Basic Mathematics: Teach Yourself

Cover......Page 1
Book title......Page 2
Contents......Page 6
Meet the author......Page 10
Only got a minute?......Page 11
Only got five minutes?......Page 13
Part one – Understanding the basics......Page 18
Is this book really for me?......Page 20
Can I succeed now if I failed at school?......Page 22
Hasn't maths changed since I was at school?......Page 23
Will it help to use a calculator?......Page 24
Can I help my child?......Page 25
Numbers, numbers everywhere......Page 28
Saying hello to your calculator......Page 31
Introducing the counting numbers......Page 32
Ordering numbers......Page 34
Tens and units......Page 35
Hundreds, thousands and beyond......Page 38
Children and numbers......Page 41
Answers to exercises for Chapter 2......Page 42
Properties of numbers......Page 44
Adding......Page 48
Subtracting......Page 53
Multiplying......Page 59
Dividing......Page 63
Knowing what sum to do......Page 67
Answers to exercises for Chapter 3......Page 72
Facing up to fractions......Page 78
What is a fraction?......Page 79
How to picture a fraction......Page 81
Fitting fractions into the number line......Page 82
What are equivalent fractions?......Page 83
Adding and subtracting fractions......Page 84
Multiplying and dividing fractions......Page 86
Ratio and proportion......Page 87
Answers to exercises for Chapter 4......Page 90
5 Decimals......Page 93
Decimal fractions......Page 94
What is the point of the decimal point?......Page 97
Using the four rules with decimals......Page 99
Dividing fractions......Page 101
An overview of decimals......Page 102
Answers to exercises for Chapter 5......Page 106
6 Percentages......Page 111
What is a percentage?......Page 112
Changing a fraction to a percentage......Page 114
Why bother with percentages?......Page 115
Calculating percentage increases and reductions......Page 117
Persistent problems with percentages......Page 122
Answers to exercises for Chapter 6......Page 125
What do we measure?......Page 130
Why do we measure?......Page 132
How do we measure?......Page 134
How accurately should we measure?......Page 136
Imperial and metric units......Page 140
Answers to exercises for Chapter 7......Page 147
8 Statistical graphs......Page 151
Barcharts and piecharts......Page 152
Scattergraphs and line graphs......Page 156
Misleading graphs......Page 161
Answers to exercises for Chapter 8......Page 165
Is algebra abstract and irrelevant?......Page 168
Algebra as shorthand......Page 170
Calculating with formulas......Page 174
Proving with algebra......Page 178
Answers to exercises for Chapter 9......Page 182
10 Puzzles, games and diversions......Page 186
1 Bus number game......Page 187
3 Guess my number......Page 188
4 Finger tables......Page 189
6 Magic squares......Page 190
8 Upside down......Page 191
10 The bells, the bells!......Page 192
11 Calculator inversions......Page 193
12 Four 4s......Page 194
15 Explore and explain the pattern......Page 195
16 1089 and all that......Page 196
18 Gold pieces......Page 197
20 Guess the number......Page 198
22 Calculator snooker......Page 199
23 Place invaders......Page 200
Answers for Chapter 10......Page 202
An overview of a spreadsheet......Page 209
Using a spreadsheet......Page 213
Number sequences on a spreadsheet......Page 219
Percentages on a spreadsheet......Page 221
What else will a spreadsheet do?......Page 223
Answers to exercises for Chapter 11......Page 224
12 Diagnostic quiz......Page 227
Quiz......Page 228
Solutions to the quiz......Page 232
Detailed comments on the solutions......Page 235
Part two – Mathematics in action (appendices)......Page 244
Appendix A: Calculating a best buy......Page 246
Appendix B: Reading the 24-hour clock......Page 250
Appendix C: Bus and railway timetables......Page 255
Appendix D: Checking the supermarket bill......Page 260
Appendix E: Understanding a shop receipt......Page 264
Appendix F: Checking the VAT......Page 267
Appendix G: Cooking with figures......Page 270
Appendix H: Buying a TV set......Page 276
Appendix I: Will it fit?......Page 279
Appendix J: Measures of alcohol......Page 282
Appendix K: Understanding barcodes......Page 287
Appendix L: Junk mail and free offers......Page 291
Appendix M: Winning on the National Lottery......Page 294
Appendix N: Safe travel......Page 301
Appendix O: World population......Page 304
Taking it further......Page 306
C......Page 310
H......Page 311
O......Page 312
R......Page 313
Z......Page 314