Business Math - Softcover

Cleaves, Cheryl; Hobbs, Margie

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0131591215 ISBN 13: 9780131591219

Publisher: Pearson College Div, 2008

Synopsis

This book reflects more than 28 years of author involvement with business math education and the business community. The linking of mathematics with real business practices in real businesses gives readers a better appreciation for and understanding of the concepts that are vital in the business world. Updated in a new 8th edition, this book is filled with updated chapter-opening scenarios, chapter-ending case studies, cases, boxed features, and exercise sets. It is organized in workbook format and opens with chapters on basic math. Coverage includes banking, business statistics, trade and cash discounts, markups and markdowns, payroll, consumer credit, mortgages, insurance, taxes, and stocks and bonds.

About this title

From the Publisher:

The new edition of this best-selling text continues a tradition of demonstrating fundamental mathematical concepts through extensive use of examples taken from real-world applications in such areas as banking, the hotel/motel industry, retail, and real estate. Coverage encompasses all areas of business mathematics, beginning with whole number and decimals, and bringing students along, step-by-step, through fractions, percents, statistics, and equations, to specifics of business-related mathematics applications such as payroll, discounts, markup/markdown, interest, credit, depreciation, inventory, insurance, taxes, and more. Procedures, rules and formulas are broken down into understandable components. A straightforward writing style and numerous motivational special features encourage student involvement with the text, and help make even complex concepts interesting and accessible. This is a major revision.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

To the Student

In almost any career you pursue, the business math you learn in this book will be useful. We have given much thought to the best way to present business math topics and have done extensive research on how students learn. We suggest that you use the special features included in the text to get the most out of this book and out of this course. The following features are designed to help you learn business math procedures.

Learning Outcomes. The chapter opening pages for each chapter include the learning outcomes for that chapter. Also, each section begins with its particular learning outcomes to show you what you should learn in that section. If you read and think about the outcomes before you begin the section, you will know what to look for as you work through the section.

Good Decisions Through Teamwork. Each chapter opens with a class project designed to promote teamwork. The projects incorporate a wide variety of teambuilding strategies. Each project involves students in a unique way. The various projects emphasize computational skills, interpersonal skills, oral or written communication skills, organizational skills, research skills, critical thinking, and/or decision-making skills. Project reports may be presented to a variety of audiences including instructors, peers, employers, and immediate supervisors.

Your instructor may use some or all of the projects, or may organize teams within the class and have each team select a project from a different chapter. Even if a particular project is not used in your class, reading the project will broaden your perception of the usefulness of mathematics.

Self-Checks. These short practice sets are keyed to learning outcomes and appear at the end of each section. Use these exercises to check your understanding of the section. The self-check solutions are at the end of each chapter, so you can get immediate feedback on your level of understanding of the material.

How To Boxes. These boxes appear throughout the text to introduce a new procedure. To make these procedures as clear as possible, we break them down for you into step-by-step instructions. Each box contains or is followed by an example. The chapter Overview repeats these procedures with additional examples.

Tip! Boxes and Calculator Boxes. These boxes point out helpful hints and calculator strategies involved in business math procedures. The hints draw your attention to generalizations or restrictions you might otherwise overlook. Many of our own students tell us that just as they have a question, a Tip! box appears that has anticipated their question.

Learning Strategies. In each chapter you will find a number of learning strategies. These strategies can help you build a framework for successful learning. The strategies show ways to manage your learning of mathematics that you may not have thought of before. Use them to improve your "mathematical sense" and to give you a greater appreciation for the power of mathematics in your workplace and everyday life. You may also find them useful in other areas of study.

Decision Key Approach to Problem Solving. This format enables you to take a systematic approach to solving problems in the business world. In this feature you are asked to analyze and compare, and then to make a business decision based on the data.

Explanatory Notes and Use of Color. To assist you in understanding the solution of an example, explanatory notes are included in shaded boxes. Different colors of shading are used within the solution of an example to help you follow the path of key values.

Around the Business World. A stand-alone business or consumer application is presented, complete with explanations, examples, exercises, and answers. You will simulate real-life experiences in the business world. These units are included to capture your interest in a variety of business topics. This feature appears in each chapter and may also serve as a catalyst for initiating class discussion on complex business issues or may motivate you to further investigate the topic.

