Intermediate Algebra, 13th edition

Margaret L. Lial American River College
John Hornsby University of New Orleans
Terry McGinnis

eTextbook

C$67.99

Easy-to-use search and navigation
Add notes and highlights
Flashcards help streamline study sessions

For courses in Intermediate Algebra.

Balancing skills and concepts

Part of the Lial Developmental Algebra Series, Intermediate Algebra, 13th Edition uses a teacherly writing style and a careful blend of skills development and conceptual questions to meet the unique needs of the developmental math student. In this revision, the team retains their hallmark writing style and provides new features and resources to optimize student preparedness and conceptual understanding. The Lial program provides students with the perfect balance of skills and concepts for a student-friendly approach to math.

Hallmark features of this title

Examples with pointers provide tips for on-the-spot notes and cautions about common pitfalls.
Now Try Exercises are parallel margin exercises for each numbered example. These exercises immediately apply and reinforce the concepts and skills presented in corresponding examples.
Comprehensive exercise sets balance students' procedural skills with conceptual understanding.
End-of-chapter material offers ample opportunity for review, including Key Terms and Symbols, Quick Review summaries, Chapter Review exercises, Mixed Review, and Cumulative Review.
- Test Your Word Power exercises in each Chapter Summary help students master mathematical vocabulary.
- Chapter Tests include a fully worked out video solution for every exercise in the Chapter Test.

New and updated features of this title

Relating Concepts exercises have been increased in this revision. Relating Concepts exercise sets tie the topics together and highlight the relationships among various concepts and skills. They work well for individual or group work.
What Went Wrong exercises have more than doubled. These ask students to determine an error in a worked problem, to ensure that they understand common mistakes and realize why those errors are incorrect. Identifying and correcting a mistake requires a higher level of critical thinking.
Study Skills support has been moved up to the front of the text.
Increased Conceptual exercises ensure that students' understanding goes beyond rote procedures.
Expanded Concept Check exercises facilitate students' conceptual understanding at the start of exercise sets, and often emphasize new vocabulary. 
Relating Concepts exercises have been increased. Relating Concepts exercise sets tie the topics together and highlight the relationships among various concepts and skills. They work well for individual or group work.

Study Skills

Study Skill 1: Using Your Math Text
Study Skill 2: Reading Your Math Text
Study Skill 3: Taking Lecture Notes
Study Skill 4: Completing Your Homework
Study Skill 5: Using Study Cards
Study Skill 6: Managing Your Time
Study Skill 7: Reviewing a Chapter
Study Skill 8: Taking Math Tests
Study Skill 9: Analyzing Your Test Results
Study Skill 10: Preparing for Your Math Final

R. Review of the Real Number System

R.1 Fractions, Decimals, and Percents
R.2 Basic Concepts from Algebra
R.3 Operations on Real Numbers
R.3 Exponents, Roots, and Order of Operations
R.4 Properties of Real Numbers
Chapter R Summary
Chapter R Test

1. Linear Equations, Inequalities, and Applications

1.1 Linear Equations in One Variable
1.2 Formulas and Percent
1.3 Applications of Linear Equations
1.4 Further Applications of Linear Equations
Summary Exercises: Applying Problem-Solving Techniques
1.5 Linear Inequalities in One Variable
1.6 Set Operations and Compound Inequalities
1.7 Absolute Value Equations and Inequalities
Summary Exercises: Solving Linear and Absolute Value Equations and Inequalities
Chapter 1 Summary
Chapter 1 Review Exercises
Chapter 1 Mixed Review Exercises
Chapter 1 Test
Chapters R and 1 Cumulative Review Exercises

2. Linear Equations, Graphs, and Functions

2.1 Linear Equations in Two Variables
Study Skills: Managing Your Time
2.2 The Slope of a Line
2.3 Writing Equations of Lines
Summary Exercises: Finding Slopes and Equations of Lines
2.4 Linear Inequalities in Two Variables
2.5 Introduction to Relations and Functions
2.6 Function Notation and Linear Functions
Chapter 2 Summary
Chapter 2 Review Exercises
Chapter 2 Mixed Review Exercises
Chapter 2 Test
Chapters R - 2 Cumulative Review Exercises

3. Systems of Linear Equations

3.1 Systems of Linear Equations in Two Variables
3.2 Systems of Linear Equations in Three Variables
3.3 Applications of Systems of Linear Equations
Chapter 3 Summary
Chapter 3 Review Exercises
Chapter 3 Mixed Review Exercises
Chapter 3 Test
Chapters R - 3 Cumulative Review Exercises

