"Marge Lial was a pioneering author and a visionary teacher who established features that are now standard in nearly all developmental math titles.

John Hornsby have experience of more than twenty-five years of teaching at the high school and university levels and fifteen years of writing mathematics textbooks.

"

Chapter 1. The Real Number System

Chapter 2. Equations, Inequalities, and Applications

Chapter 3. Graphs of Linear Equations and Inequalities in Two Variables

Chapter 4. Systems of Linear Equations and Inequalities

Chapter 5. Exponents and Polynomials

Chapter 6. Factoring and Applications

Chapter 7. Rational Expressions and Applications

Chapter 8. Roots and Radicals

Chapter 9. Quadratic Equations"

"1. Learning Objectives begin each section, and all material is keyed to these objectives to let students and instructors know exactly what will be covered.

2. An emphasis on problem solving is introduced and integrated as a six-step process for solving application problems algebraically: Read, Assign a Variable, Write an Equation, Solve, State the Answer, and Check.

3. Margin Problems allow students to immediately practice the example material and check their answer at the bottom of the page in preparation for the exercise sets.

4. Pointers within examples, Cautions and Notes provide students with important, on-the-spot reminders and warnings about common pitfalls.

5. Real-Life Applications with interesting data are used in many new or updated examples and exercises throughout the text. "