Words to Know. Terminology is important for communication and for locating topics and additional information. The Words to Know that follow the Overview can be used as a checklist for reviewing new terminology. The page number reference will direct you to the first occurrence and the definition of the term.

Concepts Analysis Exercises. An important feature of the text is the Concepts Analysis exercises. Often we focus on the "how to" and overlook the "why" and "where" associated with the mathematical concept. These questions allow you to formalize your understanding of a concept and to connect to other concepts and uses. Error analysis is another way that the understanding of concepts is encouraged.

Assignment Exercises. An extensive set of exercises appears at the end of each chapter to review all the procedures and outcomes presented in the chapter. These exercises may be assigned by your instructor as homework, or you may want to work them on your own for extra practice. The answers to odd-numbered exercises are at the end of the book. Solutions to odd-numbered exercises appear in a separate Student Solutions Manual. Your instructor has the worked-out solutions to the even-numbered exercises.

Spreadsheet Exercises. The most common use of technology in the business world is with the electronic spreadsheet. Spreadsheets are introduced in Chapter 3 and spreadsheet exercises are included in every subsequent chapter. You will see that technology plays a major role in the mathematics needed in the workplace but it doesn't take the place of understanding the concepts that will be used.

Challenge Problems. Each set of Assignment Exercises ends with a few challenge problems. These problems may extend slightly beyond the scope of the text; but you have been introduced to all the necessary skills for completing these problems. They may be used for individual, group, or team exercises.

Practice Test. Do this before you take the class test to check your understanding of the material. You should be able to work each problem without referring to any examples in your text or your notes. Answers to odd-numbered exercises appear at the end of the book. Solutions to odd-numbered exercises appear in a separate Student Solutions Manual. Your instructor has the worked-out solutions to the even-numbered exercises.

Supplementary Student Materials

Student Solutions Manual. This manual can be purchased at your bookstore. The manual contains worked-out solutions to the odd-numbered exercises of the assignment exercises and the practice test from each chapter of the text. Answers to these exercises appear in the back of your text, but using this manual to study the full worked-out solutions can enhance your problem-solving skills and your understanding of the concepts.

StudyWizard CD-ROM. This software, packaged with the text, provides additional practice with the business math concepts presented in the text. Each question contains a reference to the section and learning outcome number in the text where the concept first appears, making it easier to find the sections you want to review. Immediate feedback is provided to all questions, enabling you to strengthen your skills and test your knowledge of the concepts before a class test. The glossary included with the software enables you to review the terms and concepts presented in the text.

How to Study Business Math. Your instructor can obtain free copies of this booklet, which describes various learning techniques you can use in class and in preparation for class that can make learning business math much more efficient and effective.

Business Math Quick Reference Tables. Annual percentage rate, simple interest, compound interest, present value tables, future value tables, payroll tax tables, income tax tables, and more are all bound into a free-standing manual to facilitate your homework preparation and in-class testing.

Companion Website. This free website, available at www.prenhall.com/cleaves , provides even more practice with the math concepts presented in the form of short quizzes for each section of the text. These quizzes are graded immediately, and you have the opportunity to send the results to your instructor via email.

Reading Your Math Textbook

In developing an effective study plan it is important to use all your available resources to their maximum advantage. The most accessible of these resources is your textbook. Incorporate an effective strategy for reading your textbook into your study plan.

Beginning a Chapter

1. Examine the chapter opening pages. Read the Chapter Title, Section Titles, and Learning Outcomes to determine what will be covered in the chapter.
2. Read the Chapter Overview that is near the end of the chapter. The Chapter Overview lists each learning outcome of the chapter with some tips on what to remember and at least one example. Use the summary as a checklist to rate your initial knowledge of the chapter's learning outcomes.
   
   This rating can be a numerical one. For example, 0 means that you know nothing about this topic; 1 means that you know a little about this topic; 2 means that you know quite a bit, but there may be a few gaps in your understanding; and 3 means that you know this topic very well.
   