4. Exponents, Polynomials, and Polynomial Functions

4.1 Integer Exponents
4.2 Scientific Notation
4.3 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
4.4 Polynomial Functions, Graphs, and Composition
4.5 Multiplying Polynomials
4.6 Dividing Polynomials
Chapter 4 Summary
Chapter 4 Review Exercises
Chapter 4 Mixed Review Exercises
Chapter 4 Test
Chapters R - 4 Cumulative Review Exercises

5. Factoring

5.1 Greatest Common Factors and Factoring by Grouping
5.2 Factoring Trinomials
5.3 Special Factoring
5.4 A General Approach to Factoring
5.5 Solving Equations by the Zero-Factor Property
Chapter 5 Summary
Chapter 5 Review Exercises
Chapter 5 Mixed Review Exercises
Chapter 5 Test
Chapters R - 5 Cumulative Review Exercises

6. Rational Expressions and Functions

6.1 Rational Expressions and Functions; Multiplying and Dividing
6.2 Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions
6.3 Complex Fractions
6.4 Equations with Rational Expressions and Graphs
Summary Exercises: Simplifying Rational Expressions vs. Solving Rational Equations
6.5 Applications of Rational Expressions
6.6 Variation
Chapter 6 Summary
Chapter 6 Review Exercises
Chapter 6 Mixed Review Exercises
Chapter 6 Test
Chapters R - 6 Cumulative Review Exercises

7. Roots, Radicals, and Root Functions

7.1 Radical Expressions and Graphs
7.2 Rational Exponents
7.3 Simplifying Radicals, the Distance Formula, and Circles
7.4 Adding and Subtracting Radical Expressions
7.5 Multiplying and Dividing Radical Expressions
Summary Exercises: Performing Operations with Radicals and Rational Exponents
7.6 Solving Equations with Radicals
7.7 Complex Numbers
Chapter 7 Summary
Chapter 7 Review Exercises
Chapter 7 Mixed Review Exercises
Chapter 7 Test
Chapters R - 7 Cumulative Review Exercises

8. Quadratic Equations, Inequalities, and Functions

8.1 The Square Root Property and Completing the Square
8.2 The Quadratic Formula
8.3 Equations That Lead to Quadratic Methods
Summary Exercises: Applying Methods for Solving Quadratic Equations
8.4 Formulas and Further Applications
8.5 Graphs of Quadratic Functions
8.6 More about Parabolas and Their Applications
8.7 Polynomial and Rational Inequalities
Chapter 8 Summary
Chapter 8 Review Exercises
Chapter 8 Mixed Review Exercises
Chapter 8 Test
Chapters R–8 Cumulative Review Exercises

9. Inverse, Exponential, and Logarithmic Functions

9.1 Inverse Functions
9.2 Exponential Functions
9.3 Logarithmic Functions
9.4 Properties of Logarithms
9.5 Common and Natural Logarithms
9.6 Exponential and Logarithmic Equations; Further Applications
Chapter 9 Summary
Chapter 9 Review Exercises
Chapter 9 Mixed Review Exercises
Chapter 9 Test
Chapters R - 9 Cumulative Review Exercises

10. Nonlinear Functions, Conic Sections, and Nonlinear Systems

10.1 Additional Graphs of Functions
10.2 Circles Revisited and Ellipses
10.3 Hyperbolas and Functions Defined by Radicals
10.4 Nonlinear Systems of Equations
10.5 Second-Degree Inequalities and Systems of Inequalities
Chapter 10 Summary
Chapter 10 Review Exercises
Chapter 10 Mixed Review Exercises
Chapter 10 Test
Chapters R - 10 Cumulative Review Exercises

11. Further Topics in Algebra

11.1 Sequences and Series
11.2 Arithmetic Sequences
11.3 Geometric Sequences
11.4 The Binomial Theorem
Chapter 11 Summary
Chapter 11 Review Exercises
Chapter 11 Mixed Review Exercises
Chapter 11 Test
Chapters R - 11 Cumulative Review Exercises

Appendices

Appendix A: Synthetic Division
Answers to Selected Exercises

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 2 sons, Andrew and Tyler.

Need help? Get in touch

Pearson+
All in one place. Pearson+ offers instant access to eTextbooks, videos and study tools in one intuitive interface. Students choose how they learn best with enhanced search, audio and flashcards. The Pearson+ app lets them read where life takes them, no wi-fi needed. Students can access Pearson+ through a subscription or their MyLab or Mastering course.

Privacy and cookies

By watching, you agree Pearson can share your viewership data for marketing and analytics for one year, revocable by deleting your cookies.

Video transcript (PDF | 16KB)

Pearson eTextbook: What’s on the inside just might surprise you

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover. It’s the same with your students. Meet each one right where they are with an engaging, interactive, personalized learning experience that goes beyond the textbook to fit any schedule, any budget, and any lifestyle.