We are neighbors and friends. We are spouses and parents. We are grandparents and teachers. We have taught in high schools and colleges. It is these experiences that brought us to writing math texts. We wrote these texts with the same goal we have as teachers - to help you succeed. Our texts are written in an interactive style that encourages you to work along with explanations and examples as you go through the text.Completely worked examples are models you can use to practice solving other problems. It is through this practice that you will improve your math skills. Some of you may find math difficult. Some people, even very smart people, find math difficult. It is true that there are difficult ideas and concepts in math. They can be quite challenging to learn. Nonetheless, most of us can learn and understand the concepts in the math courses that are required for your college degree. If you want math to be less difficult, practice.When you have finished practicing, practice some more. Do not let math be a barrier to you working in your desired field.Please visit our website at www.cengage.com/community/aufmannpaperbacks for additional information about our textbooks. We wish you every success.Joanne Lockwood and Richard Aufmann