Using and Understanding Mathematics: A Quantitative Reasoning Approach (2nd Edition) [Hardcover]

Jeffrey O. Bennett (Author), William L. Briggs (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0201717115 | ISBN-13: 978-0201717112 | Publication Date: July 2, 2001 | Edition: 2

The premiere text for the emerging Quantitative Reasoning/Quantitative Literacy Course offers an innovative approach for Liberal Arts/Survey Math. It provides a legitimate alternative to algebra and math appreciation courses for non-quantitative majors, helping to reduce math anxiety, emphasizing practicality, and focusing on the use of mathematics in college, career and life.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jeff Bennett's academic home is the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he has been teaching on and off since 1983 and from which he received his Ph.D. in Astrophysics in 1987. During this time, he's taught more than 50 college courses in subjects including mathematics, astronomy, physics, environmental science, and science education. He began work on Using and Understanding Mathematics because he is particularly interested in helping students overcome difficulties with mathematics. For similar reasons, he has recently completed a textbook for introductory astronomy (The Cosmic Perspective, with M. Donahue, N. Schneider, and G.M. Voit, Addison Wesley Longman, 1999). He is also working on several books about mathematics and science for the general public. In addition, he is now working on science books for children. Jeff is perhaps best known for his role in creating the Voyage Scale Model Solar System on the National Mall in Washington, DC (opening October 2001); he proposed the project and worked on the team that developed it as a collaborative effort between the Challenger Center for Space Science Education, the Smithsonian Institution, and NASA. When not working, he enjoys participating in masters swimming and hiking the trails of Boulder, Colorado, with his family.

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William L. Briggs has been on the mathematics faculty at the University of Colorado at Denver for 17 years. He teaches throughout the undergraduate and graduate curriculum with a special interest in teaching mathematical modeling as it applies to problems in biology and medicine. He developed the quantitative reasoning course for liberal arts students at CU-Denver supported by the textbook Using and Understanding Mathematics, which he co-authored with Jeff Bennett. He has written two other tutorial monographs, The Multigrid Tutorial and The DFT: An Owner's Manual for the Discrete Fourier Transform. He is a University of Colorado President's Teaching Scholar, an Outstanding Teacher awardee of the Rocky Mountain Section of the MAA, and the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship to Ireland. Bill lives with his wife, Julie, his daughter, Katie, and two dogs, Midnight and Seamus, in Boulder, Colorado. He loves to bake bread, as well as run trails and rock climb in the mountains near his home.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 744 pages
• Publisher: Addison Wesley; 2 edition (July 2, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201717115
• ISBN-13: 978-0201717112
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #985,121 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jeffrey Bennett holds a B.A. in Biophysics from the University of California, San Diego, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the University of Colorado, Boulder. His extensive experience in research and education includes serving two years as a Visiting Senior Scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC; creating research and education projects for the Hubble Space Telescope and other NASA missions; proposing and helping to develop the Voyage Scale Model Solar System on the National Mall in Washington, DC; and teaching at every level from preschool through graduate school. He is the author of best-selling college textbooks in astronomy, astrobiology, mathematics, and statistics, as well as author of two books for the general public (On the Cosmic Horizon and Beyond UFOs) and of the award-winning children's books Max Goes to the Moon, Max Goes to Mars, and Max Goes to Jupiter. For more information, visit www.jeffreybennett.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WoW! A math book for the mathmatically impaired!!!, October 8, 2000

By 

"s027mls" (Riverside, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Using and Understanding Mathematics: A Quantitative Reasoning Approach (Hardcover)

I bought this book over a year ago for a class I had to take. I would have to say that this book is the best learning tool I have been able to use in understanding mathmatics. I was diagnosed with a math disability. This book has helped me with this disability. I am able to understand concepts and apply my understanding of those concepts.It has given me a self confidence I didn't think I would ever have. I have tried other texts and found them to be either to general in thier knowledge or poor in thier use of the english language. I found this book to be very descriptive and helps the student to paint a picture of what problems they may face in the world of mathmatics. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has had a hard time with spatial ability. The detailed step by step process is wonderful. It covers an array of subjects. I still use it to help me through other classes. I have found it to be the only book detailed enough to teach me properly. It is the best college book I have ever had to buy. I really have gotten my dollars worth out of it.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Math Textbook, October 7, 2002

By 

Chris Cusack (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Using and Understanding Mathematics: A Quantitative Reasoning Approach (2nd Edition) (Hardcover)

I used this book for a class I took in college. It was very helpful. Highlights of the book include examples, language, and ease of understanding. I would recommend this book to anyone taking a class that needs it, or even a person just interested in furthering their basic math knowledge. Check this one out!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars User Friendly 2nd Ed. Essential for Survey of Mathematics, December 14, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Using and Understanding Mathematics: A Quantitative Reasoning Approach (2nd Edition) (Hardcover)

Extremely User friendly text, be sure you are getting 2nd edition and not first, they are not the same!!! Uses real life examples to explain various mathematical models, a book you'll want to hold on to for future use.