まえがき

The Prealgebra 2e revision focused on mathematical clarity and accuracy. Every Example, Try-It, Section Exercise, Review Exercise, and Practice Test item was reviewed by multiple faculty experts, and then verified by authors. This intensive effort resulted in hundreds of changes to the text, problem language, answers, instructor solutions, and graphics.

However, OpenStax and our authors are aware of the difficulties posed by shifting problem and exercise numbers when textbooks are revised. In an effort to make the transition to the 2nd edition as seamless as possible, we have minimized any shifting of exercise numbers. For example, instead of deleting or adding problems where necessary, we replaced problems in order to keep the numbering intact. As a result, in nearly all chapters, there will be no shifting of exercise numbers; in the chapters where shifting does occur, it will be minor. Faculty and course coordinators should be able to use the new edition in a straightforward manner.

Also, to increase convenience, answers to the Be Prepared Exercises will now appear in the regular solutions manuals, rather than as a separate resource.

A detailed transition guide is available as an instructor resource at openstax.org.

Each chapter is divided into multiple sections (or modules), each of which is organized around a set of learning objectives. The learning objectives are listed explicitly at the beginning of each section and are the focal point of every instructional element.

Narrative text is used to introduce key concepts, terms, and definitions, to provide real-world context, and to provide transitions between topics and examples. An informal voice was used to make the content accessible to students.

Each learning objective is supported by one or more worked examples, which demonstrate the problem-solving approaches that students must master. Typically, we include multiple Examples for each learning objective in order to model different approaches to the same type of problem, or to introduce similar problems of increasing complexity.

All Examples follow a simple two- or three-part format. First, we pose a problem or question. Next, we demonstrate the Solution, spelling out the steps along the way. Finally (for select Examples), we show students how to check the solution. Most examples are written in a two-column format, with explanation on the left and math on the right to mimic the way that instructors “talk through” examples as they write on the board in class.

Prealgebra 2e contains many figures and illustrations. Art throughout the text adheres to a clear, understated style, drawing the eye to the most important information in each figure while minimizing visual distractions.

Four small but important features serve to support Examples:

Each section, beginning with Section 1.2, starts with a few “Be Prepared!” exercises so that students can determine if they have mastered the prerequisite skills for the section. Reference is made to specific Examples from previous sections so students who need further review can easily find explanations. Answers to these exercises can be found in the supplemental resources that accompany this title.

Disclaimer: While we have selected tutorials that closely align to our learning objectives, we did not produce these tutorials, nor were they specifically produced or tailored to accompany Prealgebra 2e.