Basic Mathematics with Early Integers is a one-semester, basic mathematics book that introduces students to negative numbers early on in the term. Students then use these skills throughout the remainder of the term before ending with an introduction to algebra and basic equation solving.

Features

Getting Ready for Class

Because we want to encourage students to read the book, we place four questions at the end of every section, under the heading Getting Ready for Class, that students can answer from the reading. Even a minimal attempt to answer these questions enhances the students' in-class experience. A number of people using our books use these questions as a student's ticket to class. They collect the student answers as students come in the door.

Paying Attention to Instructions

We try to anticipate problems students have and build features into the text that address these problems. For example, we know students don't always pay attention to instructions when they are doing their homework, and it gets them into trouble on tests and quizzes. So, we build problems into the text, under the heading Paying Attention to Instructions, that require that they read instructions.

Getting Ready for the Next Section

These problems appear at the end of every problem set. They are the exact problems that students will see when they read through the next section of the text. Students who consistently work these problems will be much better prepared for class than students who don't work these problems.

Blueprint for Problem Solving

These are detailed outlines of the steps needed to successfully solve application problems. Intended as a guide to problem solving in general, the Blueprint overlays the solution process to all the application problems early in the book. As students become more accomplished at problem solving, the steps are streamlined.

Using Technology

Scattered throughout the book are exercises that demonstrate how graphing calculators, spreadsheets and computer graphing programs can be used to enhance the topics being covered.

Facts from Geometry

This feature gives students a chance to see how topics from geometry are related to the algebra they are using.

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