Mastering Technical Mathematics, Third Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm a professional programmer. I didn't go to college. I didn't even graduate high school. I've been writing code professionally for a long time now and I get well paid for it. Recently, I interviewed for a job and I nailed it. But, I didn't get the job. Why? Not because I failed the coding tests or that I wasn't a good match for the team. It wasn't even because I lacked a degree. It was because I lacked the common foundation of knowledge that high school graduates and CS majors have. Although I had never had a problem with it before, I've reached a point in my career where I'm qualified for jobs that expect more than just a good resume and solid interviewing skills. I faltered when it came to some mathematics and my algorithms were elementary at best. Being able to write code was no longer enough. I needed to go back and recapture a CS background using the same method I have used to teach myself everything else: books.
The first thing I discovered is that it is nearly impossible to find a book on algorithms that doesn't already assume you have a full high school mathematics education. The second thing I discovered is that it is nearly impossible to find a book on mathematics that covers it all, from the ground up. I searched and searched Amazon and, oddly enough, this book never came up. I just happened to be wandering through a local book store and saw it on the shelf. I bought it on impulse and I am glad that I did.
This book is precisely what someone like me needs. It starts off at astonishingly basic levels (what? really? I need a book to tell me how addition works?) and then moves quickly up through the complexities of increasingly advanced mathematics. The writing style is conversational which is good but it can also be bad. Coming from an English and linguistics background, I can't help but cringe when I see unnecessary exclamation points in text and this book has its fair share. That isn't so much a negative toward the book as it is just a biased observation.
Mastering Technical Mathematics covers a lot of ground in a short period of time and the author wastes as little page space as possible. Sometimes this is good; sometimes this is bad. Often, the explanations are numbingly terse or convoluted. A few re-reads of a paragraph helps the meaning crystallize but, in an apparent effort to keep the page count down, the author sacrificed for brevity sections that might have been better aided by a little more depth. Again, this isn't necessarily a negative toward the book. It just means you might have to work a little harder from time-to-time for full comprehension. Nothing wrong with that.
The reason why I am not giving this book five stars is partially because of the sometimes confusing explanations but mainly because of the charts and graphs which are, for the most part, poorly rendered and, worse, often completely inexplicable. This wouldn't be a huge deal except that nearly every page contains some kind of figure or illustration. This is good because it breaks up the text, keeps the whole affair feeling breezy. This book definitely does not feel like some weighty tome on the World's Most Boring Subject and all of those graphs and charts are partially to blame for the levity. I'm glad that they're there; I just wish that they were more clear. Then again, maybe it's just me.
The biggest accolade I can give this book, other than that it's clear the author really enjoyed writing it, is that it, along with a few other books and a newly-purchased HP 50g Graphing Calculator (RPN 4 LIFE!@$) has instilled in me a love of mathematics. I used to hate math. My favorite phrase was that I'm mathematically dyslexic. I'm not. I was just intimidated. This book has helped dismantle that intimidation. Now I'm not just learning all of the mathematics I had missed, I'm loving math. Absolutely love the stuff.
In the long run, this book will be partially responsible for me reaching the next level of my career. I've paired it with Forgotten Algebra (which is an excellent workbook) and, for algorithms, Algorithms in C++. This final book finally gives me a reason to get my hands dirty with C++.
Highly recommended.

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A thorough revision of the classic tutorialof scientific and engineering mathematics

For more than fifteen years, Mastering Technical Mathematicshas been the definitive self-teaching guidefor those wishing to boost their career by learning theprinciples of mathematics as they apply to science andengineering.Featuring the same user-friendly pedagogy, practicalexamples, and detailed illustrations that have made thisresource a favorite of the scientific and technical communities,the new third edition delivers four entirelynew chapters and expanded treatment of cutting-edgetopics.

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Number Power 5: Graphs, Charts, Schedules, and Maps (Number Power Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)Graphs, Tables, Schedules and Maps Students Can Understand!
I am a high school special education/alternative education teacher in Oregon, working with special needs youngsters. Contemporary's "Number Power 5: Graphs, Tables, Schedules and Maps" by Bob Mitchell gives the clear instruction and practice necessary for students to obtain the relevant information from graphs, tables, schedules and maps. The book is an excellent resource for students as a basic life skill or as preparation for the GED and SAT tests. An invaluable resource!
"Number Power 5: Graphs, Tables, Schedules and Maps" uses relevant and real life applications and examples that students will find engaging. The pages in this worksheet format booklet are laid out clearly, very clearly, and are easy for the student to negotiate.
"Number Power 5: Graphs, Tables, Schedules and Maps" gives the student plenty and frequent opportunity for them to check their understanding. This is one of the strengths that sets "Number Power 5: Graphs, Tables, Schedules and Maps" apart from other textbooks. Here, students don't have to suffer through pages and pages of instruction before their comprehension is tested. Students will find the book engaging, trust me.
I recommend "Number Power 5: Graphs, Tables, Schedules and Maps" without reservation! A great bargain for the price.
-John Bain

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Contemporary's Number Power is the first choice for those who want to develop and improve their math skills. Every Number Power book targets a particular set of math skills with straightforward explanations, easy-to-follow, step-by-step instruction, real-life examples, and extensive reinforcement exercises. Use these texts across the full scope of the basic math curriculum, from whole numbers to pre-algebra and geometry. Number Power 5: Graphs, Charts, Schedules, and Maps increases students' ability to understand and use all types of visuals and graphics.

