Beginning Algebra

Sherri Messersmith has been teaching at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, since 1994. She has over 25 years of experience teaching many different courses from developmental mathematics through calculus. She earned a bachelor of science degree in the teaching of mathematics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and went on to teach at the high level for two years. Sherri returned to UIUC and earned a master of science in applied mathematics and stayed on at the university to teach and coordinate large sections of undergraduate math courses. Sherri has authored several textbook, and she has also appeared in videos accompanying several McGraw-Hill texts. Sherri lives outside of Chicago with her husband, Phil, and their daughters, Alex and Cailen. In her precious free time, she likes to read, play the guitar, and travel -- the manuscripts for this and her previous books have accompanied her from Spain to Greece and many points in between.

• Chapter 1The Real Number System and Geometry 1.1 Review of Fractions 1.2 Exponents and Order of Operations 1.3 Geometry Review 1.4 Sets of Numbers and Absolute Value 1.5 Addition and Subtraction of Real Numbers 1.6 Multiplication and Division of Real Numbers 1.7 Algebraic Expressions and Properties of Real Numbers Chapter 2 The Rules of Exponents 2.1 Basic Rules of Exponents Part AThe Product Rule and Power Rules Part BCombining the Rules 2.2 Integer Exponents Bases Part AReal-Number Bases Part BVariable Bases 2.3 The Quotient Rule Putting It All Together 2.4 Scientific Notation Chapter 3 Linear Equations and Inequalities 3.1 Solving Linear Equations Part I 3.2 Solving Linear Equations Part II 3.3 Solving Linear Equations Part III 3.4 Applications of Linear Equations 3.5 Applications Involving Percentages 3.6 Geometry Applications and Solving Formulas 3.7 Applications of Linear Equations to Proportions, Money Problems, and d=rt 3.8 Solving Linear Inequalities in One Variable Chapter 4 Linear Equations in Two Variables 4.1 Introduction to Linear Equations in Two Variables 4.2 Graphing by Plotting Points and Finding Intercepts 4.3 The Slope of a Line 4.4 The Slope-Intercept Form of a Line 4.5 Writing an Equation of a Line 4.6 Introduction to Functions Chapter 5 Solving Systems of Linear Equations 5.1 Solving Systems by Graphing 5.2 Solving Systems by Substitution 5.3 Solving Systems by the Elimination Method Putting It All Together 5.4 Applications of Systems of Two Equations 5.5 Linear Inequalities in Two Variables Chapter 6 Polynomials 6.1 Review of the Rules of Exponents 6.2 Addition and Subtraction of Polynomials; Graphing 6.3 Multiplication of Polynomials 6.4 Division of Polynomials Chapter 7 Factoring Polynomials 7.1 The Greatest Common Factor and Factoring by Grouping 7.2 Factoring Trinomials of the Form x2+bx+c 7.3 Factoring Trinomials of the Form ax2+bx+c (a≠1) 7.4 Factoring Special Trinomials and Binomials Putting It All Together 7.5 Solving Quadratic Equations by Factoring 7.6 Applications of Quadratic Equations Chapter 8 Rational Expressions 8.1 Simplifying Rational Expressions 8.2 Multiplying and Dividing Rational Expressions 8.3 Finding the Least Common Denominator 8.4 Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions Putting It All Together 8.5 Simplifying Complex Fractions 8.6 Solving Rational Equations 8.7 Applications of Rational Equations and Variation Chapter 9 Radicals and Rational Exponents 9.1 Finding Roots 9.2 Simplifying Expressions Containing Radicals 9.3 Adding and Subtracting Radicals 9.4 Combining Operations on Radicals 9.5 Dividing Radicals 9.6 Solving Radical Equations 9.7 Rational Exponents Chapter 10 Quadratic Equations 10.1 Solving Quadratic Equations Using the Square Root Property 10.2 Solving Quadratic Equations by Completing the Square 10.3 Solving Quadratic Equations Using the Quadratic Formula Putting It All Together 10.4 Complex Numbers 10.5 Graphs of Quadratic Equations Appendix A.1Mean, Median, and Mode A.2Systems of Linear Equations in Three Variables A.3Quadratic Inequalities