Introduction

Functions are one of our most important tools for analyzing phenomena. Biologists have studied the antler weight of male red deer as a function of age (see Section 1.1.1).

Calculus builds on the foundation of algebra, analytic geometry, and trigonometry. In this chapter, therefore, we review some concepts, facts, and formulas from precalculus that are used throughout the text. In the last section, we discuss ways in which technology can be used to enhance your visual understanding of functions and their properties.