Math Is Not Magic: Solve Your Math Word Problems

Copyright © 2017 by Jerry Knoelke.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Note: This reference manual/training guide should be kept beside any math text to provide you with a method of attack and examples of classic challenges.

ISBN 978-1-64133-133-3 (sc)

ISBN 978-1-64133-132-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017957244

Non-Fiction / Guide / Education / Math / Memoirs

17.10.10

BookBlastPRO

25220 Hancock Ave #300,

Murrieta, CA 92562

www.bookblastpro.com

Dedication

I am thankful for my wife, Shirley, and my daughter, Rebecca, who have added their special talents to make this book more human.

And a special thanks to Ted, John, Kerry, Randy, and Denise for some really fine suggestions.

Foreword

This reference manual/training guide will teach you a universal conceptual process called PRESS to better your understanding of how to analyze abstract word problems, covering seven branches of mathematics. Keep this book with you over all four years of high school math and into college. You will have one universal process to rule them all. Learning the concept of PRESS will give direction to those who need help marrying their imaginations to math. There is no greater gift that you possess than your imagination. It precedes anything you do, especially math. It embellishes our thoughts and makes them more interesting and understandable as we communicate our ideas with others.

One major purpose of this book is to spark your imagination, which, for most, will not peak until one’s mid-twenties. Please continue to exercise your imagination and be patient. PRESS will teach you five simple pieces to make math easier to understand, but your imagination will help you see how the pieces connect to analyze the whole picture. As you engage in math’s symbolic reasoning, you will help your mind mature. Practicing math will help your mind design better ways to handle making life’s decisions.

In this book, you will find classic examples of word problems and their solutions, covering seven branches of mathematics. These examples will help you see and understand the contrast/distinction between each branch. Those differences will help you evolve your analytical thinking power. Fortunately, one conceptual process, PRESS, will help you manage the logical path required to analyze all seven branches. One process (not seven) will help you learn the universal framework to understand all four years of high school math. PRESS will help you translate word problems into symbolic math, use math’s symbolic language to solve the questions, and remind you to translate your solution back to your spoken language.

The solutions to these classic examples are embedded with details that will help your imagination see how to think your way through to logical conclusions. While working within the flexible PRESS overview, when your imagination sees a second interpretation to follow, follow your point of view, not mine! That is the main purpose of this book. PRESS will provide you with one flexible, universal framework to analyze seven different branches of mathematics, but building your imagination is the prime goal!

FYI: General overview of math branches discussed in this book.

Basic Algebra: The study of mathematical