- July 2008
125.- Euro
2008. 656 Pages, Softcover
ISBN-10: 0-470-41232-1
ISBN-13: 978-0-470-41232-9 - John Wiley & Sons








Detailed description
The need for quantitative reasoning courses has never been stronger: Citing a recent study funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Associated Press reported in 2006 that more than half of the nation's students at four-year colleges and universities "lack the literacy to handle complex, real-life tasks" such as understanding credit card offers, balancing checkbooks, and computing restaurant tips.

Quantitative Reasoning: Tools for Today's Informed Citizen helps students connect mathematics in the classroom with applications in the real world. Through a series of hands-on activities and explorations, the text empowers students by teaching them to apply quantitative reasoning skills to make informed decisions in their daily lives. Authors Alicia Sevilla and Kay Somers developed this engaging, activity-based text for students enrolled in an introductory-level, problem-based general education quantitative reasoning course. Technology is an essential component of the text, and it is integrated in Activities that use Microsoft® Excel or, alternatively, the TI-83/84 Plus graphing calculator. The use of technology helps students concentrate on ideas rather than computational details--allowing them to investigate significant and more realistic problems.

From the contents
Section I: Numerical Reasoning

Topic 1: Organizing Information Pictorially Using Charts and Graphs

Topic 2: Bivariate Data

Topic 3: Graphs of Functions

Topic 4: Multiple Variable Functions

Topic 5: Proportional, Linear, and Piecewise Linear Functions

Topic 6: Modeling with Linear and Exponential Functions

Topic 7: Logarithms and Scientific Notation

Topic 8: Indexes and Ratings

Topic 9: Personal Finances

Topic 10: Introduction to Problem Solving



Section II: Logical Reasoning

Topic 11: Decision Making

Topic 12: Inductive Reasoning

Topic 13: Deductive Reasoning

Topic 14: Apportionment

Topic 15: More on Problem Solving



Section III: Statistical Reasoning

Topic 16: Averages and Five-Number Summary

Topic 17: Standard Deviation, z-Score, and Normal Distributions

Topic 18: Basics of Probability

Topic 19: Conditional Probability and Tables

Topic 20: Sampling and Surveys

Topic 21: More on Decision Making



Activities

Excel Activities

Graphing Calculator Activities on the Student CD



Excel Commands by Activities

Index



Resources on the Student CD

Excel Data Bank to Accompany Excel Activities

Selected Answers to Explorations

Graphing Calculator Activities

Graphing Calculator Commands by Activity