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Mathematics in Action: An Introduction to Algebraic, Graphical, and Numerical Problem Solving, 6th edition

Published by Pearson (March 12, 2019) © 2020

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For courses in Introductory Algebra.

Active learning for active minds

Mathematics in Action: An Introduction to Algebraic, Graphical, and Trigonometric Problem Solving is based on the principle that students learn mathematics best by doing the math within a realistic context. From this perspective, the authors offer guided-discovery activities that help students to construct, reflect upon and apply mathematical concepts, deepening their conceptual understanding along the way. This active style of learning develops critical-thinking skills and mathematical literacy. The 6th Edition includes updated examples and activities for maximum interest and relevance.

Hallmark features of this title

  • Thematic clusters in each chapter contain activities that cover specific concepts and skills. The variety of activities in each cluster allows instructors to customize content for their class needs.
  • Additional Project Activities ask students to take a deeper dive into a topic. 
  • Summary Boxes of main concepts at the end of each activity help students recognize and connect critical topics and concepts.
  • Abundant review exercises throughout:
    • Skills Check exercises address basic skills. What Have I Learned? problems require students to pull together topics.
    • How Can I Practice? exercises are an key self-assessment tool. Gateway Review exercises help students assess their understanding and synthesize chapter concepts with previously covered material.

New and updated features of this title

  • All data-based activities and exercises have been updated to reflect the most recent information and/or replaced with more relevant topics. New real-world exercises have been added throughout. 
  • More robust, up-to-date situations replace the introductory scenarios in several activities.
  • To help instructors prep more easily for their course, all Activity headers now include the mathematical topic that will be learned in that section. 
  • Carefully reviewed and revised exposition and topic treatment, where necessary, provides students with a clearer and easier-to-understand presentation.

Features of MyLab Math for the 6th Edition

  • A new video program built around the Consortium approach includes activity-level videos and shorter example-level videos, giving students access to help no matter where they are. 
  • Premade Learning Catalytics questions for nearly every activity help instructors quickly assess the class's progress on a given concept, and give students an opportunity to use technology as an interactive learning tool. Learning Catalytics annotations for instructors in the text enable a quick start to begin using this technology.
  • PowerPoint slides for each Activity support instructors looking to implement the contextual approach in class or can be used by students as a reference or learning tool. Accessible versions of PowerPoints are also available. 
  • Integrated Review provides students with remediation on prerequisite topics; great for students who are underprepared, or for a corequisite course.
  • Skill Builder offers in-assignment adaptive practice that is designed to increase students' ability to complete their assignments.
  • Student and assignment tagging in the Gradebook and Assignment Manager make for easier course management. Assign homework to a subset of students, filter your Gradebook to a particular set of students, or change the settings on a specific type of assignment.

Below is an Activity-level Table of Contents for this title.

