College Algebra, 13th edition

Published by Pearson (January 2, 2020) © 2021

  • Margaret L. Lial American River College
  • John Hornsby University of New Orleans
  • David I. Schneider University of Maryland
  • Callie J. Daniels St. Charles Community College

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For courses in College Algebra.

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College Algebra by Lial, Hornsby, Schneider and Daniels channels the experience of master teachers to help students develop the conceptual understanding and analytical skills needed to succeed in mathematics. The 13th Edition expands the Review chapter to cover more of the basic algebra concepts that often challenge students, with a new section on Fractions, Decimals, and Percents; adds new topics throughout the chapter such as operations with signed numbers; and reorganizes topics in the chapter for improved flow. Throughout, updates include a new section on Polynomial and Rational Inequalities and much more.

Hallmark features of this title

  • The variety of exercise types promotes understanding and reduces rote memorization.
  • Concept Preview exercises begin each homework section to ensure students' understanding of vocabulary and basic concepts, especially for hybrid, online and flipped courses.
  • Concept Check exercises focus on mathematical thinking and conceptual understanding.
  • Relating Concepts exercises help students connect topics and develop problem-solving skills as they compare ideas, identify and describe patterns, and extend concepts to new situations.
  • Pointers in the examples provide on-the-spot reminders and warnings about common pitfalls.
  • Now Try exercises conclude every example with a reference to one or more parallel, odd-numbered exercises from the corresponding exercise set.

New and updated features of this title

  • Expanded Chapter R includes more basic concepts that often challenge students, including a new section on Fractions, Decimals, and Percents. Additional new topics throughout the chapter include operations with signed numbers, dividing a polynomial by a monomial, and factoring expressions with negative and rational exponents. Topics are reorganized for improved flow throughout the chapter.
  • Careful addition of exercises in Chapters 1 and 2 covers the topics of Functions (Section 2.3), Graphs of Basic Functions (Section 2.6), Linear Functions (Section 2.4), Function Operations and Composition (2.8), and more.
  • A new section on Polynomial and Rational Inequalities in Chapter 3 features a visual approach to solving such inequalities by interpreting the graphs of related functions.
  • Updated exercises and examples:
    • New exercises in Section 4.3 (Logarithmic Functions) relate exponential and logarithmic functions as inverses. A new example and related exercises in Section 5.2 (Matrix Solution of Linear Systems) use Gaussian elimination to solve linear systems of equations.
    • A new example and related exercises in Sections 6.2 (Ellipses) and 6.3 (Hyperbolas) have been added, in which completing the square is used to find the standard form of an ellipse or a hyperbola.

Highlights of the DIGITAL UPDATE for MyLab Math (available for Fall 2025 classes)

Instructors, contact your sales rep to ensure you have the most recent version of the course.

  • New video program
  • Expanded coverage of GeoGebra Graphing Exercises
  • Author-developed Interactive Assignments for every section
  • Interactive eTextbook with embedded practice

Features of MyLab Math for the 13th Edition; published 2020

  • Integrated Review provides videos on review topics with corresponding worksheets, plus premade, assignable skills-check quizzes and personalized review homework assignments.
  • Enhanced Assignments give instructors a starting point for each section and maximize student performance. Prep Assignments include Example Videos with assessment questions and pair with MyNotes. Section Homework includes author-selected problems and increases in difficulty. Cumulative Review Quizzes draw from section homework questions covered to that point.
  • Essential College Algebra Topics Video Series includes interactive questions that allow students to stop and think about the next step, and worksheets guide them through the material.
  • Updated note-taking guides organize students in the classroom and while working independently.
  • MyNotes provide structure for students working independently as they read the book or watch the MyLab Math videos.
  • MyClassroom Examples offer structure for notes taken during lecture and align with the Classroom Examples found in the Annotated Instructor's Edition.

R. Review of Basic Concepts

  • R-1 Fractions, Decimals, and Percents
  • R-2 Sets and Real Numbers
  • R-3 Real Number Operations and Properties
  • R-4 Integer and Rational Exponents
  • R-5 Polynomials
  • R-6 Factoring Polynomials
  • R-7 Rational Expressions
  • R-8 Radical Expressions

1. Equations and Inequalities

  • 1-1 Linear Equations
  • 1-2 Applications and Modeling with Linear Equations
  • 1-3 Complex Numbers
  • 1-4 Quadratic Equations
  • 1-5 Applications and Modeling with Quadratic Equations
  • 1-6 Other Types of Equations and Applications
  • 1-7 Inequalities
  • 1-8 Absolute Value Equations and Inequalities

