Precalculus: A Graphing Approach

Precalculus: A Graphing Approach, 1/e

Dale Varberg, Hamline University
Thomas D. Varberg, Macalester College

Published October, 1994 by Prentice Hall Engineering/Science/Mathematics

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Precalculus with Graphing Calculators-Mathematics

Summary

Varberg and Varberg use the graphics calculator throughout this text to (1) help motivate and explain standard material, (2) explore concepts that transcend the traditional precalculus course, and (3) make mathematics come alive.

Features

covers traditional topics, emphasizing those that are needed in other mathematics, science or business courses or applications and can be explored or illustrated on a graphics calculator.
organizes coverage around a particular function and its graph, studying functions to a depth that includes:

finding their zeros
discovering where they increase and decrease
identifying their maxima and minima
analyzing their asymptotic behavior
calculating their rates of change

each section begins with a Teaser problem and ends with an extensive problem set composed of two parts:

Part A—Skills and Techniques—offers simpler problem pairs which follow the text and its examples closely
Part B—Applications and Extensions—includes a variety of more demanding problems that make use of the skills learned in Part A in the broad context of mathematical, scientific and business applications

contains sixty sections designed to be covered in one lesson, leaving plenty of material for a one- or two-semester course.
delays the discussion of graphics calculator programming until the last chapter of the book where it fits naturally with the discussion of sequences and series.

Table of Contents