Math Resources

If you find yourself confused or frustrated by the math that your class requires, you are not alone.  Many students at IHE have not been in school for several years and do not remember the finer points of algebra or fractions. 

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you probably know what I am going to write next:  that the IHE Library has resources for you.

You can start by looking at books that cover math specifically for health professionals and students:

Title	Authors	Call Number	ISBN
Basic Mathematics for the Health-Related Professions	Lorraine J. Doucette	R853 .M3 D68 2000	0721619382
Delmar’s Math Review Series for Health Career Professionals:  The Basics of Decimals	Roger Ellsbury	QA117 .E484 2011	9781439058374
Delmar’s Math Review Series for Health Care Professionals:  The Basics of Ratio, Rate, and Proportion	Roger Ellsbury	QA117 .E483 2011	9781439058381
Math for the Pharmacy Technician:  Concepts and Calculations	Lynn M. Edgar	RS57 .E35 2010	9780073373966
Saunders Math Skills for Health Professionals	Rebecca Wallace Hickey	R853.M3 H53 2010	9781416047551

We also have books on algebra:

Algebra	John W. McConnell, others	QA154.2 .A5 1990	0673372774
Algebra for College Students	Jerome E. Kaufmann, Karen Schwitters	QA154.2 .K36 2000	0534371639
Beginning Algebra	K. Elayn Martin-Gay	QA152.3 .M353 2009	9780136007029
Beginning Algebra	John Tobey, Jeffrey Slater, Jennifer Crawford	QA152.3 .T63 2010	9780321573773
Introductory Algebra:  A Real-World Approach	Ignacio Bello	QA152.3 .B466 2012	9780073384399

You do not need to know calculus for any IHE classes, but if you have always wanted to learn and already understand algebra well, try one of these:

Calculus	James Stewart	QA303.2 .S73 2003	053439339X
Calculus of a Single Variable	Roland E. Larson, others	QA303 .L3274 1995	0669393487
Single Variable Calculus	James Stewart	QA303.2 .S75 2005	0534496776

If you find that you need to review more basic math, you might try Math Advantage by Grace M. Burton (call number QA 135.5 .B87 1998, ISBN 0153056762).  This book is geared toward middle school students, but middle school math is not always so simple for people who have not used it in a long time.  Another book, Basic College Mathematics by Ignacio Bello (call number QA39.3 .B44 2012, ISBN 9780073384382), according to its publisher:

“will be a review of fundamental math concepts for some students and may break new ground for others. Nevertheless, students of all backgrounds will be delighted to find a refreshing book that appeals to all learning styles and reaches out to diverse demographics. Through down-to-earth explanations, patient skill-building, and exceptionally interesting and realistic applications, this worktext will empower students to learn and master mathematics in the real world. Bello has written a textbook with mathanxious students in mind to combat the issue of student motivation, something that instructors face with each class…” (retrieved February 22, 2012, from http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0073384380&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=true). 

We also have a book that was published before I was born, Practical Mathematics: Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, and the Slide Rule by Claude Irwin Palmer and others (call number QA39 .P32 1970, Library of Congress Control Number 69017149).  You may have never even seen a slide rule, a non-electronic device that people used to solve math problems years ago, but the title shows that the book also includes information about different types of math.

Finally, if you are like me and think that challenging math and logic puzzles can be fun, you might enjoy The Puzzling Adventures of Dr. Ecco by Dennis Shasha (Call number QA95 .S47 1998, ISBN 0486296156).

By now, it should go without saying:  if you have any questions or concerns or need help with your classes, you can always turn to your friendly neighborhood librarian.