I chose this inexpensive paperback to formally introduce my child to Algebra during the Summer.
Beginning with the simplest definitions, Ms. Ross builds a very firm foundation, keeping the focus on Algebra by including EVERY intermediate step during solution of the example problems. Her approach is necessarily terse, but she offers major alternative methods in separate sections that often show a single problem solved from different angles. The result is an amazingly complete text, including matrix methods for linear equations and approximate methods with graphing.
There are no student problems, since the book was meant more as a refresher or reference volume, but this allows me to expand the material in calculated directions, so I see this void more as a feature for my particular situation.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Translating Problems into Algebraic Equations
Chapter 2: Simplifying Algebraic Equations
Chapter 3: Solving Simple Algebraic Equations
Chapter 4: Algebraic Inequalities
Chapter 5: Polynomials
Chapter 6: Algebraic Fractions with Polynomial Expressions
Chapter 7: Solving Quadratic Polynomial Equations with One Unknown Variable
Chapter 8: Solving Systems of Linear Equations with Two or Three Unknown Variables
Chapter 9: Working with Coordinate Systems and Graphing Equations
Index
