Precalculus: A View of the World Around Us

A text designed to precede a reform or traditional calculus course, featuring a dynamic approach to functions, use of the George Polya problem-solving process, and presentation of concepts numerically, analytically, and graphically. Real physical problems are presented in Mathematical Looking Glass sections on subjects meant to spark student interest, such as the angular velocity of a carnival ride, trigonometry and Halley's comet, and the cooling of dead bodies. Includes worked examples, exercises, chapter review questions, and a basic algebra reference. Exercises ask students to present physical situations as equations or graphs, interpret tables and graphs, and communicate mathematical ideas in writing. Students are encouraged to make their own decisions on whether to use a graphing calculator for a particular problem, and they are aided by an appendix of tips for graphing functions. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.