Pre-Algebra Essentials For Dummies

Description

Pre-Algebra Essentials For Dummies (9781119590866) was previously published as Pre-Algebra Essentials For Dummies (9780470618387). While this version features a new Dummies cover and design, the content is the same as the prior release and should not be considered a new or updated product. Many students worry about starting algebra. Pre-Algebra Essentials For Dummies provides an overview of critical pre-algebra concepts to help new algebra students (and their parents) take the next step without fear. Free of ramp-up material, Pre-Algebra Essentials For Dummies contains content focused on key topics only. It provides discrete explanations of critical concepts taught in a typical pre-algebra course, from fractions, decimals, and percents to scientific notation and simple variable equations. This guide is also a perfect reference for parents who need to review critical pre-algebra concepts as they help students with homework assignments, as well as for adult learners headed back into the classroom who just need to a refresher of the core concepts. Title Page ......Page 3 Copyright Page......Page 4 Table of Contents......Page 7 About This Book......Page 13 Foolish Assumptions......Page 14 Where to Go from Here......Page 15 Understanding Sets of Numbers......Page 17 Adding things up......Page 18 Multiplying......Page 19 Doing division lickety-split......Page 20 Commutative operations......Page 21 Distributing to lighten the load......Page 22 Understanding exponents......Page 23 Figuring out absolute value......Page 24 Generating factors......Page 25 Generating multiples......Page 26 Finding the least common multiple (LCM)......Page 27 Chapter 2 Evaluating Arithmetic Expressions......Page 29 Equality for all: Equations......Page 30 Putting the Three E’s together......Page 31 Following the Order of Operations......Page 32 Order of operations and the Big Four expressions......Page 33 Order of operations in expressions with exponents......Page 36 Order of operations in expressions with parentheses......Page 37 Chapter 3 Say What? Making Sense of Word Problems......Page 41 Turning word problems into word equations......Page 42 Plugging in numbers for words......Page 45 Solving More-Challenging Word Problems......Page 46 When numbers get serious......Page 47 Lots of information......Page 48 Putting it all together......Page 49 Chapter 4 Figuring Out Fractions......Page 53 Multiplying numerators and denominators straight across......Page 54 Adding Fractions......Page 55 Finding the sum of fractions with the same denominator......Page 56 Adding fractions with different denominators......Page 57 Subtracting fractions with different denominators......Page 59 Working with Mixed Numbers......Page 60 Converting between improper fractions and mixed numbers......Page 61 Adding and subtracting mixed numbers......Page 62 Performing the Big Four Operations with Decimals......Page 69 Adding decimals......Page 70 Multiplying decimals......Page 71 Dividing decimals......Page 73 Converting between Decimals and Fractions......Page 75 Changing decimals to fractions......Page 76 Changing fractions to decimals......Page 78 Chapter 6 Puzzling Out Percents......Page 81 Converting to and from Percents, Decimals, and Fractions......Page 82 Switching from percents to fractions......Page 83 Turning fractions into percents......Page 84 Solving Percent Problems......Page 85 Figuring out simple percent problems......Page 86 Deciphering more-difficult percent problems......Page 87 Identifying the three types of percent problems......Page 88 Introducing the percent circle......Page 89 Adding and Subtracting Parts of the Whole......Page 95 Buying by the pound: Decimals......Page 96 Splitting the vote: Percents......Page 97 Buying less than advertised......Page 98 Computing leftovers......Page 99 Figuring out how much money is left......Page 100 Finding out how much you started with......Page 101 Raking in the dough: Finding salary increases......Page 103 Earning interest on top of interest......Page 104 Getting a deal: Calculating discounts......Page 105 Variables: X Marks the Spot......Page 107 Expressing Yourself with Algebraic Expressions......Page 108 Evaluating algebraic expressions......Page 109 Making the commute: Rearranging your terms......Page 111 Identifying the coefficient and variable......Page 112 Identifying similar terms......Page 113 Considering algebraic terms and the Big Four operations......Page 114 Combining similar terms......Page 118 Removing parentheses from an algebraic expression......Page 119 Chapter 9 X’s Secret Identity: Solving Algebraic Equations......Page 125 Using x in equations......Page 126 Four ways to solve algebraic equations......Page 127 Striking a balance......Page 129 Using the balance scale to isolate x......Page 130 Rearranging Equations to Isolate X......Page 131 Moving terms to the other side of the equal sign......Page 132 Removing parentheses from equations......Page 134 Using cross-multiplication to remove fractions......Page 136 Chapter 10 Decoding Algebra Word Problems......Page 139 Declaring a variable......Page 140 Setting up the equation......Page 141 Solving the equation......Page 142 Choosing Your Variable Wisely......Page 143 Solving More-Complex Algebra Problems......Page 145 Chapter 11 Geometry: Perimeter, Area, Surface Area, and Volume......Page 147 Polygons......Page 148 The many faces of polyhedrons......Page 149 3-D shapes with curves......Page 150 2-D: Measuring on the flat......Page 151 Spacing out: Measuring in three dimensions......Page 159 Chapter 12 Picture It! Graphing Information......Page 163 Bar graph......Page 164 Pie chart......Page 165 Line graph......Page 166 Using Cartesian Coordinates......Page 167 Plotting points on a Cartesian graph......Page 168 Drawing lines on a Cartesian graph......Page 169 Solving problems with a Cartesian graph......Page 171 Playing with Prime Numbers......Page 175 Delicious Pi......Page 176 The Cartesian Graph......Page 177 Rational Numbers......Page 178 The Real Number Line......Page 179 Exploring the Infinite......Page 180 Index......Page 181 EULA......Page 195