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(25 Jul 2011,
FrankHarrell
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---+ Algebra Prequisites Students should have a good command of college algebra. Specifically, you should have mastered variables, functions, grouped expressions, algebraic fractions, polynomials, exponents, logarithms, and uses of the mathematical constant _e_. If you need to review algebra, there are many good study books and [[#AlgebraWebsites][web sites]]. One good book is _[[http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Algebra-Barbara-Lee-Bleau/dp/0764120085/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201146512&sr=8-1 Forgotten Algebra]], Second Edition_ by Barbara Bleau (Barrons Educational Series, Hauppauge, New York, 1994). You may skip the following Units in this book: | *Topic* | *Unit* | | | *Numbers* | |Division of polynomials|17| |Factoring polynomials |18| |Solving second degree equations-quadratic formula|22| |Solving third-degree and higher equations|23| |Solving systems of equations|26-27| |Solving inequalities-second-degree|29| |Right triangles|31| The topics to study, and corresponding unit numbers in Bleau's book (second edition, may need to be updated for the third edition), are as follows. | *Topic* | *Unit* | | | *Numbers* | |Signed Numbers|1| |Grouping Symbols and Simplifying Expressions|2| |Solving First-Degree Equations|3| |Removing Multiple Grouping Symbols; Solving 1st-Degree Eq.|4| |Fraction Equations|5| |Literal Equations|6| |Applied Problems|7| |Positive Integral Exponents|8| |Negative Exponents|9| |Division of Powers|10| |Addition and Subtraction of Fractions|11| |Multiplication and Division of Fractions|12| |Fractional Exponents|13| |Simplifying Expressions with Fractional Exponents|14| |Additional Practice with Exponents|15| |Multiplication of Monomials and Polynomials|16| |Factoring Special Binomials|19-20| |Factoring to Solve 2nd Degree Equations|21| |Graphing Linear Equations in Two Variables|24| |Graphing Quadratic Equations in Two Variables|25| |Solving First-Degree Inequalities|28| |Logarithms|30| Note that in statistics one most often uses logarithms to the base _e_ =2.71828..., and _log x_ with no base indicated often means log to the base _e_. A more comprehensive but much more expensive book we also recommend is _Intermediate Algebra_ by Alan Tussy and R. David Gustafson, Pacific Grove CA, Brooks/Cole, 1999. ----- #AlgebraWebsites ---++ Web Sites * [[http://www.purplemath.com/modules/index.htm Purplemath]] * [[http://www.khanacademy.org Khan Academy]] * Many [[http://mathforum.org/library/topics/basic_algebra other links]] -- Main.FrankHarrell - 01 Feb 2004, 24 Jul 2011
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Topic revision: r3 - 25 Jul 2011,
FrankHarrell
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