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.
Author(s): Mark Zegarelli, Krista Fanning
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Year: 2019
Language: English
Pages: 195
Tags: Pre-Algebra
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
