Precalculus with Limits: A Graphing Approach [Hardcover]

Ron Larson (Author), Robert P. Hostetler (Author), Bruce H. Edwards (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0618052917 | ISBN-13: 978-0618052912 | Publication Date: 2001 | Edition: 3rd

For a full description, see Larson et al., College Algebra: A Graphing Approach, 3/e.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ron Larson received his PhD. in mathematics from the University of Colorado and has been a professor of mathematics at The Pennsylvania State University since 1970. He has pioneered the use of multimedia to enhance the learning of mathematics, having authored over 30 software titles since 1990. Dr. Larson has also conducted numerous seminars and in-service workshops for math teachers around the country about using computer technology as a teaching tool and motivational aid. His Interactive Calculus (a complete text on CD-ROM) received the 1996 Texty Award for the most innovative mathematics instructional material at the college level, and it was the first mainstream college textbook to be offered on the Internet.

The Pennsylvania State University, The Behrend College Bio: Robert P. Hostetler received his Ph.D. in mathematics from The Pennsylvania State University in 1970. He has taught at Penn State for many years and has authored several calculus, precalculus, and intermediate algebra textbooks. His teaching specialties include remedial algebra, calculus, and math education, and his research interests include mathematics education and textbooks.

Bruce Edwards has been a mathematics professor at the University of Florida since 1976. Dr. Edwards majored in mathematics at Stanford University, graduating in 1968. He then joined the Peace Corps and spent four years teaching math in Colombia, South America. He returned to the United States and Dartmouth in 1972, and he received his PhD. in mathematics in 1976. Dr. Edwards' research interests include the area of numerical analysis, with a particular interest in the so-called CORDIC algorithms used by computers and graphing calculators to compute function values. His hobbies include jogging, reading, chess, simulation baseball games, and travel. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1072 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin; 3rd edition (2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618052917
• ISBN-13: 978-0618052912
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #174,425 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars College Prep Teacher Loves this Text, June 15, 2006

By 

Jacqueline S. Wetmore (Savannah, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Precalculus with Limits: A Graphing Approach (Hardcover)

I have been teaching Advanced Precalculus in a college preparatory high School for 14 years. I also teach AP Calculus and know what my students must cover to be prepared for a Calculus I course. This precalculus text is excellent in teaching precal students EVERYTHING they need to be prepared for calculus. It is also very user-friendly. For instance,it is a very readable text and most examples are worked out using a variety of approaches. With the multiple solution approaches to examples, students can see an algebraic solution, numeric solution, and graphic solution to the same problem. This enables students to see how all these things fit together and make important connections between graphing and hand-work. Multiple solutions is also beneficial in a classroom setting as not all students have the same learning style. Visual learners will benefit by seeing the pictoral representation of their solution, while sequential learners will appreciate the step-by-step algebraic worked out solution, etc. All applicable examples are solved using a graphing calculator, which is essential for current technology requirements. The book is also easy to adjust for block or regular scheduling. (approximately 1 section a day on block; 1/2 section a day on regular) I have used several other precal texts and much prefer this one. The material is well laid out and ordered. The difficulty level can be adjusted to be challenging for a high school advanced precalculus course or otherwise. Students wishing to review a previous precalculus course or teach themselves precalculus will appreciate this text, as well. I read the other reviews of this book listed at Amazon. While it is true there are typographical errors, I don't find them any more excessive than in other texts I use. I don't use the "test generator" software as I make all my own tests and quizzes, so I cannot comment on it. Based on my years of experience as a Master Math Teacher, I would have to disagree with the other negative reviews of this text. Of course, this is only my opinion. I can tell you that the other teachers at my school using this book love it, as well. Hope this information is helpful.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars This book makes me crazy., October 8, 2005

By 

Molly Crocker (Ferndale, WA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Precalculus With Limits: A Graphing Approach (Hardcover)

I have taught from this book and also from the Addison Wesley (AW) series by Lial and Hornsby. Those are much superior. Here are my complaints about the Houghton-Mifflin books by Larson, Hostetler, Edwards.

The examples in the text don't match up to the exercises that follow each lesson. Sometimes the information needed is in a later lesson.

Terminology used in this text isn't the same as in others. For example, most books call the descending powers form of a polynomial equation the 'standard' form. These authors call that the 'general' form, and use various terminology for different forms of conic equations.

Theorems and principles are often offered without explanation. Some, but not all, have proofs in the appendices.

The student solutions manual must have been written by 4 different grad students. Successive solutions can have quite different approaches.

Publisher generated tests have errors. Be especially careful of the multiple choice problems.

There have been serious typos, and often examples that can't be followed. The trig chapters are the worst.

In the instructor edition, the answers for the odds are in one place in the back of the book, and the answers for the evens are in another. They should both be in the margins of the page where the problems are.

The materials on the CD are dumb. They simply match the student solutions manual, but are 'animated' to just offer them line by line.

I'm not convinced the instructors on the video lecture series have actually ever taught the course. They don't anticipate the common errors that students will make. They simply show how to work out the problem. HM can take some lessons from ZD net Whiteboard lectures.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Genuinely Bad Book, March 2, 2001

By 

Thomas S. Budlong "Tom Budlong" (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Precalculus With Limits: A Graphing Approach (Hardcover)

If you are buying this book because it is required for your course, I strongly suggest you cancel out of the class and find another that uses a better book. If you must take the course with this book, by sympathy to you. Dugopolski's College Algebra and Trig is vastly superior.

This book is full of confusing and inadequate explanations. It is infuriating in places. Typical is the sample solution on p. 544 to a system of 3 linear equations. It is a series of minimially explained steps that is a devil to follow, and does not emphasize the basic underlying technique of eliminating variables.

It relies on graphing calculators. This is fact, not criticism, since such reliance is in the area of personal preference. Some like to use calculators as an aid, other's feel it hinders learning.

There are much better books on the market!