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 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
Addition and Subtraction of Fractions	11
Additional Practice with Exponents	15
Applied Problems	7
Division of Powers	10
Factoring Special Binomials	19-20
Factoring to Solve 2nd Degree Equations	21
Fraction Equations	5
Fractional Exponents	13
Graphing Linear Equations in Two Variables	24
Graphing Quadratic Equations in Two Variables	25
Grouping Symbols and Simplifying Expressions	2
Literal Equations	6
Logarithms	30
Multiplication and Division of Fractions	12
Multiplication of Monomials and Polynomials	16
Negative Exponents	9
Positive Integral Exponents	8
Removing Multiple Grouping Symbols; Solving 1st-Degree Eq.	4
Signed Numbers	1
Simplifying Expressions with Fractional Exponents	14
Solving First-Degree Equations	3
Solving First-Degree Inequalities	28

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.

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Web Sites

• Purplemath
• Khan Academy
• Many other links

-- FrankHarrell - 01 Feb 2004, 24 Jul 2011