The Eighth Edition of this highly dependable book retains its best features–accuracy, precision, depth, and abundant exercise sets–while substantially updating its content and pedagogy. Striving to teach mathematics as a way of life, Sullivan provides understandable, realistic applications that are consistent with the abilities of most readers. Chapter topics include Graphs; Trigonometric Functions; Exponential and Logarithmic Functions; Analytic Geometry; Analytic Trigonometry; Counting and Probability; and more. For individuals with an interest in learning algebra and trigonometry as it applies to their everyday lives.

Book Info
New edition of a text that helps the student to master the terminology and basic concepts of algebra and trigonometry. A proven motivator for students of diverse mathematical backgrounds. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Reader Reviews
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. Comment | | (Report this)

List Price: $149.33 Available from Amazon Price: $139.00 Updated on 6-4-2008.