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Basic College Mathematics, 9th edition

Published by Pearson (March 10, 2021) © 2022

  • John Tobey North Shore Community College
  • Jeffrey Slater North Shore Community College
  • Jamie Blair Orange Coast College
  • Jennifer Crawford Normandale Community College
  • Anne Fischer Tulsa Community College

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For courses in Basic College Mathematics.

With students and instructors every step of the way

The building-block organization of Basic College Mathematics builds essential skills by breaking mathematics into manageable pieces. The authors act as a student's math coach, supporting them at every turn with exercises, videos and examples built specifically to help with the trickiest problems. Emphasis on the use of math in careers and financial literacy helps to answer the perennial student question: “when will I ever use this?” The 9th Edition updates applications and examples, increasing student support and resources to help instructors take advantage of the learning tools offered.

Hallmark features of this title

  • Student Practice problems are paired with every example; full solutions are found in the back of the text.
  • Steps to Success boxes remind students of important strategies, with topics like why homework is important and setting an assignment work schedule.
  • End-of-Section Exercises progress from basic to challenging; each exercise set includes Verbal and Writing Skills and Mixed Practice exercises. 
  • A Quick Quiz at the end of each exercise set contains 3 problems.
  • Career Explorations investigate future career options. Each chapter starts with a Career Opportunities feature that puts the math into context and ends with Career Exploration Problems.
  • Use Math to Save Money gives practical examples of how students can use math to cut costs and spend less. 

New and updated features of this title

  • Updated examples, applications and exercises include the most current data and real-world contexts.
  • Updated Applications exercises and examples throughout relate to everyday life, global issues beyond the borders of the U.S., and other academic disciplines.
  • Revised Exercises and Mixed Practice problems give students sufficient practice on all objectives. All concepts are fully represented, with every Example from the section covered by a group of exercises. The Mixed Practice problems ask students to identify the type of problem and the best method to solve it. 
  • New Steps to Success Index appears before the text's Table of Contents, highlighting study skills to help students successfully complete the course. The Steps to Success features remind students of important strategies they can employ to be successful, such as making a schedule of when to complete assignments. This new index encourages them to make use of these strategies easily. 
  • A new hardback bound text in this edition (from a workbook style) is more durable for students. Students are encouraged to write in a course notebook rather than in the text itself.

Features of MyLab Math for the 9th Edition

  • Premade sample video assignments help instructors take advantage of the Guided Learning Videos to enrich students' understanding of concepts.
    • Guided Learning Videos cover key concepts from each section in a fresh, engaging format. These sample video assignments include applicable end-of-section exercises for students to work after watching
    • Expanded exercise coverage now includes select even exercises in addition to the odds from end-of-section exercise sets.
  • Other types of media to enrich student learning include Use Math to Save Money animations, showcasing the application of math for financial decisions in real life, and Math Coach videos that act as a student's tutor on tricky problems.
  • An Implementation Guide includes suggestions on how to optimize their use of the MyLab Math course and text.
    • A corresponding Implementation Guide video provided by the author team guides instructors through each supporting element of the program, with teaching tips for using them in different modes of learning. 

Preface
Diagnostic Pretest

1. Whole Numbers
Career Opportunities
1.1 Understanding Whole Numbers
1.2 Adding Whole Numbers
1.3 Subtracting Whole Numbers
1.4 Multiplying Whole Numbers
1.5 Dividing Whole Numbers Use Math to Save Money
1.6 Exponents and the Order of Operations
1.7 Rounding and Estimating
1.8 Solving Applied Problems Involving Whole Numbers Career Exploration Problems
Chapter 1 Organizer
Chapter 1 Review Problems
How Am I Doing? Chapter 1 Test
Math Coach

2. Fractions
Career Opportunities
2.1 Understanding Fractions
2.2 Simplifying Fractions
2.3 Converting Between Improper Fractions and Mixed Numbers
2.4 Multiplying Fractions and Mixed Numbers
2.5 Dividing Fractions and Mixed Numbers Use Math to Save Money
2.6 The Least Common Denominator and Creating Equivalent Fractions
2.7 Adding and Subtracting Fractions
2.8 Adding and Subtracting Mixed Numbers and the Order of Operations
2.9 Solving Applied Problems Involving Fractions Career Exploration Problems
Chapter 2 Organizer
Chapter 2 Review Problems
How Am I Doing? Chapter 2 Test
Math Coach

3. Decimals
Career Opportunities
3.1 Using Decimal Notation
3.2 Comparing, Ordering, and Rounding Decimals
3.3 Adding and Subtracting Decimals
3.4 Multiplying Decimals Use Math to Save Money
3.5 Dividing Decimals
3.6 Converting Fractions to Decimals and the Order of Operations
3.7 Estimating and Solving Applied Problems Involving Decimals Career Exploration Problems
Chapter 3 Organizer
Chapter 3 Review Problems
How Am I Doing? Chapter 3 Test
Math Coach
Cumulative Test for Chapters 1-3

