Chapter 1
Review of Real
Numbers
§ 1.1
Tips for Success in
Mathematics
Getting Ready for This Course
Positive
Attitude
Believe you can succeed.
Make sure you have time
Scheduling for your classes.
Have all the materials you
Be
need, like a lab manual,
Prepared calculator, or other
supplies.
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General Tips for Success
Tip
Details
Get a contact person.
Exchange names, phone numbers or e-mail
addresses with at least one other person in class.
Attend all class periods.
Sit near the front of the classroom to make
hearing the presentation, and participating easier.
Do you homework.
The more time you spend solving mathematics,
the easier the process becomes.
Check your work.
Review your steps, fix errors, and compare
answers with the selected answers in the back of
the book.
Learn from your
mistakes.
Find and understand your errors. Use them to
become a better math student.
Continued
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General Tips for Success
Tip
Details
Get help if you need it.
Ask for help when you don’t understand
something. Know when your instructors office
hours are, and whether tutoring services are
available.
Organize your assignments, quizzes, tests, and
Organize class materials. notes for use as reference material throughout
your course.
Read your textbook.
Review your section before class to help you
understand its ideas more clearly.
Ask questions.
Speak up when you have a question. Other
students may have the same one.
Hand in assignments on
time.
Don’t lose points for being late. Show every
step of a problem on your assignment.
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Using This Text
Resource
Details
Practice Problems.
Try each Practice Problem after you’ve finished its
corresponding example.
Chapter Test Prep Video CD.
Chapter Test exercises are worked out by the
author, these are available off of the CD this book
contains.
Lecture Video CDs.
Exercises marked with a CD symbol are worked
out by the author on a video CD. Check with your
instructor to see if these are available.
Symbols before an exercise
set.
Symbols listed at the beginning of each exercise
set will remind you of the available supplements.
Objectives.
The main section of exercises in an exercise set is
referenced by an objective. Use these if you are
having trouble with an assigned problem.
Continued
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Using This Text
Resource
Details
Icons (Symbols).
A CD symbol tells you the corresponding exercise
may be viewed on a video segment. A pencil
symbol means you should answer using complete
sentences.
Integrated Reviews.
Reviews found in the middle of each chapter can be
used to practice the previously learned concepts.
End of Chapter Opportunities.
Use Chapter Highlights, Chapter Reviews,
Chapter Tests, and Cumulative Reviews to help
you understand chapter concepts.
Study Skills Builder.
Read and answer questions in the Study Skills
Builder to increase your chance of success in this
course.
The Bigger Picture.
This can help you make the transition from thinking
“section by section” to thinking about how
everything corresponds in the bigger picture.
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Getting Help
Tip
Details
Material presented in one section builds
on your understanding of the previous
section. If you don’t understand a concept
covered during a class period, there is a
Get help as good chance you won’t understand the
soon as you concepts covered in the next period.
need it.
For help try your instructor, a tutoring
center, or a math lab. A study group can
also help increase your understanding of
covered materials.
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Preparing for and Taking an Exam
Steps for Preparing for a Test
1.
2.
Review previous homework assignments.
Review notes from class and section-level quizzes you have
taken.
3. Read the Highlights at the end of each chapter to review
concepts and definitions.
4. Complete the Chapter Review at the end of each chapter to
practice the exercises.
5. Take a sample test in conditions similar to your test
conditions.
6. Set aside plenty of time to arrive where you will be taking
the exam.
Continued
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Preparing for and Taking an Exam
Steps for Taking Your Test
1. Read the directions on the test carefully.
2. Read each problem carefully to make sure that you
answer the question asked.
3. Pace yourself so that you have enough time to
attempt each problem on the test.
4. Use extra time checking your work and answers.
5. Don’t turn in your test early. Use extra time to
double check your work.
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Managing Your Time
Tips for Making a Schedule
1. Make a list of all of your weekly commitments for
the term.
2. Estimate the time needed and how often it will be
performed, for each item.
3. Block out a typical week on a schedule grid, start
with items with fixed time slots.
4. Next, fill in items with flexible time slots.
5. Remember to leave time for eating, sleeping, and
relaxing.
6. Make changes to your workload, classload, or other
areas to fit your needs.
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