A mathematician reveals the hidden beauty, power, and—yes—fun of algebra.
What comes to mind when you think about algebra? For many of us, it’s memories of dull or frustrating classes in high school. Award-winning mathematics professor G. Arnell Williams is here to change that. Algebra the Beautiful is a journey into the heart of fundamental math that proves just how amazing this subject really is.
Drawing on lessons from twenty-five years of teaching mathematics, Williams blends metaphor, history, and storytelling to uncover algebra’s hidden grandeur. Whether you’re a teacher looking to make math come alive for your students, a parent hoping to get your children engaged, a student trying to come to terms with a sometimes bewildering subject, or just a lover of mathematics, this book has something for you. With a passion that’s contagious, G. Arnell Williams shows how each of us can grasp the beauty and harmony of algebra.
Chapter 1. Numerical Symphonies
Chapter 3. Numerical Forensics
Chapter 4. Converging Streams and Emerging Themes
Chapter 5. The Rule of Dark Position
Chapter 7. Algebraic Awareness
Chapter 9. Algebraic Flights: Mechanism and Classification
Chapter 10. Algebraic Flights: Indeterminacy and Curiosity
Chapter 11. A Kaleidoscope of Ingredients
Appendix 1: The Quadratic Formula and Parameters
Appendix 2: Five Word Problems
Appendix 3: Function Notation [y and f(x)]
Appendix 4: Exponential Functions of Different Bases
Appendix 5: Solving for y in the Equation 12x + 8y = 400