Mathematics in Action: Prealgebra Problem Solving, Third Edition, is intended to help college
mathematics students gain mathematical literacy in the real world and simultaneously
help them build a solid foundation for future study in mathematics and other disciplines.
Our authoring team used the AMATYC Crossroads standards to develop a three-book series
to serve a large and diverse population of college students who, for whatever reason, have not
yet succeeded in learning mathematics. It became apparent to us that teaching the same content
in the same manner to students who have not previously comprehended it is not effective,
and this realization motivated us to develop a new approach.
Mathematics in Action is based on the principle that students learn mathematics best by doing
mathematics within a meaningful context. In keeping with this premise, students solve problems
in a series of realistic situations from which the crucial need for mathematics arises.
Mathematics in Action guides students toward developing a sense of independence and taking
responsibility for their own learning. Students are encouraged to construct, reflect on, apply,
and describe their own mathematical models, which they use to solve meaningful problems.
We see this as the key to bridging the gap between abstraction and application and as the basis
for transfer learning. Appropriate technology is integrated throughout the books, allowing students
to interpret real-life data verbally, numerically, symbolically, and graphically.
We expect that by using the Mathematics in Action series, all students will be able to achieve
the following goals:
• Develop mathematical intuition and a relevant base of mathematical knowledge.
• Gain experiences that connect classroom learning with real-world applications.
• Prepare effectively for further college work in mathematics and related disciplines.
• Learn to work in groups as well as independently.
• Increase knowledge of mathematics through explorations with appropriate technology.
• Develop a positive attitude about learning and using mathematics.
• Build techniques of reasoning for effective problem solving.
• Learn to apply and display knowledge through alternative means of assessment, such as
mathematical portfolios and journal writing.
We hope that your students will join the growing number of students using our approaches
who have discovered that mathematics is an essential and learnable survival skill for the
twenty-first century.