» Precalculus

Precalculus Reviews

Customer Rating:
Summary: Blitzer Precal
Comment: The book came quick than I had thought it would. My only negative thought about the book was that it smelled of a smoker. I never thought of asking if the previous reader was a smoker or not. I have a very sensitive nose and it has taken a week or two to get used to the smell.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Simply the Best
Comment: This is the best textbook on precalculus on the market. Overall, the explanations are very clear, there are plenty of examples to work from, and as with most textbooks the answer to every other question is in the back of the book. The CD that comes with the text is also a huge help, as you get to see an instructor work through problems step by step, and not just a few problems, 20-30 per chapter. Blitzer also has a website where if you feel there weren't enough problems in the book, you can work more online. The only problem I had with this textbook is that it fell apart after one semester and it appeared other students had the same problem. Its simply too big without the proper binding. However if that doesn't bother you, this is simply the best precalculus textbook on the market.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Good for learning math, but could we skip the propaganda?
Comment: I had to get this textbook for an online course I'm taking.

I have found that the basic presentation of the concepts is very good overall, and I "get it", but some of the real-world examples strike me as being propagandistic (from a liberal point of view).

A couple of examples would include the modeling of the Gray Wolf population (subtle inference that we humans 'r bad for reducing said population), the number of AIDS cases in the US since 1983 (which peaked at the end of the Reagan/Bush I era, hence Republicans are to blame), and also fuel economy of American cars since 1940. We big bad Americans used too much gas back in 1958, apparently. That's why it's so expensive now, I guess.

Anyway, it's not bad overall, but take the examples with a grain of salt. For the really egregious examples, take them with a few shakes of salt, some lime, and a shot of tequila.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Comment: I used this book instead of listening to the teacher's lectures and I did really great in the class! This is a great book to use in class and study form it alone!

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