Questing Vole Press

Essential Advanced Precalculus: A Self-Teaching Guide by Tim Hill

Description

Can a set be a member of itself? How do we know that the square root of 2 is irrational? Can a graph really represent a function accurately? Is a function just a rule? Does canceling (crossing out) terms mask important algebraic properties? This entirely practical book is for the curious precalculus student who asks such questions and pursues the answers for their own sake.

Success in calculus depends on having a reasonable command of all that went before, yet most precalculus students are taught only simple tools and techniques, leaving them with a superficial understanding of problem-solving. Tim Hill explains why things are true and encourages students to go beyond merely memorizing ways of solving a few problems to pass exams. The result: a future calculus professor delighted (and amazed) at your command of the prerequisite material on the first day of class.

• Teaches general principles that can be applied to a wide variety of problems.
• Avoids the mindless and excessive routine computations that characterize conventional textbooks.
• Treats the subject as a logically coherent discipline, not as a disjointed collection of techniques.
• Restores proofs to their proper place to remove doubt, convey insight, and encourage precise logical thinking.
• Omits digressions, excessive formalities, and repetitive exercises.
• Provides exceptional preparation for a calculus course.
• Includes problems (with all solutions) that extend your knowledge rather than merely reinforce it.

Contents

1. Sets
2. The Real Number System
3. Functions
4. Graphs
5. Solutions

Excerpt

Amazon preview.

Prices and formats

Paperback
   Amazon paperback (US, UK, FR, DE, ES, IT)

Ebook
   Amazon Kindle (US, CA, UK, AU, FR, DE, NL, ES, IT, JP, BR, IN, MX)