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Contemporary's Number Power 4: Geometry: a real world approach to math (The Number Power Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)Geometry! Clearly and Concisely Presented--Finally!
I am a high school special education/alternative education teacher in Oregon, working with special needs youngsters. Contemporary's "Number Power 4: Geometry" by Bob Mitchell offers an excellent, concise presentation and review of geometry. The book is an excellent resource as a first introduction to students of the principles of geometry, or as a review for students studying for their GED, SAT or even GRE. In fact, I have recommended this book for teachers who must take the CBEST for teacher licensure in Oregon!
The chapters are succinct, clear, and use real life applications and examples that students will find relevant and engaging. The pages in this worksheet format booklet are laid out clearly, very clearly, and are easy for the student to negotiate. After clearly presenting the beginning principles of geometry in short concise lessons, "Number Power 4: Geometry" gives the student plenty and frequent opportunity for them to check their understanding. This is one of the strengths that sets "Number Power 4: Geometry" apart from other textbooks. Here, students don't have to suffer through pages and pages of instruction before their comprehension is tested. Students will find the book engaging, trust me.
I recommend "Number Power 4: Geometry" without reservation! You won't be disappointed.
-John Bain

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Number Power is the first choice for those who want to develop and improve their math skills! Every Number Power book targets a particular set of math skills with straightforward explanations, easy-to-follow, step-by-step instruction, real-life examples, and extensive reinforcement exercises. Use these texts across the full scope of the basic math curriculum, from whole numbers to pre-algebra and geometry. Number Power 4: Geometry introduces lines, angles, triangles, other plane figures, and solid figures.

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Geometry DeMYSTiFieD, 2nd Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)because of the topic coverage. I picked this up because, though a math teacher, I really don't like Geometry. Never have. This book covers some of what a high school student would need in just a few chapters. So, Why aren't I recommending it to students needing help? Because the author completely skips proofs, which is what most students are having trouble with. It also has no chapter dealing with circles and theorems related to them. What it does cover it covers in a highly interesting and original way (why does a stool have three legs instead of four?). It is also filled with topics not covered in a high school geometry course, but which are very interesting on their own. Given the authors other books' titles, this is perhaps "geometry for electricians and hobbyists". If you are someone with bad memories of geometry, but you would like to try revisiting it, then this is highly recommended. It would also be a good outside source for students doing well in Geometry but wanting to read about some higher level topics (including 3 - 4 - and higher dimensional geometry.) The book has loads of multiple choice test questions, so you can see how well you are understanding what you are reading, but it has no detailed solutions in the back--just the correct answers. (techinical point: readers should know that the author teaches polar coordinates "backwards" from the way we teach it in Trigonometry. The form is (r, theta), NOT (theta, r).)

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A new ANGLE to learning GEOMETRY
Trying to understand geometry but feel like you're stuck in another dimension? Here's your solution. Geometry Demystified, Second Edition helps you grasp the essential concepts with ease.
Written in a step-by-step format, this practical guide begins with two dimensions, reviewing points, lines, angles, and distances, then covers triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, and the Cartesian plane. The book goes on to discuss three dimensions, explaining surface area, volume, vectors, Cartesian three-space, alternative coordinates, hyperspace, and warped space. Detailed examples, concise explanations, and worked-out problems make it easy to understand the material, and end-of-chapter quizzes and a final exam help reinforce learning.
It's a no-brainer! You'll learn about:
Plane geometry and solid geometry
Using a drafting compass and straight edge
Solving pairs of equations
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Polar coordinates
Cartesian n-space

Simple enough for a beginner, but challenging enough for an advanced student, Geometry Demystified, Second Edition helps you master this fundamental mathematics subject.

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Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, Student Activity Workbook Review

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(More customer reviews)I took an Entrepreneurship class in college but refused to purchase the textbook for it (this is the book used for the class). The professor used slides that had the information in this book and I started to realize how valuable this book could be for those who are interested in starting their own business. I finished the class and ended up purchasing the book to have in my own library.

