College Algebra: Concepts and Contexts

it was like i bought at my college bookstore except it was A LOT more cheaper. if u think ur not sure on whether or not to buy a book online, trust when I say there is no place better, especially if u lookin to get it on the cheap.

I ordered the express shipping because I needed the book a.s.a.p. I'm a student at Cal State Long Beach and the university bookstore always ran out and would take an eternity plus 10 years to restock. Also, the retail price for it was over 160 bucks plus tax. That's over 170 bucks together. I purchased this book for like...around 140 if i can recall? Anyway, it was shipped seal wrapped and in perfectly new condition. I was very satisfied.

I am a math major trying to find this book because I wasn't able to keep it after I took College Algebra. Yay! I've found it! This has to be the best-written text I've ever used ... over Trigonometry, Calculus 1,2, & 3 (using two different college's different texts), Discrete Mathematics, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Abstract Algebra, Real Analysis, Probability and Statistics, and college Geometry. The writing is interesting, explanations are very clear, and practice exercises representative of what was taught. This is one of the few texts I could read before class and get a good idea of what was going on! Highly highly recommended, even if you just need a good reference book!

We use this book by Stewart, Redlin and Watson for our College Algebra class, one of the two bridge classes between intermediate algebra and the college-level calculus course (the other bridge course is trigonometry). The first chapter is a review of key concepts (one that I've found almost every algebra book tends to cover, regardless of level). Real numbers, algebraic expressions, exponents, radicals, and factoring are reintroduced to students in ways that will carry through the rest of the text. Depending upon the sequencing of study, this section can be glossed over fairly quickly. However, the student would be well served to see the Discovery Project in this section, which shows an interesting graphic/visual way of seeing how equations operate. The Discover Project is one of the unique features of this text overall. Each chapter contains a Discovery Project designed to bring 'life' to the numbers and concepts with which the student is working in the rest of the chapter. Discovery Projects include looking at equations through the ages (how did people do math in the past?), just what is zero anyway, how do exponents work exponentially, and how does the increasingly popular concept of chaos fit into math at this level? These are part of the 'rule of four' the authors employ - 'topics should be presented geometrically, numerically, algebraically, and verbally.' Another part of this is the Focus on Modeling sections found at the end of each chapter, which encourage students to apply the concepts to real-world applications and situations - just what do these lines and graphs mean? How do these numbers and the way they are played out correspond to anything that means anything? These exercises will help. The pages are visually interesting, with side-bar information laid out separated from the main strand of text. Sometimes these will include brief biographies of mathematicians and scientists, and sometimes illumination of key and interesting concepts related to the main text topic. These also serve to connect mathematics back to practical, real-world situations. The text also takes advantage of the ready availability of graphing calculators and graphing aids on the computer/internet. There is also a skill-building CD-ROM included with the text, that includes Spanish subtitles and graphic calculator tutorials. Students also might be interested in purchasing the Student Solutions Manual (ISBN 0534-40601-7) by John Banks, in which the solutions to all the odd-numbered problems are fully worked out with all work shown (the final answers to these problems are included in the back of the regular text). The chapters cover functions, graphing and coordinates, systems of equations, exponential and logarithmic functions, matrices and determinants, conic sections, sequences and series, and probability theories. I have few criticisms of this book. I wish it had been around when I was doing this subject for the first time 25 years ago