Using & Understanding Mathematics: A Quantitative Reasoning Approach, 8th edition

Jeffrey O. Bennett
, William L. Briggs

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Using & Understanding Mathematics prepares you for the math you'll encounter in future courses, careers and daily life. Quantitative reasoning trailblazers Bennett and Briggs help foster the problem-solving tools needed to think critically about quantitative issues in society. Their content-driven approach is organized by mathematical ideas; after each topic is presented, examples of its applications are shown. The 8th Edition is extensively revised throughout, from the coronavirus pandemic to the latest presidential election and more.

ISBN-13: 9780137574971

Subject: Liberal Arts Math

Category: Quantitative Reasoning

I. LOGIC AND PROBLEM SOLVING

GETTING STARTED: LITERACY FOR THE MODERN WORLD
Activity: Job Satisfaction
What is Quantitative Reasoning?
Quantitative Reasoning and Culture
Quantitative Reasoning in the Work Force
Misconceptions About Mathematics
What Is Mathematics?
How to Succeed in Mathematics

Thinking Critically
- Activity: Pandemic Math
- 1A. Living in the Media Age 
- 1B. Propositions and Truth Values
- 1C. Sets and Venn Diagrams
- 1D. Analyzing Arguments
- 1E. Critical Thinking in Everyday Life
- Chapter 1 Summary
- Chapter 1 Review Questions
Approaches to Problem Solving
- Activity: Global Melting
- 2A. Understand, Solve, and Explain
- Using Technology: Currency Exchange Rates
- 2B. Extending Unit Analysis
- Using Technology: Metric Conversions 
- 2C. Problem-Solving Hints
- Chapter 2 Summary
- Chapter 2 Review Questions

II. QUANTITATIVE INFORMATION IN EVERYDAY LIFE

Numbers in the Real World
- Activity: More Pandemic Math: Is 90% Good Enough?
- 3A. Uses and Abuses of Percentages
- 3B. Putting Numbers in Perspective 
- Using Technology: Scientific Notation
- 3C. Dealing with Uncertainty 
- Using Technology: Rounding in Excel
- 3D. Index Numbers: The CPI and Beyond  
- 3E. Numerical Surprises: Polygraphs, Mammograms, and More
- Chapter 3 Summary
- Chapter 3 Review Questions
Managing Money
- Activity: Student Loans
- 4A. Taking Control of Your Finances
- 4B. The Power of Compounding
- Using Technology: Powers 
- Using Technology: The Compound Interest Formula 
- Using Technology: The Compound Interest Formula for Interest Paid More Than Once a Year 
- Using Technology: APY in Excel 
- Using Technology: Powers of e 
- 4C. Savings Plans and Investments
- Using Technology: The Savings Plan Formula 
- Using Technology: Fractional Powers (Roots) 
- 4D. Loan Payments, Credit Cards, and Mortgages
- Using Technology: The Loan Payment Formula (Installment Loans) 
- Using Technology: Principal and Interest Portions of Loan Payments 
- 4E. Income Taxes
- 4F. Understanding the Federal Budget
- Chapter 4 Summary
- Chapter 4 Review Questions

III. STATISTICS AND PROBABILITY

Statistical Reasoning
- Activity: Cell Phones and Driving
- 5A. Fundamentals of Statistics
- Using Technology: Random Numbers
- 5B. Should You Believe a Statistical Study?
- 5C. Statistical Tables and Graphs
- Using Technology: Frequency Tables in Spreadsheets
- Using Technology: Bar Graphs and Pie Charts
- Using Technology: Line Charts
- 5D. Graphics in the Media
- Using Technology: Graphs with Multiple Data Sets
- 5E. Correlation and Causality
- Using Technology: Scatterplots
- Chapter 5 Summary
- Chapter 5 Review Questions
Putting Statistics to Work
- Activity: Are We Smarter Than Our Parents?
- 6A. Characterizing Data
- Using Technology: Mean, Median, and Mode
- 6B. Measures of Variation
- Using Technology: Standard Deviation
- 6C. The Normal Distribution
- Using Technology: Standard Scores and Percentiles
- 6D. Statistical Inference
- Chapter 6 Summary
- Chapter 6 Review Questions
Probability: Living With The Odds
- Activity: Lotteries
- 7A. Fundamentals of Probability
- 7B. Combining Probabilities
- 7C. The Law of Large Numbers
- 7D. Assessing Risk
- 7E. Counting and Probability
- Using Technology: Factorials 
- Using Technology: Permutations 
- Using Technology: Combinations
- Chapter 7 Summary
- Chapter 7 Review Questions

IV. MODELING

Exponential Astonishment
- Activity: Towers of Hanoi
- 8A. Growth: Linear vs. Exponential
- 8B. Doubling Time and Half-Life
- Using Technology: Logarithms 
- 8C. Real Population Growth
- 8D. Logarithmic Scales: Earthquakes, Sounds, and Acids
- Chapter 8 Summary
- Chapter 8 Review Questions
Modeling Our World
- Activity: Climate Modeling
- 9A. Functions: The Building Blocks of Mathematical Models
- 9B. Linear Modeling
- Using Technology: Graphing Functions 
- 9C. Exponential Modeling
- Chapter 9 Summary
- Chapter 9 Review Questions
Modeling With Geometry
- Activity: Eyes in the Sky
- 10A. Fundamentals of Geometry
- 10B. Problem Solving with Geometry
- 10C. Fractal Geometry
- Chapter 10 Summary
- Chapter 10 Review Questions

V. FURTHER APPLICATIONS

Mathematics and The Arts
- Activity: Digital Music Files
- 11A. Mathematics and Music
- 11B. Perspective and Symmetry
- 11C. Proportion and the Golden Ratio
- Chapter 11 Summary
- Chapter 11 Review Questions
Mathematics and Politics
- Activity: Partisan Redistricting
- 12A. Voting: Does the Majority Always Rule?
- 12B. Theory of Voting
- 12C. Apportionment: The House of Representatives and Beyond
- 12D. Dividing the Political Pie
- Chapter 12 Summary
- Chapter 12 Review Questions
Mathematics and Business (online only)
- 13A. Network Analysis
- 13B. The Traveling Salesperson Problem
- 13C. Scheduling Problems
- Chapter 13 Summary