For many of us, math can conjure memories of frustration and embarrassment, yet math and its application are all around us every day—in the workplace, supermarket, mall, and the gas station, where a basic math solution can easily and quickly solve a problem. However, some of us have either blocked out, forgotten, or simply did not learn the basics of math. With Everyday Mathematics Made Easy, author Thomas Begnal brings math back to the forefront of our brains and re-teaches (or teaches) all the basic math concepts.
Using an encouraging voice throughout, each chapter is devoted to a specific math topic and explains the underlying basic math function in a simple and easy-to-understand way. Step-by-step instructions on topics such as the traditional operations of arithmetic, fractions and decimals, averages, ratios and percentages, geometry, and more are enforced with sidebars on how to solve math problems quickly and correctly in common situations, including:
- Cooking: How to double or half recipes; how long to thaw food items based on ratios; how to convert measurements from imperial to metric; and how to work with ingredient ratios in food recipes.
- Shopping: How to determine a better deal between two sale items; what is the real cost of an item after the sale percentage is taken off; how much is the sales tax; and how much to tip at a restaurant.
- Finances: How to figure out interest rates on credit cards, loans, and mortgages; how to determine the value of a car; how much will it cost to use gasoline on a road trip; how to determine the cost of gas per gallon; how to balance a checkbook; and how to determine currency exchanges.
- Home: How to determine how much a home-improvement project will increase the value of a home; how to take accurate room measurements; how to determine the correct size of furniture to fit in a space; how determine the ratio of a solution when mixed with water; how much does it cost to run appliances; how much fertilizer do you need for a yard; and how to determine if a rotting tree may hit your house.
Other titles in this series include: Everyday Economics Made Easy, Everyday Grammar Made Easy, Everyday Philosophy Made Easy, and Everyday Spanish Made Easy.