2. Graphs and Functions

  • 2-1 Rectangular Coordinates and Graphs
  • 2-2 Circles
  • 2-3 Functions
  • 2-4 Linear Functions
  • 2-5 Equations of Lines and Linear Models
  • 2-6 Graphs of Basic Functions
  • 2-7 Graphing Techniques
  • 2-8 Function Operations and Composition

3. Polynomial and Rational Functions

  • 3-1 Quadratic Functions and Models
  • 3-2 Synthetic Division
  • 3-3 Zeros of Polynomial Functions
  • 3-4 Polynomial Functions: Graphs, Applications, and Models
  • 3-5 Rational Functions: Graphs, Applications, and Models
  • 3-6 Polynomial and Rational Inequalities

4. Inverse, Exponential, and Logarithmic Functions

  • 4-1 Inverse Functions
  • 4-2 Exponential Functions
  • 4-3 Logarithmic Functions
  • 4-4 Evaluating Logarithms and the Change-of-Base Theorem
  • 4-5 Exponential and Logarithmic Equations
  • 4-6 Applications and Models of Exponential Growth and Decay

5. Systems and Matrices

  • 5-1 Systems of Linear Equations
  • 5-2 Matrix Solution of Linear Systems
  • 5-3 Determinant Solution of Linear Systems
  • 5-4 Partial Fractions
  • 5-5 Nonlinear Systems of Equations
  • 5-6 Systems of Inequalities and Linear Programming
  • 5-7 Properties of Matrices
  • 5-8 Matrix Inverses

6. Analytic Geometry

  • 6-1 Parabolas
  • 6-2 Ellipses
  • 6-3 Hyperbolas
  • 6-4 Summary of the Conic Sections

7. Further Topics in Algebra

  • 7-1 Sequences and Series
  • 7-2 Arithmetic Sequences and Series
  • 7-3 Geometric Sequences and Series
  • 7-4 The Binomial Theorem
  • 7-5 Mathematical Induction
  • 7-6 Counting Theory
  • 7-7 Basics of Probability

Answers to Selected Exercises

Photo Credits

Index

About our authors

The late Marge Lial was always interested in math; it was her favorite subject in the first grade! Marge's intense desire to educate both her students and herself has inspired the writing of numerous best-selling textbooks. Marge, who received Bachelor's and Master's degrees from California State University at Sacramento, was affiliated with American River College. An avid reader and traveler, her travel experiences often found their way into her books as applications, exercise sets, and feature sets. Her interest in archeology led to trips to various digs and ruin sites, producing some fascinating problems for her textbooks involving such topics as the building of Mayan pyramids and the acoustics of ancient ball courts in the Yucatan.

When John Hornsby enrolled as an undergraduate at Louisiana State University, he was uncertain whether he wanted to study mathematics education or journalism. His ultimate decision was to become a teacher, but after 25 years of teaching at the high school and university levels and 15 years of writing mathematics textbooks, both of his goals have been realized. His love for both teaching and for mathematics is evident in his passion for working with students and fellow teachers as well. His specific professional interests are recreational mathematics, mathematics history, and incorporating graphing calculators into the curriculum. John's personal life is busy as he devotes time to his family (wife Gwen, and sons Chris, Jack, and Josh), and has been an avid baseball fan all of his life. John's other hobbies include numismatics (the study of coins) and record collecting. He loves the music of the 1960s and has an extensive collection of the recorded works of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

A native Midwesterner, Terry McGinnis received her Bachelor's of Science in Elementary Education with a concentration in Mathematics from Iowa State University. She has taught elementary and middle school mathematics, and developed and implemented the curriculum used with her students. Terry has been involved in college mathematics publishing for over 20 years, working with a variety of authors on textbooks in both developmental mathematics and precalculus. After working behind the scenes on many of the Lial/Hornsby textbooks and supplements for over 10 years, Terry joined Margaret Lial and John Hornsby in 2002 as coauthor of their developmental mathematics series. When not working, Terry enjoys spinning at a local health club, walking and reading fiction. She is the devoted mother of two sons, Andrew and Tyler.

Callie Daniels has always had a passion for learning mathematics and brings that passion into the classroom with her students. She attended the University of the Ozarks where she earned a bachelor's degree in Secondary Mathematics Education. She has two master's degrees: one in Applied Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Missouri - Rolla, the second in Adult Education from the University of Missouri - St. Louis. Her professional interests include improving success in the community college mathematics sequence, using technology to enhance students' understanding of mathematics, and creating materials that support classroom teaching and student understanding. She is able to pursue these interests as a contributor on the Lial Developmental Math series, and a co-author on the Precalculus series.

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