both the examples and the exercises, students are asked to apply verbal, numerical, analytical, and graphical approaches to problem solving. The authors' five-step strategy for solving applied problems begins with constructing a verbal model and ends with checking the answer.

Plentiful exercises and tests--Graded exercise sets are grouped into three categories, offering a diversity of computational, conceptual, and applied problems to accommodate many learning styles. Detailed solutions to odd-numbered exercises are in the Student Solutions Manual; answers to odd-numbered exercises are in the back of the text.

Chapter-ending Review Exercises contain skill-building and application exercises, grouped by learning objectives. Mid-Chapter Quizzes, Chapter Tests, and Cumulative Tests provide additional opportunities to practice skills.

In-text learning aids--Definitions and rules are highlighted, Study Tips offer suggestions for studying algebra and point out common errors, and Technology Tips point out where the use of a graphing calculator is helpful in visualizing concepts and solving the problem.

As opposed to all exercises appearing at the end of each section, relevant exercises now appear at the bottom of the same page as the corresponding examples, allowing students to practice each concept immediately after it is presented. Additional exercises still appear at the end of the section, allowing for further practice.

End-of-section exercises include a Concept Summary at the top of the page, providing an additional example and highlighting a key idea of the section by showing the what, the how, and the why.

A Concept Summary Check appears at the end of each Concept Summary providing exercises that ask students to critically think about the concept presented, further reinforcing the key ideas of the section.

The examples and exercises have been updated for currency and to incorporate reviewer feedback.

Study Skills in Action now appear in a two-page spread, along with the Mid-Chapter Quiz.