Skip to ContentGo to accessibility pageKeyboard shortcuts menu
OpenStax Logo
College Algebra

Introduction to Prerequisites

College AlgebraIntroduction to Prerequisites
Picture of Antartica showing water, mountain, and iceberg peaks under a bright blue sky
Credit: Andreas Kambanls

Chapter Outline

1.1 Real Numbers: Algebra Essentials
1.2 Exponents and Scientific Notation
1.3 Radicals and Rational Exponents
1.4 Polynomials
1.5 Factoring Polynomials
1.6 Rational Expressions

It’s a cold day in Antarctica. In fact, it’s always a cold day in Antarctica. Earth’s southernmost continent, Antarctica experiences the coldest, driest, and windiest conditions known. The coldest temperature ever recorded, over one hundred degrees below zero on the Celsius scale, was recorded by remote satellite. It is no surprise then, that no native human population can survive the harsh conditions. Only explorers and scientists brave the environment for any length of time.

Measuring and recording the characteristics of weather conditions in Antarctica requires a use of different kinds of numbers. Performing calculations with them and using the results to make predictions requires an understanding of relationships among numbers. In this chapter, we will review sets of numbers and properties of operations used to manipulate numbers. This understanding will serve as prerequisite knowledge throughout our study of algebra and trigonometry.

PreviousNext
Order a print copy
Citation/Attribution

This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's permission.

Want to cite, share, or modify this book? This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution License and you must attribute OpenStax.

Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/college-algebra/pages/1-introduction-to-prerequisites
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a digital format, then you must include on every digital page view the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/college-algebra/pages/1-introduction-to-prerequisites
Citation information

© Dec 8, 2021 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.