Essentials of Using and Understanding Mathematics A Quantitative Reasoning Approach

Summary: 1. Thinking Critically. Recognizing Fallacies. Propositions and Truth Values. Sets and Venn Diagrams. Critical Thinking in Everyday Life. 2. Approaches to Problem Solving. The Problem Solving Power of Units. Standardization Units: More Problem Solving Power. Problem Solving Guidelines and Hints. 3. Numbers in the Real World. Uses and Abuses of Percentages. Putting Numbers in Perspective. Dealing with Uncertainty. How... Numbers Deceive: Polygraphs, Mammograms, and More. 4. Financial Management. The Power of Compounding. Savings Plans. Loan Payments, Credit Cards, and Mortgages. 5. Statistical Reasoning. Fundamentals of Statistics. Should You Believe a Statistical Study? Statistical Tables and Graphs. Graphics in the Media. Correlation and Causality. Characterizing a Data Distribution. 6. Probability: Living with the Odds. Fundamentals of Probability. Combining Probabilities. The Law of Large Numbers. Counting and Probability. 7. Exponential Astonishment. Growth: Linear vs. Exponential. Doubling Time and Half-Life. Exponential Modeling. 8. Mathematics and the Arts. Mathematics and Music. Perspective and Symmetry. Proportions and the Golden Ratio. 9. Mathematics and Politics. Voting: Does the Majority Always Rule? Apportionment: The House of Representatives and Beyond. [read more]