Algebra and Trigonometry: Student Solutions Manual [Paperback]

Mark McCombs (Author), Michael Sullivan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 29, 2004 | ISBN-10: 0131430793 | ISBN-13: 978-0131430792 | Edition: 7th Revised edition

Represents mathematics as it appears in life, providing understandable, realistic applications consistent with the abilities of any reader. This book develops trigonometric functions using a right triangle approach and progresses to the unit circle approach. Graphing techniques are emphasized, including a thorough discussion of polar coordinates, parametric equations, and conics using polar coordinates. Those looking to master essential skills of Algebra and Trigonometry.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A proven motivator for students of diverse mathematical backgrounds, this text is organized and written with all students in mind. Striving to teach mathematics as a way of life, Sullivan provides understandable, realistic applications that are consistent with the abilities of any student. This text develops the trigonometric funtions using a right triangle approach and showing how it leads to the unit circle approach. Graphing techniques are emphasized, including a thorough discussion of polar coordinates, parametric equations, and conics using polar coordinates. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

Represents mathematics as it appears in life, providing understandable, realistic applications consistent with the abilities of any reader. This book develops trigonometric functions using a right triangle approach and progresses to the unit circle approach. Graphing techniques are emphasized, including a thorough discussion of polar coordinates, parametric equations, and conics using polar coordinates. Those looking to master essential skills of Algebra and Trigonometry. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 872 pages
• Publisher: Prentice-Hall; 7th Revised edition edition (April 29, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0131430793
• ISBN-13: 978-0131430792
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.9 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #900,565 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Please read this review!!!!, April 26, 2003

By 

Mark Sheridan (usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Algebra and Trigonometry (6th Edition) (Hardcover)

1)Michael Sullivan (Sr.) is one of the four or five best writers
of math textbooks on today's scene. If you can find a textbook written by him that fits whatever current math course you are in
buy the book sight unseen. You will be more than happy that you
did.
2)As far as this book is concerned, I used it from chapter 1 to the end (every section of every chapter) and did every problem in
the book. I did not have an instructor and I was not enrolled in a course. I used the book to brush up for calculus after being out of school for 20 years.
3)This book is great for a course in college algebra, trigonometry, or precalculus. It serves all three purposes. I know this because after I finished the text and began studying
calculus, on my own, I was really able to appreciate how well
Sullivan's book prepared me for calculus.
4)The explanations of each concept are clear, not more rigorous
than is appropriate for a student at the level of the textbook,
but certainly not dumbed down.
5)The problems and questions are well written, comprehensive, and
most importantly, instructive. I found that the best question I
could ask myself about every problem in the book was "now what is
Sullivan trying to get me to see by doing this problem or answering this question". I mention this because this is what Sullivan is really good at; he doesn't spoon feed you.
6)Look, we all want essentially the same things from a textbook.
We want clearly written, well illustrated worked out problems
that allow us to grasp the concept in question so that we can use
it to solve problems and answer conceptual questions. With Sullivan, you get this in great measure.
This is a wonderful textbook for both sudents and teachers. It is
a great book to learn from and a great book to learn to teach from.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Good Precalculus Reference, August 5, 2003

By 

JON STRICKLAND "Jon Strickland" (Smithfield, NC United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Algebra and Trigonometry (6th Edition) (Hardcover)

With the sixth edition of this textbook, Sullivan has made significant strides since the fifth edition of the College Algebra portion. The interval notations used to indicate the regions where the value of a function is increasing or decreasing is so much more clear and concise. In contrast to the former use of frequently displaying number lines with pluses and minuses underneath, in which the readings of them were perhaps more of an exercise for the eyes than for the mind, Sullivan revised this mess using parentheses and brackets to indicate test intervals.

As a teacher, I say that this is not the most user-friendly book for an instructor who teaches one hour college algebra classes three times a week. Oftentimes, for me to quickly get the fundamentals across, I have to paraphrase what Sullivan lays out in many of the sections. The language is often too theoretical for several of my students (Many are in non-technical majors but have to complete college algebra as a last mathematics course requirement), and I have to put the symbolic logic sequences into terms that can cross over to applied mathematics. This is not meant to be a criticism, however.

