Quantitative Reasoning and the Environment

Book excerpt: An introductory quantitative math book with an environmental theme. The emphasis of this text is on analyzing real environmental information and problems, using mathematics accessible to students with an intermediate algebra background. Students using this text will develop mathematical (and environmental) literacy as they model natural processes using algebraic, graphical and numerical methods, and analyze data quantitatively to assist in objective decision making. The textbook is comprised of 4 principal sections: (1) basic numeracy; (2) function modeling; (3) difference equation modeling, ∧ (4) elementary statistics. Furthermore, this textbook combines both a reform and traditional approach. Traditional in that each chapter presents introductory material, worked examples, multiple student problems, and solutions to odd exercises. It is reform in that it investigates material through a synthesis of algebraic, graphical, numerical and verbal approaches.