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Elementary and Intermediate Algebra, 6th Edition

Alan S. Tussy, R. David Gustafson

  • Copyright 2025
  • {{checkPublicationMessage('Published', '2024-02-28T00:00:00+0000')}}
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Elementary and Intermediate Algebra 6th Edition by Alan S. Tussy/R. David Gustafson
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Overview

Tussy/Gustafson's ELEMENTARY AND INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA, 6th Edition, eases teaching challenges while meeting the educational needs of a new generation. The uniquely modern, balanced approach, integrates conceptual understanding with traditional skill and practice that is reinforced through an interactive digital experience in WebAssign. Students gain a deeper understanding if they know why a particular problem-solving approach was taken. Each worked example in the text includes a Strategy and Why explanation, providing students with a concise “why” to equip them to succeed at the “how.” Algebra is not just about the x -- it's also about the WHY. When the algebraic topics studied are put to use, it leads to increased credibility. A large number of real-life applications are included that will help you answer that often-posed question from your students, “when will I ever use this?”

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Meet the Authors

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Alan S. Tussy

Alan Tussy received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Redlands and a Master of Science in Applied Mathematics from California State University, Los Angeles. He has taught across a variety of course and curriculum areas from pre-algebra to differential equations at Arcadia High School and Citrus Community College in Glendora, CA. He has authored best-selling paperback and hardcover developmental mathematic series now in their 6th editions published by Cengage. An extraordinary author, he is dedicated to his students' success and is a relentlessly meticulous and creative visionary who maintains a keen focus on the greatest challenges students of today face in mathematics. He is a well-received conference speaker and has recently focused on mentoring and counseling the next generation of mathematics instructors.

R. David Gustafson

R. David Gustafson is professor emeritus of mathematics at Rock Valley College in Illinois and has also taught extensively at Rockford College and Beloit College. In addition to this best-selling college algebra resource with Jeffrey Hughes, he has co-authored Gustafson/Karr/Massey's BEGINNING ALGEBRA; INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA; BEGINNING AND INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA; BEGINNING AND INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA: A COMBINED APPROACH; and the Tussy/Gustafson and Tussy/Gustafson/Koenig Developmental Mathematics series. His numerous professional honors include Rock Valley Teacher of the Year and Rockford's Outstanding Educator of the Year. He has been very active in the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC) as a Midwest vice president. He has also served as president of IMACC, AMATYC's Illinois affiliate. Professor Gustafson earned a master of arts from Rockford College in Illinois as well as a master of science from Northern Illinois University.

What's New

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  • *NEW* UPDATED REAL-LIFE EXAMPLES with a multitude of new application problems that deal with current topics today’s math students might encounter in their everyday lives have been added.
  • *NEW* UNIQUE "STEP-BY-STEP" PROBLEM TYPE is available. It is designed to improve students’ ability to read and write the language of algebra. This instructional feature gives students all of the steps used to solve a problem and then determine the correct order.
  • *NEW* GROWTH MINDSET is encouraged by identifying errors in mathematical solutions. To promote a growth mindset, many "Study Sets" now contain "Find It" problems where students are asked to spot any errors, justify their reasoning and solve the problem correctly. "Find It" problems contain both conceptual and computational errors.
  • *NEW* SALARY FIGURES AND JOB OUTLOOK INFORMATION are updated in the "from Campus to Careers" chapter-opener features. Several new careers have been inserted such as physical therapy assistant, robotics technician, web designer, nurse practitioner and construction manager. Associated application problems for all of these vocations are included in the "Study Sets."
  • *NEW* MORE GRAPHS INCLUDED to communicate important quantitative information in a visual format. Knowing how to interpret graphs has become a crucial skill to have in the workplace. For this reason, many more graphs have been included in the "Study Sets" that call for students to do just that -- read and interpret a wide variety of graphs (and illustrations) of real-life situations.
  • *NEW* EYE-CATCHING CAUTION BOXES have been added to sections in Chapter 7 to stress the importance of factoring when simplifying rational expressions and solving rational equations.

Features

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  • WEBASSIGN ONLINE COURSE SOLUTION provides support for you and your students. Fully integrated with this printed edition of the text, WebAssign offers both a powerful online homework and a course management system that engages students in learning math. Pre-built assignments (Course Packs), just-in-time remediation (Learn Its) and unique question types (Responsive Questions and Concept Checks) vetted by trusted subject matter experts help you foster a deeper understanding of course concepts.
  • THE LANGUAGE OF ALGEBRA BOXES draw connections between mathematical terms and everyday references to reinforce the language of algebra thread that runs throughout the text.
  • TEACHING TIPS have been placed at strategic places in the margins to offer instructional suggestions that can be employed during classroom presentations. In addition, each worked example has an accompanying "Teaching Example" that instructors can use as part of a classroom lecture.
  • STUDY SETS found in each section are designed for students to methodically build their knowledge of the section concepts, from basic recall to increasingly complex problem solving, through reading, writing and thinking mathematically. A typical "Study Set" includes the following problem types: Vocabulary, Concepts, Notation, Guided Practice, Try It Yourself, Applications, Step-By-Step, Find It, Writing and Challenge Problems.
  • DEEPEN ALGEBRAIC CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING with worked examples that use "Strategy" and "Why" explanations. Detailed author notes throughout the worked examples guide students along a step-by-step process. They are written in complete sentences to mimic what an instructor might say when he or she explains solution steps in front of the class. "Now Try" links to similar problems in the Guided Practice section of the Study Sets.
  • STUDENT SUPPORT for those with difficulty reading the mathematical notation of algebra. To provide students assistance, notes such as "Read as ..." statements, appear throughout the text to explain how to read newly introduced mathematical notations.

