Table of Contents
Top Ten Times You'll Need to Use Math 10
Introduction 11
01 Are You a Math Phobe? 13
What Is Math? 14
What Is Math Phobia? 15
The Modern Computer and Calculator 16
Learn to Love Math 18
02 Whole Numbers, Counting Numbers, and Integers 21
The Most Important Skill of All: Estimation 22
Basic Number Properties 24
Adding Lists of Numbers 26
Subtracting 28
Multiplication 32
Division 35
Negative Numbers 37
Exercises 39
03 Decimals 41
Place Value-Big Numbers and Small Numbers 42
Scientific Notation 42
The Metric System 43
Arithmetic with Decimals 45
Making Change 47
Exercises 48
04 Fractions 51
Fractions Are Numbers, Too 52
Adding and Subtracting Fractions 53
Multiplying Fractions 56
Dividing Fractions 58
Converting Between Fractions and Decimals 59
Hand Me the Wrench 61
Exercises 62
05 Percentages 65
What Is Percent? 66
Calculating a Percent with a Proportion 67
Calculating a Percent from a Formula 68
Finding the Percent Change 69
Increasing and Decreasing Rates 70
Exercises 72
06 Shopping 75
How Much Did You Save? 76
How Much More Did You Save? 76
Sales Tax 78
Unit Pricing 79
Eating at a Restaurant-Tipping 81
Exercises 83
07 Simple and Compound Interest 85
What Is the Difference Between Simple and Compound Interest? 86
Computing Simple Interest 86
Annual Percentage Rate versus Periodic Rate of Interest 87
The Power of Compounding 88
Bank Accounts and Credit Cards 91
Exercises 93
08 Math in the Kitchen 95
Common Measurements 96
Dry Measurements versus Liquid Measurements 97
Tablespoons and Cubic Centimeters 99
Making a Meal for More than the Recipe Calls For 100
Cooking Times 102
Exercises 103
09 Budgets 105
Projecting Gross Annual and Pay Period Income 106
Projecting Net Income per Pay Period 108
Projecting Annual Expenses 108
What's the Difference, and What to Do about It 110
Exercises 112
10 Taking a Trip 115
How Far Away Is It and How Much Time Will It Take? 116
How Much Will It Cost? 117
Are We There Yet? 118
Flying versus Driving 118
Exercises 120
11 Buying a Car 123
Buy or Lease? 124
Shopping for a Car Loan 126
Down Payments 127
The Car Payment 127
Paying Off the Car Loan Early 131
Exercises 132
12 Buying a House 135
Shopping for a Loan 136
Down Payments and Points 139
The Mortgage Payment 141
Paying Off the Mortgage Early and Home Equity Loans 144
Exercises 145
13 Saving for Retirement 147
IRAs and 401 (k) Plans 148
Simple Annuities 150
How Much Will I Need? 152
I'm Retired-How Much Can I Withdraw? 153
Exercises 154
14 Filing Tax Returns 157
Which Form Is Appropriate? 158
Completing the W-4 Form 160
Reading the W-2 Form 163
Filling Out Form 1040EZ 164
Exercises 170
15 Probability and Statistics 171
Simple Events-Flipping a Coin 172
Compound Events-Rolling the Dice 173
What Are the Odds? 177
Where's the Center?-Averages 180
Polls 187
Exercises 190
16 Math in the Home 191
Area and Volume Formulas You Should Know 192
Volume 196
Painting the Walls 198
Flooring 207
New Curtains 210
Kilowatt-Hours 211
The Water Bill 212
Taking Care of the Lawn and Garden 212
How Tall Is That Tree? 214
Exercises 215
17 Math on the Job 219
Window Replacement 220
Physical Therapy 221
Exercise Physiologists 222
Taking Care of the Pool 224
Shoe Manufacturing 226
18 Playing Games 229
Games for Kids under 5 230
Games for Children 6 and Up 231
More Complex Games 234
Games Online 241
Exercises 242
Appendix A Exercise Solutions 243
Appendix B In the Craft Room: Measure Twice, Cut Once 249
Appendix C Math in the Gym 261
Appendix D Glossary 275
Index 283
