Introduction




I plan to take the reader from the very basics to the world of calculus and beyond in a path that will concentrate on select topics that I chose. The topics that I included are ones that I have written for my students of statistics and calculus while teaching at Marist University. I am only assumming a minimal math background to understand them. Some may take deep thought and study while others are very straight forward. My goal is to give the average math student a better feel for math by giving them an approach that will solidify understanding. Mathematics is a state of mind and it takes a very special approach for one to feel comfortable in this wonderful domain. I kept the theory and rigor at a minimum so the average student is not overwhelmed. For those of you who are math oriented and seek a more comprehensive understanding, I refer you to the textbook I cherish greatly, "Thomas' Calculus, Eleventh Edition". In my opinion, the best calculus text ever written for the serious student. I will start with the numbers most of us have worked with during our lives. Without the understanding of how numbers work and their relationships with each other, there cannot be much understanding of mathematics.