Customer Reviews

Precalculus: Graphical, Numerical, Algebraic (7th Edition)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This book is poor. Try Michael Sullivan's books instead. This book doesn't show you how to do the majority of the problems. I'm mostly flipping through the pages, trying to find the techniques, formulas, etc... but they are not there. I need this book for class (homework), but I'm using Sullivan's books to actually learn the material. If you have to use this book (like me), don't get discouraged. The material isn't difficult (and it's actually enjoyable) if you learn it step by step. This book, unfortunately, is another representation of mathematicians trying to explain easy material in a needlessly complicated way. Get another book before thinking you're not a math person.

I have been tutoring mathematics for some years now and have a Master's degree in astrophysics, so I know my math. This book may be the worst precalculus text that I have ever seen. Things are often presented out of order to what one would expect. Some things that should be given greater coverage are lightly explained while other less important points are covered with too much detail. I have two precalculus students at present who go to different schools: one was issued this textbook while the other has Glencoe Advanced Mathematical Concepts: Precalculus with Applications [GLENCOE ADVD MATHEMATICAL CONC]. The latter book is far superior in the details of included examples, the clarity of its explanations, and its overall layout.

First off this book looks pretty. It is very hard for me(as a student) to want to do the homework for a book that is dull and boring. This book covers all of the needed chapters and concepts that are needed for Calculus. It first begins reviewing what the student should have learned in previous Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry classes. It then takes these problems to the next level. While most books show you complicated math expressions and equations to explain a rule, this book both explains it in an easy to understand way, and it shows it in simple and complex expressions and equations. It also walks you through some great examples for every section of every chapter. This book also has calculator views for all of the examples; this includes graphs and multi entry calculations. The Chapters are separated nicely and are in an appropriate order. On the inside cover and first and last page, are formulas, basic graphs, and many more basic mathematical concepts that students will learn (or have learned). This book also does a small chapter introducing some calculus concepts, which helps in the transition from Precalculus to Calculus. Answer to all of the odd problems are located in the back, (although the actual work does not appear in the back), even the graphs of graphic problems. I recommend this book for students who plan to buy a Precalculus textbook.

My daugher has to use this book for 10th grade glass. She likes it though because it shows how to do the problems. You can actually use it to see how to complete an assignment. That seems like a given, but was not the case with previous texts she had to use.

This is one of the worst math text books I have ever used and if you are a teacher the teaching supplements are also very bad. After teaching math for 25 years in the subjects of Algebra 1, Geometry, General Math, and a few Algebra 2 classes I was assigned to teach Pre-Calculus. My district adpapted this book, but budget cuts prevented the district from adapting this book, by a stroke of bad luck I was,in retrospect sadly, able to buy this book. As a teacher I have to work very hard at building my own examples to make sure the students understand the problems assigned at the end of the sections of this book. If I were a student trying to use this book as a reference it would be next to worthless. The book is written as if all students were taking this class to prepare them for the Advanced Placement Calculus most students will not be doing this and need problems explain clearly and without assumptions that they should already know the concept. The problems of the book are not that difficult but the examples in the section preceding them are next to useless. I am going to have to eat the money my school spent on this book and buy the Pre-calculus with graphing utilities by Sullivan and Sullivan and when my these new books come in the book I am reviewing will go into the trash.
Bottom line if you buy this book and you will waste your money.

This was the required text for the online class my son was taking. We supplemented it with the Sullivan series (book + student answers book). He's doing fine and passing the class with an A, so together it must work.

The book was in the condition described on-line and represented a significant value for a textbook. I've had very good service and products from Amazon linked purchases. The vendors have always stood behind their products and made things right whenever there were issues - which has been rare.

It's sad that so many schools have bought in to this book. It's so frightfully bad in so many ways that it staggers the imagination. Does anyone review these things?

I owned and used the 6th and also the 7th edition. In every chapter, they divided into sections. the lessons inside the sections are simple, but those lesson only teach me the general. But in the exercise homework, they asked me the questions that they don't teach, not at all. So it really frustrated when I can't do the problem because I did not learn the how-to.

It is an electronic version of the Precalculus text by the same author. Everything works fine.