Perhaps the main weaknesses lie in the shortcomings of applied problems, particularly in the sections concerning maxima and minima, and especially in the inequality segments. On a very positive note, however, I will grant that the sixth chapter, which involves logarithms and exponents is quite fascinating. For instance, you have applied problems involving the amount of interest that can be gained after so many years if, say, [money amount]is deposited into an account and accumulates interest at 6% compounded quarterly. Physics problems are also well presented. One interesting tidbit: if you wondered how long it would take for a 300-degree dish to cool down to 100 degrees in an environment that is at room temperature, the formula that can be used, namely Newton's Law of Cooling, is provided. As another example: suppose that a dead animal was discovered in a barn at midnight and its temperature was 80°F° ; the temperature of the barn is kept constant at 60°F; two hours later the temperature of the corpse dropped to 75°F; find the time of death. The formula for this type of problem is also shown.

As added kudos, I especially like the intermittent TI-83 calculator tips. The use of technology in mathematics classes is notably increasing in the community colleges. All in all, this is a finer, more updated version, and it is especially recommended for those who want to go beyond the call of duty and discover new ways of applying mathematics to their daily lives.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars If you are serious about self-teaching math, read my review., April 14, 2010

By 

R. Regina (Jacksonville, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Algebra and Trigonometry (Hardcover)

I got this book for the sole reason of learning trig and some pre-calculus algebra. I must say I am highly disappointed. It has been months since I bought it and I have completed it. In most math textbooks up until now, you have probably been used to completing the problems by looking at the examples in a chapter, plugging in different values in the examples then mindlessly calculating without ever getting any sense of the purpose or meaning behind the subject matter. That is exactly what you will be doing in this book. First there is almost no attempt to "connect the dots" and this book suffers from the writing style that has plagued low level math textbooks for way too long. That is, the book is written to show you how to solve problems as quickly, as painless (and as blinded) as possible. Nearly all problems in this book may be completed by plugging in different values to the examples. There are very few proofs given (not that I expected a lot) and very few attempts to say things such as "Method B follows directly from method A you learned early." Or "Method B, is really just a clever use of the Pythagorean theorem.". Many times there will be chapters with little (but enough) explaining, then you get a chapter which would require a lot of explaining, but instead is very packed in very dense paragraphs full of definitions. This is fine for me, but would probably confuse alot of "non-math" people. Overall there is a ton of (very easy) problems in the book, though they are not all easy. There is also a lot of "applied" problems which are really scenarios which would probably never occur in the real world (don't get me wrong some of the applied problem are quite interesting, but about 95% of them are not). If you are 100% self-taught like me this is my recommendation to, if you really want this book as go ahead at get it, it's only strong point is that it is good for "drilling methods into you". Trigonometry is (apparently) a really fun math, but this book turns it in to a ridiculously boring and mundane subject providing no mathematical motivation to anything you will learn. So do not get it and use it as your only source. I would suggest that you do not do all 90+ problem at the end of a chapter, I would suggest doing most of them andding in problems from the free (any very good) ebook, Trigonometry, by Michael Corral ([...]). To get more theory and harder more challenging problems to bring you up to a higher level you MUST get Trigonometry by I.M Gelfand. A word of advice: Gelfand was a ruthless and professional mathematician, even though this book is aimed at introductory trig, it is still pretty hard math don't feel bad if you can't complete every problem in Gelfand. Also Gelfand's book is insanely good practice, and like most great math books, the true knowledge is in the problems, (though he is an excellent at explaining too). If you wish for some historical motivation behind trigonometry get this free (and also enjoyable) ebook Trigonometric Delights
by Eli Maor ([...]). I assume you are self-taught like me and are serious about it too, when you go onto calculus get "Calculus by Micheal Spivak" it is the must wonderfully written and challenging (but never demoralizing) math book I think I will ever read. Well that's all good luck.