Elementary Algebra with Early Systems of Equations

Tom Carson engages students in the learning process by meeting them where they are and leading them to where they need to be through the determination of their individual learning style, the development of study skills, and the integration of learning strategies that help each student succeed. Elementary Algebra with Early Systems of Equations is a book for the student. The authors' goal is to help build students' confidence, their understanding and appreciation of math, and their basic skills by presenting an extremely user-friendly text that models a framework in which students can succeed. Unfortunately, students who place into developmental math courses often struggle with math anxiety due to bad experiences in past math courses. Developmental math students often have never developed nor applied a study system in mathematics. To address these needs, the authors have framed three goals for Elementary Algebra: 1) reduce math anxiety, 2) teach for understanding, and 3) foster critical thinking and enthusiasm.

The authors' writing style is extremely student-friendly. They talk to students in their own language and walk them through the concepts, explaining not only how to do the math, but also why it works and where it comes from, rather than using the “monkey-see, monkey-do” approach that some books take.

Elementary Algebra with Early Systems of Equations, as the title implies, places the topic of Systems of Equations early in the text, in Chapter 5. This organization is ideal for those instructors who prefer to teach systems of equations immediately following the chapter on graphing, and the chapters prior to polynomials and factoring. For those who prefer to teach the topic later, Elementary Algebra, by the same author team, places Systems of Equations in Chapter 8.

Foundations of Algebra; Solving Linear Equations and Inequalities; Problem Solving; Graphing Linear Equations and Inequalities; Systems of Equations; Polynomials; Factoring; Rational Expressions and Equations; Roots and Radicals; Quadratic Equations