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Rating: 
Summary: An extremely helpful and concise review / re-learning text.
Review: As a non-traditional student of 35 returning to undergraduate university, I had tested into Calculus but as the semester progressed, it bacame apparent that the intervening years had taken their toll on my math basics. It was clear that even as I struggled to understand the new material, I had either forgotten my basics or never learned them well. This lack was seriously impeding learning the new material. I finally took a review course with this book, re-took the calculus, graduated cum laude, went on for Masters degrees, and am now working on my doctorate. This book cut through all the "math-ese" to understanding the basics of the calculations, not just regurgitating the material. The authors also seem to be able to focus on exactly where people routinely have problems in a very understandable language. It is not an exaggeration to say a single book can be pivotal in one's success.
Rating:
Summary: If you want to understand algebra and/or trig, buy this book
Review: As an unchallenged high school student 30 years ago, I never really put much effort into either algebra or trig and still managed to ace my tests. This lack of a rigorous algebraic and trigonometric foundation killed me in subsequent college calculus courses. This book fixed that problem, 30 years later! If you are looking for a book to challenge a motivated high school student, this is the book. I loaned it to one such student after I finished it and she very quickly completed a year and a half of high school algebra and trig in one summer and went on to ace honors calculus that fall.For myself, I picked up this book several years ago and started my math re-education. There are numerous margin exercises that are to be completed immediately after a new concept is introduced in a section plus 50-70 section end exercises. These exercises directly reinforce what you have just studied. There are numerous sections in each chapter. This layout is really nice because as a self study, it normally took me several days to complete a chapter and if I had to wait to do exercises at the end of each chapter, I am positive my retention would have been much lower and my frustration higher, leading to a consequent lowering of motivation. Fortunately, just the opposite happened with this book. Every time I completed a section I was motivated to learn more which reduced the time required to complete each chapter. Finally each chapter has a chapter review then a comprehensive chapter test. If you miss a question in the chapter review, the answer section point to the relevant section for review. Every margin, chapter review and chapter test exercise has the answer in the back of the book. The section-end exercises have only odd answers in the back of the book, but this is not a significant problem. I noticed several things about these exercises at the end of each section. The exercises are not just "make work" but increasingly challenge the reader. The exercises are such that they catch and expose deficiencies in math manipulation skills. If you are weak in some area of algebraic manipulation, it becomes readily apparent in the exercises. The even numbered exercises are variations on the odd numbered exercises. If you can do the odd exercises, you'll be able to do the even exercises and so not require the answers in the back. If you messed up the odd exercise and understand the nature of the mistake, you can still do the even numbered exercise with confidence. The Trig section is short (3 chapters) and dense. Again problems are uniformly excellent. The chapter on trigonometric identities makes the book worth its price by itself and pays off handsomely when studying calculus and you are attempting to solve integrals via trigonometric substitution. There are three additional chapters introducing linear algebra, conic sections and sequences. The book makes use of decent artwork and has technology sections utilizing graphing calculators, but is comprehensive without having such a calculator. Despite the hefty cost for a large format paperback, this book is definitely worth it. The binding has proven to be extremely durable. I just wish I had this book so many years ago. My college math courses would have been so much more enlightening.
Rating:
Summary: If you want to understand algebra and/or trig, buy this book
Review: I'm an adult learner who has always had trouble with math. This was the text in pre-Calc. Provides (1) clear, step by step instruction, (2) uncomplicated margin exercises to reinforce basic concepts, (4) lots of good practical problems, (5) a sea of drill problems, (6) chapter review exercises and (7) chapter tests. I refer to this book regularly. I wish these folks would do a Calculus book!
Rating:
Summary: The best math book I've seen
Review: I'm an adult learner who has always had trouble with math. This was the text in pre-Calc. Provides (1) clear, step by step instruction, (2) uncomplicated margin exercises to reinforce basic concepts, (4) lots of good practical problems, (5) a sea of drill problems, (6) chapter review exercises and (7) chapter tests. I refer to this book regularly. I wish these folks would do a Calculus book!
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