Elementary and Intermediate Algebra: Graphs and Models, 5th edition

For courses in elementary and intermediate algebra.

Objective: Visualizing the Concepts

One of the hallmarks of the Bittinger Developmental Math program is objective-based learning. In Elementary and Intermediate Algebra: Graphs and Models, Fifth Edition, the authors place special emphasis on conceptual understanding, modeling, and visualization. Their goal is to help students “see the math” and learn algebra by making connections between the math and real-world applications. For the Fifth Edition, the authors have made many updates to the text and applications, as well as to the accompanying resources. These include important enhancements to the MyMathLab course, new Active Learning Figures, and the creation of a new interactive video program, To-the-Point Objective Videos, associated with a new student workbook, MyMathGuide: Notes, Practice, and Video Path.

Also available with MyMathLab

MyMathLab is an online homework, tutorial, and assessment program designed to work with this text to engage students and improve results. Within its structured environment, students practice what they learn, test their understanding, and pursue a personalized study plan that helps them absorb course material and understand difficult concepts. The text and MyMathLab course form a tightly integrated program with all new To-the-Point Objective Videos, Active Learning Figures, and MyMathGuide workbook.

A Visual Approach

• NEW! Chapter Opener applications with Infographics use current data and applications to present the math in context. These applications are linked to exercises in the text and MyMathLab course, as well as to other resources such as Active Learning Figures and Student Activities, to help students model, visualize, and learn the math.
• Algebraic-Graphical Side-by-Side Solutions give students a direct comparison between these two problem-solving methods. They demonstrate that there is more than one way to obtain a result and illustrate the comparative efficiency and accuracy of the two methods.
• Visualizing the Graph problem sets ask students to match equations and inequalities with their graphs. This helps students to recognize the important characteristics of the equation or inequality and to visualize the corresponding attributes of its graph. This feature is animated in MyMathLab^®, enabling the student to visualize concepts on an entirely new level.
• Your Turns offer calculator support at the point of use. These simple exercises are designed to provide students with immediate keystroke practice.

Emphasis on Conceptual Understanding

• NEW! Reading Checks are designed for after reading the section, but before beginning the homework. Successful completion of a Reading Check indicates that the student is sufficiently prepared to work the section exercises. These are now also assignable in MyMathLab.
• NEW! Student Activities begin with real-world data and guide students to examine a key concept in each chapter, while analyzing the data and connecting other concepts. There is one activity per chapter and they are available in MyMathLab.
• Try Exercise icons, corresponding to nearly every example, point students to similar problems in the section exercise sets. By solving these problems, students can immediately reinforce their understanding of the mathematical concepts and skills presented in the examples. For easy identification in the exercise sets, the “Try” exercises have a shaded block on the exercise number. Answers to Try Exercises are given at the end of the exercise sets and in the back of the book.
• Mid-Chapter Reviews give students the opportunity to reinforce their understanding of the mathematical skills and concepts covered in the first half of the chapter, before moving on to new material.
• Each Mid-Chapter Review begins with a Brief Summary of the concepts studied in the first part of the chapter, often illustrated with a table or chart.
• Guided Solutions problems include fill-in blanks for students to complete specific steps that lead to the solution.
• Mixed Review exercises require an understanding of previously learned material to reinforce mastery of skills and concepts.
• Problem-Solving Steps, called out in the margins adjacent to selected Example Solutions, offer students at-a-glance reinforcement of the problem-solving process.
• The end-of-section exercise sets include several special types of problems:
• Concept Reinforcement Exercises (also found in the chapter Study Summary) are True/False questions designed to increase understanding of the concepts, rather than merely assess students' skill at memorizing procedures.
• “Aha!” Exercises discourage rote learning and reward students who “look before they leap” into a problem. The “Aha!” designation is used the first time a new insight can be applied to a particular type of exercise and indicates to the student that there is a simpler way to complete the exercise with less computation.
• TW (Thinking and Writing) Exercises promote conceptual understanding and can also be used for class discussion and group projects.
• Synthesis Exercises help build critical-thinking skills by requiring students to use skills and concepts from the current section, along with those from previous sections. These are available in most exercise sets.
• The Connecting the Concepts feature helps students understand the “big picture,” by relating the concept at hand to previously learned and upcoming material.