Table of Contents

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1. AN INTRODUCTION TO ALGEBRA.
Introducing the Language of Algebra. Fractions. The Real Numbers. Adding Real Numbers; Properties of Addition. Subtracting Real Numbers. Multiplying and Dividing Real Numbers; Multiplication and Division Properties. Exponents and Order of Operations. Algebraic Expressions. Simplifying Algebraic Expressions Using Properties of Real Numbers. Chapter Summary. Chapter Test.
2. EQUATIONS, INEQUALITIES, AND PROBLEM SOLVING.
Solving Equations Using Properties of Equality. More about Solving Equations. Applications of Percent. Formulas. Problem Solving. More about Problem Solving. Solving Inequalities. Chapter Summary. Chapter Test.
3. GRAPHING LINEAR EQUATIONS AND INEQUALITIES IN TWO VARIABLES; FUNCTIONS.
Graphing Using the Rectangular Coordinate System. Graphing Linear Equations. Intercepts. Slope and Rate of Change. Slope-Intercept Form. Point-Slope Form. Graphing Linear Inequalities. An Introduction to Functions. Chapter Summary. Chapter Test.
4. SYSTEMS OF LINEAR EQUATIONS AND INEQUALITIES.
Solving Systems of Equations by Graphing. Solving Systems of Equations by Substitution. Solving Systems of Equations by Elimination (Addition). Problem Solving Using Systems of Equations. Solving Systems of Linear Inequalities. Chapter Summary. Chapter Test.
5. EXPONENTS AND POLYNOMIALS.
Rules for Exponents. Zero and Negative Exponents. Scientific Notation. Polynomials. Adding and Subtracting Polynomials. Multiplying Polynomials. Special Products. Polynomials. Chapter Summary. Chapter Test.
6. FACTORING AND QUADRATIC EQUATIONS.
The Greatest Common Factor; Factoring by Grouping. Factoring Trinomials of the Form x2 + bx + c. Factoring Trinomials of the Form ax2 + bx + c. Factoring Perfect-Square Trinomials and the Difference of Two Squares. Factoring the Sum and Difference of Two Cubes. A Factoring Strategy. Solving Quadratic Equations by Factoring. Applications of Quadratic Equations. Chapter Summary. Chapter Test.
7. RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS AND EQUATIONS.
Simplifying Rational Expressions. Multiplying and Dividing Rational Expressions. Adding and Subtracting with Like Denominators; Least Common Denominators. Adding and Subtracting with Unlike Denominators. Simplifying Complex Fractions. Solving Rational Equations. Problem Solving Using Rational Equations. Ratios, Rates, Proportions and Similar Triangles. Chapter Summary. Chapter Test. Cumulative Review Chapters 1–7.
8. TRANSITION TO INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA.
Review of Solving Linear Equations, Formulas, and Linear Inequalities; Applications. Functions. Graphs of Functions. Solving Compound Inequalities. Solving Absolute Value Equations and Inequalities. Review of Factoring Methods: GCF, Grouping, Trinomials. Review of Factoring Methods: The Difference of Two Squares; The Sum and Difference of Two Cubes. Review of Rational Expressions and Rational Equations; Rational Functions. Variation. Chapter Summary. Chapter Test.
9. RADICAL EXPRESSIONS AND EQUATIONS.
Radical Expressions and Radical Functions. Rational Exponents. Simplifying and Combining Radical Expressions. Multiplying and Dividing Radical Expressions. Solving Radical Equations. Geometric Applications of Radicals. Complex Numbers. Chapter Summary. Chapter Test.
10. QUADRATIC EQUATIONS, FUNCTIONS, AND INEQUALITIES.
The Square Root Property and Completing the Square. The Quadratic Formula. The Discriminant and Equations That Can Be Written in Quadratic Form. Quadratic Functions and Their Graphs. Quadratic and Other Nonlinear Inequalities. Chapter Summary. Chapter Test.
11. EXPONENTIAL AND LOGARITHMIC FUNCTIONS.
Algebra and Composition of Functions. Inverse Functions. Exponential Functions. Base-e Exponential Functions. Logarithmic Functions. Base-e Logarithmic Functions. Properties of Logarithms. Exponential and Logarithmic Equations. Chapter Summary. Chapter Test.
12. MORE ON SYSTEMS OF EQUATIONS.
Solving Systems of Equations in Two Variables; Applications. Solving Systems of Equations in Three Variables. Problem Solving Using Systems of Three Equations. Solving Systems of Equations Using Matrices. Solving Systems of Equations Using Determinants. Chapter Summary. Chapter Test.
13. CONIC SECTIONS; MORE GRAPHING.
The Circle and the Parabola. The Ellipse. The Hyperbola. Solving Nonlinear Systems of Equations. Chapter Summary. Chapter Test.
14. MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS.
The Binomial Theorem. Arithmetic Sequences and Series. Geometric Sequences and Series. Chapter Summary. Chapter Test. Group Project. Cumulative Review Chapters 8–14.
Appendix 1: Synthetic Division.
Appendix 2: Answers to Selected Problems.

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  • ISBN-10: 8214000491
  • ISBN-13: 9798214000497
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Cengage provides a range of supplements that are updated in coordination with the main title selection. For more information about these supplements, contact your Learning Consultant.

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ISBN: 9798214000497
Built by educators, WebAssign provides flexible settings at every step to customize your course with online activities and secure testing to meet learners’ unique needs. Students get everything in one place, including rich content and study resources designed to fuel deeper understanding, plus access to an eTextbook. Proven to help hone problem-solving skills, WebAssign helps you help learners in any course format.