both procedural skills with applications which are connected to discussion topics and require practicing the skills and knowledges learned for the procedural skills). has computational skills balanced with applications (i.e. has good end materials for review and test practice,ĥ. has good problems in the exercises and discussion examples, andĤ. teaches clearly, simply, and logically so that a student can learn from studying it,ģ. is mathematically complete and accurate,Ģ. Whenever I have reviewed either new textbooks or revisions of current textbooks for remuneration by a publisher, I have followed my practice of looking for the following for strengths or weaknesses. I did not detect any distracting or blatant biases in any examples or discussions of any "culturally insensitive" or "offensive" nature at all, or in the nature of any social or ethnic exclusiveness of any kind. I have taught the trigonometry portion of this text, which is in Chapters 5-8, and a portion of introductory calculus in Chapter 12, and found no such errors. In my opinions diagrams and charts are well-placed and referenced as needed in text discussions of a topic. I've mentioned its simple and clear explanations while maintaining mathematical accuracy and completeness. This is topic sequencing, and I have mentioned that this text maintains a logical, developmental topic sequencing structure. There are appropriate subheadings to signal the student as to the organization and connections being made under a new subheading with previous subheaded topics. For example, jumping into the topic in vectors concerning the angle between two vectors should honor the necessary trigonometry needed to built that topic upon. It can be organized in modules as long as necessary topic sequencing is maintained. This text has a good topic sequencing in that fashion. It is a text which students can learn from in its simplicity, clarity, and logic, and conversational tone, while maintaining mathematical correctness and completeness.Īn important element of consistency is how well a text develops topics in a developmental sequence that builds from topic to topic. These examples are fairly applicable in a non-dated, but modern vein. However, mathematical modeling problems ("story problems," "applications") are in a variety that represent daily adult life, post-college careers, various majors other than mathematics such as science, health, ecology, and medicine for example. The actual mathematical content as such should not change much. Its rigor is communicated clearly and simply, even "conversationally," to all students, but is suitable for STEM majors as well. The text is mathematically correct and complete. It is also compatible with a private university's precalculus and later calculus sequence. Therefore this text is very suitable for helping two-year community college students articulate with the third year at a four-year public university's Calculus I course. See the topics covered under "Elementary Functions (Precalculus)" which refers back to the tables of contents for College Algebra and Trigonometry. The topics covered are standard in state articulation guides, for example, the 2019 Illinois Mathematics & Computer Science Articulation Guide. Reviewed by Ward Canfield, Adjunct Mathematics Faculty, College of DuPage on 4/19/21 I imagine some professors will lament the lack of rigor, but I think that was an intentional choice made for ease of reading for the target audience. I think it's a very good, student-centric book. I understand the importance of cultural inclusion, but in a math textbook there's not much to judge here. I feel that the online view could take advantage of more features (hyperlinks, for example) but I understand the desire for consistency between the pdf version and the online version. This text follows the chapters and sections of most all pre-calculus texts.Īgain, the organization of pre-calculus is fairly standard across texts, and this text does not stray away from the herd. An advanced student or a teacher might occasionally find the rigor lacking, but most users will find it very readable. It seems to gloss over some things that are harder to understand and focus on the typical student's experience. The book is very clear, almost to a fault. There's not much changing in the world of pre-calculus, I can't imagine this book becoming outdated. I've found a few typos that were all quickly fixed in subsequent editions. The book covers all of the necessary topics, but is a little light on the proofs/justifications of some of the facts. Reviewed by brian stonelake, Instructor, Rogue Community College on 12/3/21 Journalism, Media Studies & Communications +.
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