Mary Jane Sterling - Algebra II For Dummies

Contents at a Glance

Algebra II For Dummies

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Copyright 2006 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2006923792

ISBN: 978-0-471-77581-2

About the Author

Mary Jane Sterling has authored Algebra For Dummies, Trigonometry For Dummies, Algebra Workbook For Dummies, Trigonometry Workbook For Dummies, Algebra I CliffsStudySolver, and Algebra II CliffsStudySolver. She taught junior high and high school math for many years before beginning her current 25-year-and-counting career at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. Mary Jane enjoys working with her students both in the classroom and outside the classroom, where they do various community service projects.

Dedication

The author dedicates this book to some of the men in her life. Her husband, Ted Sterling, is especially patient and understanding when her behavior becomes erratic while working on her various projects his support is greatly appreciated. Her brothers Tom, Don, and Doug knew her back when. Don, in particular, had an effect on her teaching career when he threw a pencil across the room during a tutoring session. It was then that she rethought her approach and look what happened! And brother-in-law Jeff is an ongoing inspiration with his miracle comeback and continued recovery.

Authors Acknowledgments

The author wants to thank Mike Baker for being a great project editor good natured (very important) and thorough. He took the many challenges with grace and handled them with diplomacy. Also, thank you to Josh Dials, a wonderful editor who straightened out her circuitous explanations and made them understandable. A big thank you to the technical editor, Alexsis Venter, who helped her on an earlier project and still agreed to sign on! Also, thanks to Kathy Cox for keeping the projects coming; she can be counted on to keep life interesting.

Publishers Acknowledgments

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Introduction

Here you are, contemplating reading a book on Algebra II. It isnt a mystery novel, although you can find people who think mathematics in general is a mystery. It isnt a historical account, even though you find some historical tidbits scattered here and there. Science fiction it isnt; mathematics is a science, but you find more fact than fiction. As Joe Friday (star of the old Dragnet series) says, The facts, maam, just the facts. This book isnt light reading, although I attempt to interject humor whenever possible. What you find in this book is a glimpse into the way I teach: uncovering mysteries, working in historical perspectives, providing information, and introducing the topic of Algebra II with good-natured humor. This book has the best of all literary types! Over the years, Ive tried many approaches to teaching algebra, and I hope that with this book Im helping you cope with other teaching methods.