  • Chapter 1. Number Sense
    • Cluster 1: Introduction to Problem Solving
      • Activity 1.1 The Bookstore: Steps in Problem Solving
      • Activity 1.2 The Classroom: Problem-Solving Strategies
      • Activity 1.3 Properties of Arithmetic: Properties and Vocabulary for Arithmetic Calculations
      • What Have I Learned?
      • How Can I Practice?
    • Cluster 2: Problem Solving with Fractions and Decimals (Rational Numbers)
      • Activity 1.4 Top Chef: Operations with Fractions and Mixed Numbers
      • Project Activity 1.5 Course Grades and Your GPA: Problem Solving Using Fractions and Decimals
      • What Have I Learned?
      • How Can I Practice?
    • Cluster 3: Comparisons and Proportional Reasoning
      • Activity 1.6 Everything Is Relative: Ratios as Fractions, Decimals, and Percents
      • Activity 1.7 Antidepressant Use: Proportional Reasoning
      • Activity 1.8 Who Really Did Better? Actual and Relative Change, Percent Increase and Decrease
      • Activity 1.9 Going Shopping: Growth and Decay Factors
      • Activity 1.10 Take an Additional 20% Off: Consecutive Growth and Decay Factors
      • Activity 1.11 Fuel Economy: Rates and Unit Analysis
      • What Have I Learned?
      • How Can I Practice?
    • Cluster 4: Problem Solving with Signed Numbers
      • Activity 1.12 Celsius Thermometers: Addition and Subtraction of Integers
      • Activity 1.13 Shedding the Extra Pounds: Multiplication and Division of Integers
      • Activity 1.14 Order of Operations Revisited: Negative Exponents and Scientific Notation
      • What Have I Learned?
      • How Can I Practice?
      • Chapter 1 Summary
      • Chapter 1 Gateway Review
  • Chapter 2. Variable Sense
    • Cluster 1: Symbolic Rules and Expressions
      • Activity 2.1 Symbolizing Arithmetic: Formulas and Algebraic Expressions
      • Activity 2.2 Blood Alcohol Levels: Represent a Two-Variable Relationship Algebraically, Numerically, and Graphically
      • Activity 2.3 College Expenses: Symbolic Rules
      • Activity 2.4 Are They the Same? Equivalent Expressions and Grouping Symbols
      • What Have I Learned?
      • How Can I Practice?
    • Cluster 2: Solving Equations
      • Activity 2.5 Let’s Go Shopping: Solve an Equation Containing One Operation
      • Activity 2.6 Leasing a Copier: Solve an Equation Containing Two or More Operations
      • Activity 2.7 The Algebra of Weather: Solve a Formula for a Specified Variable
      • Activity 2.8 Four out of Five Dentists Prefer Crest: Proportions
      • What Have I Learned?
      • How Can I Practice?
    • Cluster 3: More Problem Solving Using Algebra
      • Activity 2.9 Do It Two Ways: Distributive Property, Greatest Common Factor, and Combining Like Terms
      • Activity 2.10 Decoding: Simplifying Algebraic Expressions
      • Activity 2.11 Comparing Energy Costs: Mathematical Models, General Strategy for Solving Linear Equations
      • Project Activity 2.12 Summer Job Opportunities: Problem Solving Using Linear Equations
      • What Have I Learned?
      • How Can I Practice?
      • Chapter 2 Summary
      • Chapter 2 Gateway Review
  • Chapter 3. Function Sense and Linear Functions
    • Cluster 1: Function Sense
      • Activity 3.1 Summer Olympics: Functions, Numerical and Graphical Representation of Functions
      • Activity 3.2 How Fast Did You Lose? Average Rate of Change
      • Project Activity 3.3 Comparing Symbolically Defined Functions and Their Graphs
      • Activity 3.4 Course Grade: Representing Functions Symbolically
      • What Have I Learned?
      • How Can I Practice?
    • Cluster 2: Introduction to Linear Functions
      • Activity 3.5 The Snowy Tree Cricket: Slope and Intercepts of a Line
      • Activity 3.6 Software Sales: Slope-Intercept Equation of a Line
      • Activity 3.7 Predicting Population: Problem Solving Using Slope-Intercept Equation of a Line
      • Activity 3.8 College Tuition: Point-Slope Equation of a Line
      • What Have I Learned?
      • How Can I Practice?
    • Cluster 3: Linear Regression, System, and Inequalities
      • Activity 3.9 Education Pays: Line of Best Fit and Regression Lines
      • Lab Activity 3.10 Body Parts: Problem Solving Using Regression Equations
      • Activity 3.11 Smartphone Plan Options: Systems of Linear Equations in Two Variables
      • Activity 3.12 Healthy Lifestyle: Solving a System of Linear Equations in Two Variables Using the Addition Method
      • Project Activity 3.13 Modeling a Business: Problem Solving Using Systems of Linear Equations in Two Variables
      • Activity 3.14 How Long Can You Live? Linear Inequalities
      • What Have I Learned?
      • How Can I Practice?
      • Chapter 3 Summary
      • Chapter 3 Gateway Review
  • Chapter 4. An Introduction to Nonlinear Problem Solving
    • Cluster 1: Mathematical Modeling Involving Polynomials
      • Activity 4.1 Fatal Crashes: Polynomials
      • Activity 4.2 Volume of a Storage Box: Properties of Exponents
      • Activity 4.3 Room for Work: Operations with Polynomials
      • What Have I Learned?
      • How Can I Practice?
    • Cluster 2: Problem Solving with Quadratic Equations and Functions
      • Activity 4.4 The Amazing Property of Gravity: Solving Quadratic Equations
      • Activity 4.5 What Goes Up, Comes Down: Quadratic Functions and Their Graphs
      • Activity 4.6 How High Did It Go? Solving Quadratic Equations by Factoring
      • Activity 4.7 More Ups and Downs: Solving Quadratic Equations Using the Quadratic Formula
      • What Have I Learned?
      • How Can I Practice?
    • Cluster 3: Other Nonlinear Functions
      • Activity 4.8 Inflation: Exponential Functions
      • Activity 4.9 A Thunderstorm: Direct Variation
      • Activity 4.10 Diving under Pressure, or Don‘t Hold Your Breath: Inverse Variation
      • Activity 4.11 Hang Time: Square Root Functions
      • What Have I Learned?
      • How Can I Practice?
      • Chapter 4 Summary
      • Chapter 4 Gateway Review

Appendices

  • A. Fractions
  • B. Decimals
  • C. Skills Checks
  • D. Algebraic Extensions
  • E. Getting Started with the TI-84 Plus Family of Calculators

About our authors

The Consortium for Foundation Mathematics is a group of mathematics educators, all originally from New York State, who first came together at SUNY Oswego in the summer of 1995 as part of a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant. The members of the group represented 2-year and 4-year colleges, commuter and residential colleges, large urban institutions and small rural institutions, and multi-campus as well as single-campus institutions. 

Unified by a desire to change the status quo to further student success, the group's initial objectives aimed at a new approach to developmental math that included contextual problem-solving, active collaborative learning, and authentic assessment tied more closely to real-world skills. The efforts of this initial grant resulted in new instructional materials that formed the basis of Consortium's texts, which include range from Prealgebra to Intermediate Algebra, as well as high school titles. As one Consortium author noted, contributing to this series with its different approach “changed my views about math, and about teaching math.” Of the 16 instructors originally involved in the grant, 8 instructors contribute to the latest editions of the text.

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