Elementary Mathematics

by WWL Chen and XT Duong

This set of notes has been compiled over a number of years. Chapters 1, 3-6 and 8 are based on lecture notes used by the second author in the second semester of 1998. Most of the remaining chapters were used for the first time in the second semester of 1999.

The material has been organized in such a way to create a single volume suitable for use in the unit MATH130 at Macquarie University. This unit is currently taught in two parallel strands. The following is the suggested order for the presentation of the material:

A: Chapters 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.
C: Chapters 2, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14.

The overall emphasis of this set of notes is on examples, of which there are many. The only way to study mathematics satisfactorily at this level is to study many examples and to attempt many exercises while going back regularly to the discussion in the notes for appropriate references.

The material is available free to all individuals, on the understanding that it is not to be used for financial gain, and may be downloaded and/or photocopied, with or without permission from the author. However, the documents may not be kept on any information storage and retrieval system without permission from the author, unless such system is not accessible to any individuals other than its owners.

SECTION A --- ALGEBRA

Chapter 1: BASIC ALGEBRA