Princeton Review - High School Algebra II Unlocked: Your Key to Mastering Algebra II

I first and foremost thank my family for always being supportive of me in all my endeavors. My high school math teachers, especially the talented Ed Davis, were inspiring and encouraging, as was Ali, who believed I was capable of studying graduate level math as an undergrad. I am grateful to Sara for opening the door to the world of test preparation work for me. Thanks to Aaron Riccio and the rest of the staff at The Princeton Review for the tremendous amount of work they put into the creation of this especially challenging book. I appreciate all of the opportunities TPR has given me over the years. Finally, I thank my wonderful husband, Takashi, whose support and confidence have sustained me throughout this process.

Theresa Duhon

Additionally, The Princeton Review would like to emphatically thank Theresa Duhon for her unwavering, above-and-beyond commitment to this project, Maurice Kessler for his outstanding attention to detail and design, Craig Patches and Scott Harris for bearing with us through the art creation process, and Deborah A. Silvestrini for her nonstop, can-do attitude toward laying out this book. Special thanks also to Liz Rutzel and Harmony Quiroz for reviewing this text.

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Online Practice

It might not always seem that way, especially after a night of endless homework assignments, but high school can fly by. Classes are generally a little larger, subjects are more complex, and not every student has had the same background for each subject. Teachers dont always have the time to re-explain a topic, and worse, sometimes students dont realize that theres a subject they dont fully understand. This feeling of frustration is a bit like getting to your locker and realizing that youve forgotten a part of the combination to open it, only theres no math superintendent you can call to clip the lock open.

Thats why we at The Princeton Review, the leaders in test prep, have built the High School Unlocked series. We cant guarantee that you wont forget something along the waynobody canbut we can set the tools for unlocking problems at your fingertips. Thats because this book not only covers all the basics of Algebra II, but it also focuses on alternative approaches and emphasizes how all of these techniques connect with one another.

The speed at which you go through this material depends on your personal needs. If youre using this book to supplement your daily high-school classes, we recommend that you stay at the pace of your class, and make a point out of solving problems in both this book and your homework in as many ways as you can. This is the most direct way to identify effective (and practical) tools.

If, on the other hand, youre using this book to review topics, then you should begin by carefully reviewing the Goals listed at the start of each chapter, and taking note of anything that seems unfamiliar or difficult. Try answering some of the example problems on your own, as you might just be a little rusty. Applying math skills is a lot like riding a bike, in that it comes back quicklybut thats only true if you learned how in the first place. Take as much time as you need, then, to connect with this material. As a real test of your understanding, try teaching one of these troublesome topics to someone else.

Ultimately, theres no wrong way to use this book. You wouldnt have picked this up if you werent genuinely interested, so the real key is that you remain patient and give yourself as much time as you need before moving on. To aid in this, weve carefully designed each chapter to break down each concept in a series of consistent and helpful ways.