Additional Support

• Collaborative Corner exercises, appearing one to three times per chapter, are designed for group work.
• The Study Summary at the end of each chapter has been expanded to provide more comprehensive in-text practice and review. Key Terms and Concepts are paired with worked-out Examples, for reference and review, and with similar Practice Exercises for students.

Also available with MyMathLab

MyMathLab is an online homework, tutorial, and assessment program designed to work with this text to engage students and improve results. Within its structured environment, students practice what they learn, test their understanding, and pursue a personalized study plan that helps them absorb course material and understand difficult concepts.

• NEW! Active Learning Figures are interactive animations that allow students to examine visual representations of concepts through both guided and open-ended exploration. These are linked to chapter openers andvother locations throughout the text and MyMathLab. Accompanying exercises provide additional practice and reinforcement.
• NEW! Chapter Opener applications with Infographics use current data and applications to present the math in context. These applications are linked to exercises in the text and MyMathLab course, as well as to Active Learning Figures and Student Activities, to help students model, visualize, and learn the math.
• NEW! Student Activities begin with real-world data and guide students to examine a key concept in each chapter, while analyzing the data and connecting other concepts. There is one activity per chapter and they are available in MyMathLab.
• MyMathGuide: Notes, Practice, and Video Path is an objective-based workbook (available in print and in MyMathLab) for guided, hands-on learning. It offers vocabulary, skill, and concept review—along with problem-solving practice—with space for students to show their work and write notes. Students can follow along in My MathGuide while they watch the new To-the-Point Objective Videos, listen to their instructor lecture, or read the textbook.
• NEW! Bittinger Video Program includes all new To-the-Point Objective Videos—with new Graphing Calculator Video Tutorials—and Chapter Test Prep Videos. Interactive “Your Turn” Exercises in the videos prompt students to solve problems and receive instant feedback. The videos also can be used hand-in-hand with the new MyMathGuide workbook.
• Graphing Calculator Video Tutorials help students utilize the graphing calculator to solve exercises when appropriate.  A graphing calculator emulator guides students through the steps of each solution in an easy-to-follow, visual format.

• Chapter Opener applications with Infographics use current data and applications to present the math in context. These applications are linked to exercises in the text and MyMathLab course, as well as to other resources such as Active Learning Figures and Student Activities, to help students model, visualize, and learn the math.

• Reading Checks are designed for after reading the section, but before beginning the homework. Successful completion of a Reading Check indicates that the student is sufficiently prepared to work the section exercises. These are now also assignable in MyMathLab.
• Student Activities begin with real-world data and guide students to examine a key concept in each chapter, while analyzing the data and connecting other concepts. There is one activity per chapter and they are available in MyMathLab.

Also available with MyMathLab

MyMathLab is an online homework, tutorial, and assessment program designed to work with this text to engage students and improve results. Within its structured environment, students practice what they learn, test their understanding, and pursue a personalized study plan that helps them absorb course material and understand difficult concepts. The text and MyMathLab course form a tightly integrated program with all new To-the-Point Objective Videos, Active Learning Figures, and MyMathGuide workbook.

• Active Learning Figures are interactive animations that allow students to examine visual representations of concepts through both guided and open-ended exploration. These are linked to chapter openers andvother locations throughout the text and MyMathLab. Accompanying exercises provide additional practice and reinforcement.
• Chapter Opener applications with Infographics use current data and applications to present the math in context. These applications are linked to exercises in the text and MyMathLab course, as well as to Active Learning Figures and Student Activities, to help students model, visualize, and learn the math.
• Student Activities begin with real-world data and guide students to examine a key concept in each chapter, while analyzing the data and connecting other concepts. There is one activity per chapter and they are available in MyMathLab.
• Bittinger Video Program includes all new To-the-Point Objective Videos—with new Graphing Calculator Video Tutorials—and Chapter Test Prep Videos. Interactive “Your Turn” Exercises in the videos prompt students to solve problems and receive instant feedback. The videos also can be used hand-in-hand with the new MyMathGuide workbook.