   Another possible rating strategy can be a minus/check/plus system. Minus means you need to work on this topic, check means you know the topic moderately well, and plus means you know the topic very well.

Beginning a Section

1. Read the section title and the learning outcomes for the section.
2. Read the introductory paragraph.
3. Locate the Self-Check Exercises at the end of the section. Read the directions for each "clump" of exercises. This will give you an idea of the type of problems you will be working and what to look for as you read the section.
4. Begin reading the section. Make notes on concepts that you do not understand or examples for which you are not able to follow the explanation. This will be the basis for questions to ask in class.

Continuing Through the Chapter

1. Work on one learning outcome at a time. After reading and studying one learning outcome, try some of the exercises for that outcome. Always check your answers with the text or Study Wizard and ask questions as appropriate. Assess your understanding of each outcome and practice or get help as you think necessary. Be realistic in your self-assessment!
2. Continue outcome by outcome, section by section, checking your understanding as you go.

Reviewing the Chapter

1. After finishing a chapter, thumb through the entire chapter, reading the Tip! boxes and Learning Strategies.
2. Read the Chapter Overview again and rate your understanding of each outcome again. Review or get assistance as necessary.
3. Use the Words to Know list at the end of the Chapter Outcomes as a checklist for your understanding of the new terminology used in the chapter.
4. Work the Practice Test at the end of the chapter and check your answers. Review or get assistance as necessary.

Finishing the Chapter

1. Prepare for the test on the chapter. Ask your instructor which outcomes require mastery for testing purposes. Some outcomes may not require mastery, and others may even be optional.
2. Read the special feature Good Decisions through Teamwork to gain some insight about where these concepts are used in real life.

General Tips

1. Practice an outcome until you feel comfortable that you understand the concept. Abundant practice material is available to you that is specifically geared to your text (Self-Study Exercises, Assignment Exercises, Study Wizard, and Companion Web site). Other practice is available through generic mathematics software and other texts. Only you know when you have practiced enough. Be realistic in the self-assessment of your understanding. Practice helps you retain the information for a longer period of time, but don't wear yourself out! Finding that appropriate balance is your goal.
2. The Concepts Analysis exercises help you check your conceptual understanding.
3. Don't forget the Glossary/Index! As you move through the text you will forget definitions and concepts. Perhaps you are not starting your study at the beginning of the text and need to review a few concepts that were in the chapters not covered. Examining the Glossary/Index should be your first step in accomplishing your review.

We wish you much success in your study of mathematics. Many of the features in this book were suggestions made by students such as yourself. If you have suggestions for improving the presentation, please give them to your instructor or email the authors at ccleaves@bellsouth.net or mhobbs@watervalley.net.

Good luck on your study of business mathematics.

To the Instructor

In the development of the text we have tried to address a wide variety of teaching and learning styles and modes of instruction, including online course delivery. A holistic approach to student learning is our goal.

We suggest that you encourage your students to read the "To the Student" portion of the preface, having them pay particular attention to the suggestions provided in the section "Reading your Math Textbook."

Most of the learning in mathematics originates in the classroom, and you are responsible for that. To help you, we have first tried to provide a solid, reliable textbook that will prepare students for class, serve them (and you) in class, help them review outside of class, and give them a reference document for later.

Our second area of concern is to help you in your classroom presentation—as much as any outside source can help someone else in the classroom. For this we have prepared an Annotated Instructor's Edition and an extensive supplements package that accompanies it.

A good text needs sound pedagogy and an appealing presentation.

Writing Style. The text communicates clearly and simply. Math terms and business vocabulary are introduced when needed. All terms are explained in everyday language as much as possible. Our language speaks directly to students in a friendly tone.

Four-Color Presentation. We have tried to create a text that a student would want to read. There are four-color graphs showing business applications, and color is used in artwork so that business forms look the way that they do in real life (an example is the bank checks in Chapter 5, Bank Records). Color is also used to highlight specific features such as How To or Tip! boxes so they can be easily located. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, color is used as a teaching tool to emphasize and trace certain amounts in examples. This will help students follow the logic of working through the examples.

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About this edition

• Publisher: Pearson College Div
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0131591215
• ISBN 13: 9780131591219
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 804