Fundamentals of Mathematics: Solutions Guide accompanies Fundamentals of Mathematics for Business, Social, and Life Sciences. It contains answers to even-numbered exercises in the text and worked out solutions to selected exercises. My experience has been that it is advantageous to make such a supplement available to students for the following reasons.
1. Use of the Solutions Guide provides a study aid that can help make studying from the Fundamentals text an optimal learning experience. For the minimally prepared student who has always had to struggle with mathematics, such a supplementary aid may well make the difference between a passing and failing grade.
2. Use of the Solutions Guide allows the instructor to put greater responsibility for solving exercises in the hands of the student. This allows for more efficient use of class time and is especially valuable when there is a lot of material to be covered.
3. Use of the Solutions Guide allows the instructor greater latitude in selecting exercises for class discussion. The student has a source of information for exercises not discussed in class.
4. Use of the Solutions Guide gives the student who has been absent from class an extra aid in making up work missed.
The instructor who desires to assign exercises for homework that are to be handed in may retain this option and work with the Solutions Guide since worked-out solutions are provided to selected exercises, not all exercises.
W.J.A.
Preface for the Student
Needless to say, the benefits of the Solutions Guide will only be reaped if it is used properly. Proper use entails giving the exercises your best effort and only turning to the Solutions Guide for a hint when you are stuck or as a check when you have completed an exercise. Work as much as possible on your own. Reading worked-out solutions first and then trying the problems is counterproductive in that it leads to a false perspective on the difficulties involved in the exercises; the only way to appreciate these difficulties and conquer them is to experience them first hand.
W.J.A.