Special Study Tips

Special Study Hints

As for any studying or learning activity, a positive environment that is conducive to learning is essential for your success. Find a location that is not distracting to you and that helps you stay alert during your study session. Have a calculator handy and dive in with a positive attitude!

Basic Math Skills
This course will cover a variety of business mathematics applications that apply to personal business practices. For these, the Basic Math Skills Workshops provided in Part 1 of your textbook are valuable resources for reviewing basic math functions prior to attacking the more focused course content that comes later. Try to begin each workshop by reading the section’s information, and then examine the examples and solve the example problems. Next, complete the Concept Check and Practice sections. Check your answers with those in the back of the book, beginning on page 802. If there is a discrepancy in your answer and the book’s answer, review the explanations and examples in the Workshop to find a similar type of problem and then compare each until you understand why and how the textbook arrived at its answer. Each of the Workshops can also be used as a reference guide as you work through the lessons. At appropriate points in the textbook, the related beneficial Workshop(s) and skill(s) are referenced for your use.

Your Reference Files
Beginning on page 726 of your textbook, Your Reference Files contain skills and applications to assist you in further reinforcing your math skills. There are 32 computational skills and 26 mathematical applications that deal with money, time, measurement, graphs, etc., and that provide quick practice problems as well.

Lessons/Chapters
This study guide will indicate the textbook pages and topics to be covered in each lesson. Simply follow the study guide’s page assignments. To successfully complete each lesson, use the steps below.

  1. Read the assigned textbook pages first by examining the topic. Then, read the What You’ll Learn overviews to identify the skill area on which the textbook wants you to focus. As you know, it is easier to understand the material if you know how you will use it in the real world.
  2. Read the When Will You Ever Use This? section to help you relate to the purpose of the topics and how you will be able to apply the information now or in the future. Each lesson/chapter contains a section called Living in the Real World, which is a segment of a story that runs throughout the chapter. These stories are intended to help you see how business math is used in the workplace.
  3. Read and study the Key Words to Know, which are highlighted in yellow throughout the textbook and serve as a guide to understanding the terms. These words can also be found in the textbook’s Glossary beginning on page 774. Be sure to look through the terms as needed, because they will not only appear in this course’s progress evaluations and exams, but also in real-life situations.
  4. Read the study guide’s Commentary sections. The study guide headings correspond with your textbook to help you follow along.
  5. Work the examples in the textbook and check your answers. The answers to the odd-numbered exercises of each chapter can be found in the Selected Answers section of the textbook, beginning on page 802. The remaining answers can be found in this study guide’s Appendix.

If at any time you have difficulty understanding any section, reread the text and study guide and double-check your arithmetic procedure(s) with those shown in the Workshops, Skills and Applications sections of the textbook.