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This program can help your students become successful in creating and running a small business. Its focus is on selecting a business, preparing a business plan, and managing an ongoing operation.
Seventy percent of high school students say they want to start their own businesses. This completely revised program provides them with the information and skills that lead to success. It also benefits student-employees by giving them an appreciation for the realities of business, and it helps all students understand there role as a consumer.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Schaum's Outline of Geometry, 4ed (Schaum's Outline Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)The thing I like about the Schaum's series is that they don't try to be your friend. If you're going to try to sit down to learn something intricate like geometry, you've got some serious work to do, and the sooner you get to it the better. To this end, there are no pictures in the book (other than geometric diagrams, of course), no blurbs on famous geometers or famous applications of geometry. No, this sucker's as dry as a bone.
But that's good. This is a book for motivated, adult learners. You've got your explanations, your worked examples, and then tons of exercises with answers to all of them in the back of the book - not just the odd. The thing I like about this book, now in its fourth edition (white cover), is that it takes an example-exercise approach to geometry, rather than forcing you to memorize postulates.
Even if your teacher is the most entertaining guy in the world, you're still going to have a lot of tedious work to do if you plan on mastering geometry. The way this book is laid out is an accurate reflection of that.
They say that many of these Schaum's outlines, while they might be helpful supplementary material for a course, do not go deep enough to replace the course itself. I would disagree if that charge were leveled against this one: Schaum's Geometry easily provides everything you'd get in a high school geometry course and more.
The only criticism of this book that I can muster is the following: of all the major branches of math, geometry is one you kinda need a live teacher for. For this reason, the Schaum's approach -- in parts -- is unsatisfying. The whole Schaum m.o. of humorless exercises, dry explanations, no pictures, etc. can work very well for algebra, calculus, trig, etc.
But geometry is a different beast. In particular I'm thinking of proofs. Since the Greeks, teachers have laid out postulates for their students, then given them a statement and asked them to prove it. This supernal art is really why I love geometry so much: it's like practice in thinking, and it's why I recommend it to people who want to improve the caliber of their minds even if you don't need math for anything. To quote Greg Mankiw, "Math is good training for the mind. It makes you a more rigorous thinker. . . . Your math courses are one long IQ test. [Colleges and companies] use math courses to figure out who is really smart." To which I add that math -- viewed this way -- properly begins with geometry.
Of course, Schaum's does ask you to do proofs. The problem is, it should not be the student himself who judges if the steps of his proof were fully articulated or not: for that, you need a real live human. If, alone in your garret, you write "Segment AB is congruent to CD" for one step of the proof, but then find that the answer key has it "Segment AB is congruent to CD by the definition of congruent segments," do you give yourself the point?
In other words, being an autodidact might be okay in other math areas, but the whole power of geometry hinges largely, I submit, on some unpleasant Other forcing you to articulate a proof without getting sloppy.
But I don't see how there's much that Schaum's can do about that. Still a fantastic text.
NOTE: The first two chapters of this workhorse used to be a review of basic algebra, but not anymore as of the 4th edition. This was unfortunate. Why did they delete them? Schaum's owns the material: what was the harm in letting them stay in? These chapters have been replaced by a one-page "warning" enumerating all the algebra you will probably need to negotiate this book. But here's the problem: if you don't feel comfortable with some of it, you are referred to Schaum's Outline of College Algebra. The problem with THAT is that the latter book more or less circularly assumes you're familiar with basic geometry, the point of this book! So Dr. Thomas, if you're still at the reins, please put those two chapters back if you put out a 5th edition.

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Tough Test Questions? Missed Lectures? Not Enough Time?

Lucky for you there is Schaum's.

For half a century, more than 40 million students have trusted Schaum's to help them study faster, learn better, and get top grades. Now Schaum's celebrates its 50th birthday with a brand-new look, a new format with hundreds of practice problems, and completely updated information to conform to the latest developments in every field of study.

Schaum's Outlines-Problem Solved

More than 400,000 sold!

This review of standard college courses in geometry has been updated to reflect the latest course scope and sequences. The new edition includes an added chapter on Solid Geometry and a chapter on Transformation, plus expanded explanations of particularly difficult topics, as well as many new worked-out and supplementary problems.

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Food for Today, Student Workbook Review

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(More customer reviews)I found this to be a good introductory textbook for a middle/high school age food and nutrition class. The text covers a wide range of topics related to food. One finds chapters on healthy eating and lifestyle, being a vegitarian, how to design a kitchen, and food profiles from around the world. Other chapters even discuss eating etiquette, buying food, and careers in food. The text starts with the basics (this is a whisk...) for the kitchen and for food. One is given profiles of food, nutritional information, and cooking ideas. While it may seem too basic for students who have some knowledge of cooking, it does a good job of introducing it to those who have to knowledge of it at all.
The writing is informative and easy to read. The text is well illustrated with bright drawings and photographs that expand on the written content. I enjoyed the recipes that were chosen for each chapter - they looked fun and doable. In all, this is a well balanced text that fulfills its purpose of presenting food for today.

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Food for Today provides a comprehensive source of food and nutrition information. The text teaches students to make good food choices, use essential food preparation skills and be savvy consumers.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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