Cover photo of Machu Picchu by Yung-Terng (Y.T.) Wang
, MATH 021
Introductory Algebra
Third Edition
September 1, 2019
Preface
In 1996, the Brookdale Mathematics Department created an Introductory Algebra course for our
non-STEM students. Math faculty consulted other departments with courses that had
Introductory Algebra as a prerequisite, and created an algebra course that truly served many
non-STEM disciplines. The Department selected a textbook that was as innovative as the course.
However, it did not match our preferred order of topics, and it did not include some prerequisite
topics requested by other departments, such as Probability and Statistics.
For years math faculty created support curriculum in hopes of eventually developing our own
textbook. We wanted to provide non-STEM students with a high-quality and academically
rigorous book that supported our course learning outcomes, for free or at minimum cost. Finally,
with the advent of Open Educational Resources (OER) and the support of Brookdale Community
College, we decided to build a book that combined a remix of OER textbook definitions with our
own curriculum.
This text was piloted in the Spring 2017 semester by math faculty who volunteered to use the
book and contribute suggestions. Since then, we received suggestions and edits from faculty who
taught the course. This Third Edition reflects those suggestions and changes. We remain
appreciative of the support and encouragement we received from our families, as well as
Brookdale administrators, staff, and faculty.
Barbara Tozzi, Ed.D.
Linda C. Wang
Brookdale Community College Mathematics Department
September 1, 2019
, Acknowledgements
This book is completed because of the support and encouragement we received from our
families and our Brookdale family. We remain grateful to:
Our families:
Robert J. Tozzi, Bob Tozzi, Lisa, Clay, Carolina Marie and Lydia James Rogers
Yung-Terng Wang, Jade P. Wang, Jay Muchnij, Raemin, Mariama, Mian and Reo Wang
Our Brookdale family:
Dr. Matthew Reed, Vice President for Learning
Dr. Anoop Ahluwalia, STEM Institute Dean
Ann Tickner-Jankowski, Director, Transfer Resources/Articulation
Steven Chudnick, Director – Library and College Copyright Officer
Valerie Bonilla and Amy Clark, Professors/Librarians and presenters of Intro to OER course
Avis McMillon, Executive Director – College Relations
Anthony LaGaipa, Graphic Artist/Design Coordinator
The Brookdale Mathematics Department, past and present,
including the following Math Faculty:
Rebecca Rozario, Assistant Mathematics Department Chair
Daniel Lopez and Nathalie Darden, MATH 021 Course Coordinators
Pilot Instructors/Reviewers:
Karina Aliaga, Nathalie Darden, Sally Mulvey, Linda C. Wang, and Arminda Wey
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