REFERENCE FOR BASIC MATHEMATICS

A-1

This appendix serves as a reference for the basic mathematical operations that are used in the book. We provide quick reference tables to help you with symbols and notation; instruction on the order of operations for equations with multiple operations; guidelines for converting fractions, decimals, and percentages; and examples of how to solve basic algebraic equations. Some of you will need a more extensive review than is presented in these pages. That review, which involves more detail and instruction, can be found on the book’s companion Web site. Most of you will be familiar with much of this material. However, the inclusion of this reference can help you to solve problems throughout this book, particularly when you come across material that appears unfamiliar.

We include a diagnostic quiz for you to assess your current comfort level with the material. Following the diagnostic test, we provide instruction and reference tables for each section so that you can review the concepts, apply the concepts through worked problems, and review your skills with a brief self-quiz.

Section A.1 Diagnostic Test: Skills Evaluation

Section A.2 Symbols and Notation: Arithmetic Operations

Section A.3 Order of Operations

Section A.4 Proportions: Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages

Section A.5 Solving Equations with a Single Unknown Variable

Section A.6 Answers to Diagnostic Test and Self-Quizzes