Beginning and Intermediate Algebra: The Language & Symbolism of Mathematics

by James W. Hall, Brian Mercer

Beginning and Intermediate Algebra: The Language and Symbolism of Mathematics emphasizes what great mathematicians had identified for generations - mathematics is everywhere! Authors James Hall and Brian Mercer believe active student involvement remains the key to learning algebra. Topics in the text are organized by using the principles of the AMATYC standards as a guide, giving strong support to teachers using the text. The book's organization and pedagogy are designed to work for students with a variety of learning styles and for teachers with varied experiences and backgrounds. The inclusion of the "rule of four" or multiple perspectives -- verbal, numerical, algebraic, and graphical -- has proven popular with a broad cross section of students.

A key supplement for the text are the Lecture Guides. This supplement by the authors, with the assistance of Kelly Bails of Parkland College, provides instructors with the framework of day-by-day class activities for each section in the book. Each lecture guide can help instructors make more efficient use of class time and can help keep students focused on active learning. Students who use the lecture guides have the framework of well-organized notes that can be completed with the instructor in class.

991 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

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JAMES W. HALL is a retired professor and chair from the mathematics department at Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois. He started teaching mathematics in 1969 at Northern Arizona University and also taught at Clayton State College in Georgia prior to joining Parkland College in 1975. From 1989 to 1990 he taught at Dandenong College in Victoria, Australia. He received a B.S. and an M.A. in mathematics from Eastern Illinois University and an Ed.D. from Oklahoma State University. He was Midwest Regional Vice President of AMATYC (American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges) from 1987 to 1989 and Presidentof IMACC (Illinois Mathematics Association of Community Colleges) from 1995 to 1996. In1978 he edited the “Report on Microcomputers in the Classroom” for ICTM (Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics), and from 1991 to 1995 he was chairperson of the editorial review committee for AMATYC. He also is a writing team chair for Beyond Crossroads.