4. Ratio and Proportion
Career Opportunities
4.1 Ratios and Rates
4.2 The Concept of Proportions Use Math to Save Money
4.3 Solving Proportions
4.4 Solving Applied Problems Involving Proportions Career Exploration Problems
Chapter 4 Organizer
Chapter 4 Review Problems
How Am I Doing? Chapter 4 Test
Math Coach

5. Percent
Career Opportunities
5.1 Understanding Percent
5.2 Changing Between Percents, Decimals, and Fractions
5.3A Solving Percent Problems Using Equations
5.3B Solving Percent Problems Using Proportions Use Math to Save Money
5.4 Solving Applied Percent Problems
5.5 Solving Commission, Percent of Increase or Decrease, and Interest Problems Career Exploration Problems
Chapter 5 Organizer
Chapter 5 Review Problems
How Am I Doing? Chapter 5 Test
Math Coach

6. Measurement
Career Opportunities
6.1 American Units
6.2 Metric Measurements: Length
6.3 Metric Measurements: Volume and Weight Use Math to Save Money
6.4 Converting Units
6.5 Solving Applied Measurement Problems Career Exploration Problems
Chapter 6 Organizer
Chapter 6 Review Problems
How Am I Doing? Chapter 6 Test
Math Coach
Cumulative Test for Chapters 1-6

7. Geometry
Career Opportunities
7.1 Angles
7.2 Rectangles and Squares
7.3 Parallelograms, Trapezoids, and Rhombuses
7.4 Triangles
7.5 Square Roots Use Math to Save Money
7.6 The Pythagorean Theorem
7.7 Circles
7.8 Volume
7.9 Similar Geometric Figures
7.10 Solving Applied Problems Involving Geometry Career Exploration Problems
Chapter 7 Organizer
Chapter 7 Review Problems
How Am I Doing? Chapter 7 Test
Math Coach

8. Statistics
Career Opportunities
8.1 Circle Graphs
8.2 Bar Graphs and Line Graphs Use Math to Save Money
8.3 Histograms
8.4 Mean, Median, and Mode Career Exploration Problems
Chapter 8 Organizer
Chapter 8 Review Problems
How Am I Doing? Chapter 8 Test
Math Coach

9. Signed Numbers
Career Opportunities
9.1 Adding Signed Numbers
9.2 Subtracting Signed Numbers
9.3 Multiplying and Dividing Signed Numbers Use Math to Save Money
9.4 Order of Operations with Signed Numbers
9.5 Scientific Notation Career Exploration Problems
Chapter 9 Organizer
Chapter 9 Review Problems
How Am I Doing? Chapter 9 Test
Math Coach

10 . Introduction to Algebra
Career Opportunities
10.1 Variables and Like Terms
10.2 The Distributive Property
10.3 Solving Equations Using the Addition Property
10.4 Solving Equations Using the Division or Multiplication Property
10.5 Solving Equations Using Two Properties Use Math to Save Money
10.6 Translating English to Algebra
10.7 Solving Applied Problems Career Exploration Problems
Chapter 10 Organizer
Chapter 10 Review Problems
How Am I Doing? Chapter 10 Test

Math Coach
Practice Final Examination

Appendix A: Table of Prime Factors

Solutions to Student
Practice Problems
Answers to Selected Exercises
Photo Credits
Glossary
Subject Index
Index of Applications

About our authors

John Tobey received his BA in mathematics from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois in 1965, his MA in mathematics education from Harvard University in 1966, and his PhD in mathematics education from Boston University in 1980. He has taught in the mathematics department at the United States Military Academy at West Point and served as the Mathematics Department Chairman at North Shore Community College in Danvers, Massachusetts for 5 years. John has served as the president of the New England Mathematics Association of Two-Year Colleges. He has received the NISOD award for outstanding teaching from the University of Texas at Austin. John is the author of 7 mathematics books published by Pearson Education. John has spoken to many mathematics departments and at many professional meetings throughout the country on the topic of developmental mathematics education and distance learning in mathematics. He lives in Massachusetts. 

Jeffrey Slater has been a professor at North Shore Community College for 38 years and received the Teacher of the Year award in 2002. Jeff travels around the country speaking on student retention and is also a consultant to the Federal Government. He lives in Lexington, Massachusetts with his wife Shelley and his yellow lab Gracie. 

Jamie Blair has directed the Mathematics Learning Center at Orange Coast College for the past 17 years. She designed, developed and implemented the center, and as a result of this effort has provided technical expertise related to the particulars of the Math Center to numerous other 2-year colleges and at many conferences. In 2007, Jamie was appointed to the Team of Basic Skills Specialists by the California State Academic Senate. She is also currently participating on Title 3 committees on her campus. She specializes in teaching students who have never been successful in mathematics. She is an expert in the area of basic skills in relation to the learning needs of students. She lives in California. 

Jennifer Crawford received her BS in mathematics from the University of Minnesota - Duluth in 1995 and her MS in mathematics from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities in 1998. She taught a wide range of courses at North Shore Community College in Danvers, Massachusetts for 5 years. She currently teaches at Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minnesota, where her focus is working with developmental math students. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her husband, 2 young children, and black lab. 

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