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Published:
April 17, 2017

Basic Math & Pre-Algebra Workbook For Dummies with Online Practice

Overview

Master the fundamentals first for a smoother ride through math

Basic Math & Pre-Algebra Workbook For Dummies is your ticket to finally getting a handle on math! Designed to help you strengthen your weak spots and pinpoint problem areas, this book provides hundreds of practice problems to help you get over the hump. Each section includes a brief review of key concepts and full explanations for every practice problem, so you'll always know exactly where you went wrong. The companion website gives you access to quizzes for each chapter, so you can test your understanding and identify your sticking points before moving on to the next topic. You'll brush up on the rules of basic operations, and then learn what to do when the numbers just won't behave—negative numbers, inequalities, algebraic expressions, scientific notation, and other tricky situations will become second nature as you refresh what you know and learn what you missed.

Each math class you take builds on the ones that came before; if you got lost somewhere around fractions, you'll have a difficult time keeping up in Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Calculus—so don't fall behind! This book provides plenty of practice and patient guidance to help you slay the math monster once and for all.

  • Make sense of fractions, decimals, and percentages
  • Learn how to handle inequalities, exponents, square roots, and absolute values
  • Simplify expressions and solve simple algebraic equations
  • Find your way around a triangle, circle, trapezoid, and more

Once you get comfortable with the rules and operations, math takes on a whole new dimension. Curiosity replaces anxiety, and problems start feeling like puzzles rather than hurdles. All it takes is practice. Basic Math & Pre-Algebra Workbook For Dummies is your ultimate math coach, with hundreds of guided practice practice problems to help you break through the math barrier.

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About The Author

Mark Zegarelli is the author of many For Dummies titles on math, logic, and test prep topics including all previous Basic Math & Pre-Algebra title in the For Dummies series. He holds degrees in both English and math from Rutgers University and is a math tutor and teacher.

Sample Chapters

basic math & pre-algebra workbook for dummies with online practice

CHEAT SHEET

To successfully study pre-algebra, understand that a specific order of operations needs to be applied. Also recognize some basic math principles, such as the ability to recognize and understand mathematical inequalities, place value, absolute value, and negation.Mathematical order of operationsThe rules for deciding the order to evaluate arithmetic expressions, no matter how complex, are called the order of operations.

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Articles from
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To successfully study pre-algebra, understand that a specific order of operations needs to be applied. Also recognize some basic math principles, such as the ability to recognize and understand mathematical inequalities, place value, absolute value, and negation.Mathematical order of operationsThe rules for deciding the order to evaluate arithmetic expressions, no matter how complex, are called the order of operations.
To divide larger numbers, use long division. Unlike the other Big Four operations, long division moves from left to right. For each digit in the dividend (the number you’re dividing), you complete a cycle of division, multiplication, and subtraction.In some problems, the number at the very bottom of the problem isn’t a 0.
Dividing decimals is similar to dividing whole numbers, except you have to handle the decimal point before you start dividing. Here’s how to divide decimals step by step: Move the decimal point in the divisor and dividend. Turn the divisor (the number you’re dividing by) into a whole number by moving the decimal point all the way to the right.
The English system of measurement is most commonly used in the United States. If you were raised in the States, you’re probably familiar with most of the units: inches, pints, ounces, Fahrenheit, and so on.The following table shows the most common units as well as simple conversions from one unit to another. You can use it to answer the practice questions that follow.
When an expression has two sets of parentheses next to each other, you need to multiply every term inside the first set of parentheses by every term in the second set. This process is called FOILing.The word FOIL is a memory device for the words First, Outside, Inside, Last, which helps keep track of the multiplication when both sets of parentheses have two terms each.
To find the volume of a prism or cylinder, you can use the following formula, where Ab is the area of the base and h is the height: V = Ab x h Practice questions Find the volume of a prism with a base that has an area of 6 square centimeters and a height of 3 centimeters. Figure out the approximate volume of a cylinder whose base has a radius of 7 millimeters and whose height is 16 millimeters.
The formula for the volume of a pyramid is the same as for the volume of a cone. In this formula, Ab is the area of the base, and h is the height: Practice questions Find the volume of a pyramid with a square base whose side is 10 inches and with a height of 6 inches. Find the approximate volume of a cone whose base has a radius of 3 inches and whose height is 8 inches.
Cross-multiplication is a handy tool for finding the common denominator for two fractions, which is important for many operations involving fractions. In the following practice questions, you are asked to cross-multiply to compare fractions to find out which is greater or less. Practice questions 1. Find the lesser fraction: 2.
When an algebraic equation contains fractions, you can use cross-multiplication to solve the equation. The following practice questions contain two equal fractions, where you need to cross-multiply to solve them. Practice questions Rearrange the equationto solve for x. Solve the equation Answers and exp
You can solve algebraic equations by isolating x—that is, by getting x alone on one side of the equation and everything else on the other side. For most basic equations, isolating x involves a few steps, as you'll see in the following practice questions. Practice questions Find the value of x in the equation 9x – 2 = 6x + 7.
A quick method for solving algebra problems is to re-arrange the equation by placing all x terms on one side of the equal sign and all constants (non-x terms) on the other side. Essentially, you're doing the addition and subtraction without showing it. You can then isolate x. Practice questions Rearrange the equation 10x + 5 = 3x + 19 to solve for x.
When dealing with simple algebraic expressions, you don't always need algebra to solve them. The following practice questions ask you to use three different methods: inspecting, rewriting the problem, and guessing and checking. Practice questions In the following questions, solve for x in each case just by looking at the equation.
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