Sandra Luna McCune - Easy Algebra Step-by-Step: Master High-Frequency Concepts and Skillls for Algebra Proficiency—Fast!

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Easy Algebra Step-by-Step is an interactive approach to learning basic algebra. It contains completely worked-out sample solutions that are explained in detailed, step-by-step instructions. Moreover, it features guiding principles, cautions against common errors, and offers other helpful advice as pop-ups in the margins.

The book takes you from number concepts to skills in algebraic manipulation and ends with word problems. Concepts are broken into basic components to provide ample practice of fundamental skills. The anxiety you may feel while trying to succeed in algebra is a real-life phenomenon. Many people experience such a high level of tension when faced with an algebra problem that they simply cannot perform to the best of their abilities. It is possible to overcome this difficulty by building your confidence in your ability to do algebra and by minimizing your fear of making mistakes. No matter how much it might seem to you that algebra is too hard to master, success will come.

Learning algebra requires lots of practice. Most important, it requires a true confidence in yourself and in the fact that, with practice and persistence, you will be able to say, I can do this! In addition to the many worked-out, step-by-step sample problems, this book presents a variety of exercises and levels of difficulty to provide reinforcement of algebraic concepts and skills. After working a set of exercises, use the worked-out solutions to check your understanding of the concepts. We sincerely hope Easy Algebra Step-by-Step will help you acquire greater competence and confidence in using algebra in your future endeavors.

The study of algebra requires that you know the specific names of numbers. The natural numbers (or counting numbers) are the numbers in the set N = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, } The three dots indicate that the pattern continues without end. The natural numbers (or counting numbers) are the numbers in the set N = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, } The three dots indicate that the pattern continues without end.

You can represent the natural numbers as equally spaced points on a number line, increasing endlessly in the direction of the arrow, as shown in . Figure 1.1 Natural numbers The sum of any two natural numbers is also a natural number. For example, 3 + 5 = 8. Similarly, the product of any two natural numbers is also a natural number. For example, 2 5 = 10. However, if you subtract or divide two natural numbers, your result is not always a natural number.

For instance, 8 5 = 3 is a natural number, but 5 8 is not. You do not get a natural number as the answer when you subtract a larger natural number from a smaller natural number. Likewise, 8 4 = 2 is a natural number, but 8 3 is not. You do not get a natural number as the quotient when you divide natural numbers that do not divide evenly. When you include the number 0 with the set of natural numbers, you have the set of whole numbers: W = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, } The number 0 is a whole number, but not a natural number. If you add or multiply any two whole numbers, your result is always a whole number, but if you subtract or divide two whole numbers, you are not guaranteed to get a whole number as the answer.

Like the natural numbers, you can represent the whole numbers as equally spaced points on a number line, increasing endlessly in the direction of the arrow, as shown in . Figure 1.2 Whole numbers The graph of a number is the point on the number line that corresponds to the number, and the number is the coordinate of the point. You graph a set of numbers by marking a large dot at each point corresponding to one of the numbers. The graph of the numbers 2, 3, and 7 is shown in .