How to Use This Book
By working through this book, you will learn algebra skills that are necessary
for just about any high school or college math course. This book has two fea-
tures that most other math books do not. One of them is that this book presents
only one idea at a time. This allows you to gradually master all of the material.
The other feature is that the solutions to the problems in the examples and
practice sets are complete. Usually, only one step is performed at a time so that
you can clearly see how to solve the problem.
Because fractions and word problems (also called “applications”) frustrate
students, this book covers these topics with extra care. We begin with very
simple, basic fraction operations and slowly move into more complicated
fraction operations. Whenever a new algebra technique is covered, an entire
section is devoted to how this technique affects fractions.
Even though two entire chapters are devoted to word problems, we develop
one of the most important skills necessary for solving word problems right away.
In Chapter 1 and Chapter 2, we learn how to translate English sentences into
mathematical symbols. In Chapter 8, the first chapter that covers word prob-
lems, we begin with easier word problems and then we learn how to solve many
of the standard problems found in an algebra course.
You will get the most from this book if you do not try to work through a
section without understanding how to solve all of the problems in the previous
practice set. In general, each new section extends the topic from the previous
section. Once you have finished the last section in a chapter, review the chapter
before taking the multiple-choice quiz. This will help you see how well you
have retained the material. Once you have finished the last chapter,
review all of the chapters before taking the multiple-choice Final Exam. The