Mathematics in Trades and Life

This book is intended for use as lessons in a course that emphasizes building the skills to read and use mathematics (such as in a technical manual), and to recognize mathematical concepts in things you encounter in life.

This book is written to demonstrate effective thought processes, and provide the reader with practice learning to analyze examples and apply examples to similar—not solely identical—problems.

The general approach is to provide initial examples, present general concepts used in the examples, and then provide a chance to practice the concept or skill. There are two types of special examples. One demonstrates the entire thought process used to figure out what to do. These are much longer and ill suited to use as examples when working on an assignment. Another type of special example illustrates using an example (examples on how to use an example). These are also longer as they show the thought process for connecting pieces of a question to a sufficiently similar problem.

By design there are exercises for which there is no step-by-step example in the section. This book is not written as a how to manual for specific applications. When you encounter these problems, as needed, refer to the examples illustrating thought processes. Mimic the thinking skills. You will go farther in life with general thinking skills than you will with memorizing specific processes.