Exam Preparation

Precalculus thoroughly explores topics in algebra, trigonometry, and analytic geometry, and all the examples, applications, and exercises have been selected for their relevance to calculus. The trigonometric functions are introduced first in terms of the unit circle approach and then using right triangles. The text includes over 6,000 exercises that accommodate a variety of teaching and learning styles, plus a number of contemporary, real-life applications.

All basic topics in Trigonometry are covered with an emphasis on illustrations and examples that treat elementary trigonometry as an outgrowth of geometry, but stimulate the reader to think of all of mathematics as a unified subject. The definitions of the trigonometric functions are geometrically motivated—geometric relationships are rewritten in trigonometric form and extended. The text then makes a transition to a study of the algebraic and analytic properties of trigonometric functions, in a way that provides a solid foundation for more advanced mathematical discussions.

This text provides a painless way to learn the fundamentals and general concepts of trigonometry. It uses prose and illustrations to describe the concepts, offers questions at the end of each chapter and section, and includes a 100-question self-test.