Precalculus Functions and Graphs: A Graphing Approach

As part of the market-leading Graphing Approach Series by Larson, Hostetler, and Edwards, Precalculus Functions and Graphs: A Graphing Approach, 4/e, provides both students and instructors with a sound mathematics course in an approachable, understandable format. The quality and quantity of the exercises, combined with interesting applications, cutting-edge design, and innovative resources, make teaching easier and help students succeed in mathematics. This edition, intended for precalculus courses that require the use of a graphing calculator, includes a moderate review of algebra to help students entering the course with weak algebra skills.

• Accessibility to students is achieved through careful writing and design, including same-page examples and solutions, which maximize the readability of the text. Similarly, side-by-side solutions show algebraic, visual, and numeric representations of the mathematics to support students' various learning styles.
• The Library of Functions thread throughout the text provides a definition and list of characteristics for each elementary function and compares newly introduced functions to those already presented to increase students' understanding of these important concepts.
• Technology Support notes provided at point-of-use throughout the text guide students to the Technology Support Appendix, where they can learn how to use specific graphing calculator features to enhance their understanding of the concepts presented.
• Houghton Mifflin's Eduspace online classroom management tool offers instructors the option to assign homework and tests online, provides tutorial support for students needing additional help, and includes the ability to grade any of these assignments automatically.

Dr. Ron Larson is a professor of mathematics at The Pennsylvania State University, where he has taught since 1970. He received his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Colorado and is considered the pioneer of using multimedia to enhance the learning of mathematics, having authored over 30 software titles since 1990. Dr. Larson conducts numerous seminars and in-service workshops for math educators around the country about using computer technology as an instructional tool and motivational aid. He is the recipient of the 2013 Text and Academic Authors Association Award for CALCULUS, the 2012 William Holmes McGuffey Longevity Award for CALCULUS: AN APPLIED APPROACH, the 2011 William Holmes McGuffey Longevity Award for PRECALCULUS: REAL MATHEMATICS, REAL PEOPLE, and the 1996 Text and Academic Authors Association TEXTY Award for INTERACTIVE CALCULUS (a complete text on CD-ROM that was the first mainstream college textbook to be offered on the Internet). Dr. Larson authors numerous textbooks including the best-selling Calculus series published by Cengage Learning.

The Pennsylvania State University, The Behrend College Bio: Robert P. Hostetler received his Ph.D. in mathematics from The Pennsylvania State University in 1970. He has taught at Penn State for many years and has authored several calculus, precalculus, and intermediate algebra textbooks. His teaching specialties include remedial algebra, calculus, and math education, and his research interests include mathematics education and textbooks.

Dr. Bruce H. Edwards is Professor of Mathematics at the University of Florida. Professor Edwards received his B.S. in Mathematics from Stanford University and his Ph.D. in Mathematics from Dartmouth College. He taught mathematics at a university near Bogotá, Colombia, as a Peace Corps volunteer. While teaching at the University of Florida, Professor Edwards has won many teaching awards, including Teacher of the Year in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Liberal Arts and Sciences Student Council Teacher of the Year, and the University of Florida Honors Program Teacher of the Year. He was selected by the Office of Alumni Affairs to be the Distinguished Alumni Professor for 1991-1993. Professor Edwards has taught a variety of mathematics courses at the University of Florida, from first-year calculus to graduate-level classes in algebra and numerical analysis. He has been a frequent speaker at research conferences and meetings of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. He has also coauthored a wide range of award winning mathematics textbooks with Professor Ron Larson.