Bedford Public Library

Basic math & pre-algebra for dummies, by Mark Zegarelli

eng

illustrations

index present

non fiction

Basic math & pre-algebra for dummies

by Mark Zegarelli

--For dummies

Offers explanations of concepts such as whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and percents, and covers advanced topics including imaginary numbers, variables, and algebraic equations

pt. 1: Arming Yourself With The Basics Of Basic Math -- 1: Playing the numbers game -- Inventing numbers -- Understanding number sequences -- Looking at the number line -- Four important sets of numbers -- 2: It's all in the fingers-numbers and digits -- Knowing your place value -- Close enough for rock 'n roll: rounding and estimating -- 3: Big four: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division -- Adding things up -- Take it away: subtracting -- Multiplying -- Doing division lickety-split -- pt. 2. Getting A Handle On Whole Numbers -- 4: Putting the big four operations to work -- Knowing properties of the big four operations -- Big-four operations with negative numbers -- Understanding units -- Understanding inequalities -- Beyond the big four: exponents, square roots, and absolute value -- 5: Question of values: evaluating arithmetic expressions -- Three E's of math: equations, expressions, and evaluations -- Equality for all: equations -- Introducing order of operations -- 6: Say what? turning words into numbers -- Dispelling two myths about word problems -- Solving basic word problems -- Solving more-complex word problems -- 7: Divisibility -- Knowing the divisibility tricks -- Identifying prime and composite numbers -- 8: Fabulous factors and marvelous multiples -- Knowing six ways to say the same thing -- Connecting factors and multiples -- Fabulous factors -- Marvelous multiples -- pt. 3. Parts Of The Whole: Fractions, Decimals, And Percents -- 9: Fooling with fractions -- Slicing a cake into fractions -- Knowing the fraction facts of life -- Increasing and reducing terms of fractions -- Converting between improper fractions and mixed numbers -- Understanding cross-multiplication -- 10: Parting ways: fractions and the big four operations -- Multiplying and dividing fractions -- All together now: adding fractions -- Take it away: subtracting fractions -- Working properly with mixed numbers -- 11: Dallying with decimals -- Basic decimal stuff -- Performing the big four with decimals -- Converting between decimals and fractions -- 12: Playing with percents -- Making sense of percents -- Dealing with percents greater than 100 percent -- Converting to and from percents, decimals, and fractions -- Solving percent problems -- Putting all the percent problems together -- 13: Word problems with fractions, decimals, and percents -- Adding and subtracting parts of the whole in word problems -- Problems about multiplying fractions -- Multiplying decimals and percents in word problems -- Handling percent increases and decreases in word problems -- pt. 4. Picturing And Measuring-Graphs, Measures, Stats, And Sets -- 14: Perfect ten: condensing numbers with scientific notation -- First things first: powers of ten as exponents -- Working with scientific notation -- 15: How much have you got? weights and measures -- Examining differences between the English and Metric systems -- Estimating and converting between the English and Metric systems -- 16: Picture this: basic geometry -- Getting on the plane: points, lines, angles, and shapes -- Closed encounters: shaping up your understanding of 2-D shapes -- Taking a trip to another dimension: solid geometry -- Measuring shapes: perimeter, area, surface area, and volume -- 17: Seeing is believing: graphing as a visual tool -- Looking at three important graph styles -- Cartesian coordinates -- 18: Solving geometry and measurements word problems -- Chain gang: solving measurement problems with conversion chains -- Solving geometry word problems -- Together at last: putting geometry and measurements in one problem -- 19: Figuring your chances: statistics and probability -- Gathering data mathematically: basic statistics -- Looking at likelihoods: basic probability -- 20: Setting things up with basic set theory -- Understanding sets -- Operations on sets -- pt. 5. X-Files: Introduction To Algebra -- 21: Enter Mr X: algebra and algebraic expressions -- X marks the spot -- Expressing, yourself with algebraic expressions -- Simplifying algebraic expressions -- 22: Unmasking Mr X: algebraic equations -- Understanding algebraic equations -- Balancing act: solving for X -- Rearranging equations and isolating X -- 23: Putting Mr X to work: algebra word problems -- Solving algebra word problems in five steps -- Choosing your variable wisely -- Solving more-complex algebraic problems -- pt. 6. Part Of Tens -- 24: Ten key math concepts you shouldn't ignore -- Getting set with sets -- Playing with prime numbers -- Zero: much ado about nothing -- Going Greek: Pi(p) -- On the level: equal signs and equations -- On the grid: the cartesian graph -- In and out: relying on functions -- Exploring the infinite -- Real number line -- Imaginary number i -- 25: Ten important number sets you should know -- Counting on counting (or natural) numbers -- Identifying integers -- Knowing the rationale behind rational numbers -- Making sense of irrational numbers -- Absorbing algebraic numbers -- Moving through transcendental numbers -- Getting grounded in real numbers -- Trying to imagine imaginary numbers -- Grasping the complexity of complex numbers -- Going beyond the infinite with transfinite numbers -- Index

Basic math and pre-algebra for dummies