Basic Math & Pre-Algebra Workbook For Dummies with Online Practice

Mark Zegarelli is a math and test prep teacher who has written a wide variety of basic math and pre-algebra books in the For Dummies series.

• Introduction 1About This Book 1Foolish Assumptions 2Icons Used in This Book 2Beyond the Book 3Where to Go from Here 3Part 1: Getting Started with Basic Math and Pre-algebra 5Chapter 1: We’ve Got Your Numbers 7Getting in Place with Numbers and Digits 8Rollover: Rounding Numbers Up and Down 10Using the Number Line with the Big Four 12The Column Lineup: Adding and Subtracting 14Multiplying Multiple Digits 15Cycling through Long Division 16Solutions to We’ve Got Your Numbers 19Chapter 2: Smooth Operators: Working with the Big Four Operations 23Switching Things Up with Inverse Operations and the Commutative Property 24Getting with the In-Group: Parentheses and the Associative Property 27Becoming Unbalanced: Inequalities 29Special Times: Powers and Square Roots 31Answers to Problems in Smooth Operators 34Chapter 3: Getting Down with Negative Numbers 37Understanding Where Negative Numbers Come From 37Sign-Switching: Understanding Negation and Absolute Value 39Adding with Negative Numbers 40Subtracting with Negative Numbers 42Knowing Signs of the Times (And Division) for Negative Numbers 43Answers to Problems in Getting Down with Negative Numbers 45Chapter 4: It’s Just an Expression 49Evaluating Expressions with Addition and Subtraction 50Evaluating Expressions with Multiplication and Division 51Making Sense of Mixed-Operator Expressions 52Handling Powers Responsibly 53Prioritizing Parentheses 55Pulling Apart Parentheses and Powers 56Figuring Out Nested Parentheses 58Bringing It All Together: The Order of Operations 59Solutions to It’s Just an Expression 61Chapter 5: Dividing Attention: Divisibility, Factors, and Multiples 69Checking for Leftovers: Divisibility Tests 70Understanding Factors and Multiples 72One Number, Indivisible: Identifying Prime (And Composite) Numbers 73Generating a Number’s Factors 75Decomposing a Number into Its Prime Factors 77Finding the Greatest Common Factor 78Generating the Multiples of a Number 80Finding the Least Common Multiple 81Solutions to Divisibility, Factors, and Multiples 83Part 2: Slicing Things Up: Fractions, Decimals, and Percents 89Chapter 6: Fractions Are a Piece of Cake 91Getting Down the Basic Fraction Stuff 91In Mixed Company: Converting between Mixed Numbers and Improper Fractions 94Increasing and Reducing the Terms of Fractions 96Comparing Fractions with Cross-Multiplication 99Working with Ratios and Proportions 101Solutions to Fractions Are a Piece of Cake 103Chapter 7: Fractions and the Big Four 109Multiplying Fractions: A Straight Shot 109Flipping for Fraction Division 111Reaching the Common Denominator: Adding Fractions 113The Other Common Denominator: Subtracting Fractions 116Multiplying and Dividing Mixed Numbers 118Carried Away: Adding Mixed Numbers 120Borrowing from the Whole: Subtracting Mixed Numbers 123Solutions to Fractions and the Big Four 126Chapter 8: Getting to the Point with Decimals 143Getting in Place: Basic Decimal Stuff 143Simple Decimal-Fraction Conversions 146New Lineup: Adding and Subtracting Decimals 148Counting Decimal Places: Multiplying Decimals 150Points on the Move: Dividing Decimals 151Decimals to Fractions 153Fractions to Decimals 155Solutions to Getting to the Point with Decimals 157Chapter 9: Playing the Percentages 165Converting Percents to Decimals 165Changing Decimals to Percents 167Switching from Percents to Fractions 168Converting Fractions to Percents 169Solving a Variety of Percent Problems Using Word Equations 171Solutions to Playing the Percentages 173Part 3: a Giant Step Forward: Intermediate Topics 177Chapter 10: Seeking a Higher Power through Scientific Notation 179On the Count of Zero: Understanding Powers of Ten 180Exponential Arithmetic: Multiplying and Dividing Powers of Ten 182Representing Numbers in Scientific Notation 183Multiplying and Dividing with Scientific Notation 184Answers to Problems in Seeking a Higher Power through Scientific Notation 186Chapter 11: Weighty Questions on Weights and Measures 189The Basics of the English System 190Going International with the Metric System 192Converting Between English and Metric Units 194Answers to Problems in Weighty Questions on Weights and Measures 198Chapter 12: Shaping Up with Geometry 203Getting in Shape: Polygon (And Non-Polygon) Basics 204Squaring Off with Quadrilaterals 204Making a Triple Play with Triangles 208Getting Around with Circle Measurements 212Building Solid Measurement Skills 214Answers to Problems in Shaping Up with Geometry 218Chapter 13: Getting Graphic: Xy-Graphs 223Getting the Point of the Xy-Graph 223Drawing the Line on the Xy-Graph 227Answers to Problems in Getting Graphic: Xy-Graphs 230Part 4: the X Factor: Introducing Algebra 235Chapter 14: Expressing Yourself with Algebraic Expressions 237Plug It In: Evaluating Algebraic Expressions 238Knowing the Terms of Separation 240Adding and Subtracting Like Terms 242Multiplying and Dividing Terms 243Simplifying Expressions by Combining Like Terms 245Simplifying Expressions with Parentheses 247FOILing: Dealing with Two Sets of Parentheses 249Answers to Problems in Expressing Yourself with Algebraic Expressions 251Chapter 15: Finding the Right Balance: Solving Algebraic Equations 259Solving Simple Algebraic Equations 259Equality for All: Using the Balance Scale to Isolate X 262Switching Sides: Rearranging Equations to Isolate X 264Barring Fractions: Cross-Multiplying to Simplify Equations 266Answers to Problems in Finding the Right Balance: Solving Algebraic Equations 268Part 5: the Part of Tens 277Chapter 16: Ten Alternative Numeral and Number Systems 279Tally Marks 279Bundled Tally Marks 280Egyptian Numerals 280Babylonian Numerals 281Ancient Greek Numerals 281Roman Numerals 282Mayan Numerals 282Base-2 (Binary) Numbers 283Base-16 (Hexadecimal) Numbers 284Prime-Based Numbers 285Chapter 17: Ten Curious Types of Numbers 287Square Numbers 287Triangular Numbers 288Cubic Numbers 289Factorial Numbers 289Powers of Two 290Perfect Numbers 290Amicable Numbers 291Prime Numbers 291Mersenne Primes 291Fermat Primes 292Index 293

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