Applied Math for General Studies

Author(s): Dawn Dabney

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Applied Math: General Studies is math workbook for non-STEM majors. The book answers real-world questions using real-world information in the areas of consumer math, finances, very basic statistics, and some linear and exponential modeling. 

What makes Applied Math: General Studies different? The students have a collection of databases—tables of information the author has collected from various federal, state, and local sources. These databases include information on topics such as local sales tax rates, historic Consumer Price Indices, minimum wage data historically and by state, gas prices, income tax rates, Federal Budget receipts and outlays, and more. The student must refer to the information in the databases to complete much of the work in the workbook. 

Applied Math: General Studies: 

  • conditions the student to find the information needed to answer a question, just as they have to do in real life
  • provides a scaffolded experience as the text included guided notes for completion in an instructional setting, practice problems that have final answers but no full solutions provided, and application problems that allow the student to apply what they have just learned to their own life
  • has databases that are updated every year to provide the most current information possible
  • eliminates the need to answer the question, “Where will I ever use this?” 

Unit 1 Practical Percents 
Lesson 1 – Percentages in the Real World 
Lesson 2 – Words Matter 
Lesson 3 – Voting: A Closer Look 
Lesson 4 – Index Numbers 

Unit 2 Percentages for Decision Making 
Lesson 5 – Absolute and Relative Measures 
Lesson 6 – Increases and Decreases in Percents 
Lesson 7 – Marginal Taxes 
Lesson 8 – Budgets 

Unit 3 Finances and Averages 
Lesson 9 – Savings Plans 
Lesson 10 – Investments and Borrowing 
Lesson 11 – Some Basic Statistics 
Lesson 12 – Statistics from Tables and Graphs 

Unit 4 Linear and Exponential Modeling 
Lesson 13 – Correlation and Causality 
Lesson 14 – Functions and Linear Models 
Lesson 15 – Exponential Models

Dawn Dabney

Dawn Dabney is an associate professor of mathematics at Northeast State Community College in Blountville, TN. Northeast State typically serves over 5000 students from counties in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. Dawn teaches a small variety of math courses as well as serving the Division of Mathematics as Corequisite Coordinator. She also serves the institution as a faculty assistant in the Center for Teaching and Learning, researching teaching best practices and providing professional development on these to the faculty. 

Applied Math: General Studies is math workbook for non-STEM majors. The book answers real-world questions using real-world information in the areas of consumer math, finances, very basic statistics, and some linear and exponential modeling. 

What makes Applied Math: General Studies different? The students have a collection of databases—tables of information the author has collected from various federal, state, and local sources. These databases include information on topics such as local sales tax rates, historic Consumer Price Indices, minimum wage data historically and by state, gas prices, income tax rates, Federal Budget receipts and outlays, and more. The student must refer to the information in the databases to complete much of the work in the workbook. 

Applied Math: General Studies: 

  • conditions the student to find the information needed to answer a question, just as they have to do in real life
  • provides a scaffolded experience as the text included guided notes for completion in an instructional setting, practice problems that have final answers but no full solutions provided, and application problems that allow the student to apply what they have just learned to their own life
  • has databases that are updated every year to provide the most current information possible
  • eliminates the need to answer the question, “Where will I ever use this?” 

Unit 1 Practical Percents 
Lesson 1 – Percentages in the Real World 
Lesson 2 – Words Matter 
Lesson 3 – Voting: A Closer Look 
Lesson 4 – Index Numbers 

Unit 2 Percentages for Decision Making 
Lesson 5 – Absolute and Relative Measures 
Lesson 6 – Increases and Decreases in Percents 
Lesson 7 – Marginal Taxes 
Lesson 8 – Budgets 

Unit 3 Finances and Averages 
Lesson 9 – Savings Plans 
Lesson 10 – Investments and Borrowing 
Lesson 11 – Some Basic Statistics 
Lesson 12 – Statistics from Tables and Graphs 

Unit 4 Linear and Exponential Modeling 
Lesson 13 – Correlation and Causality 
Lesson 14 – Functions and Linear Models 
Lesson 15 – Exponential Models

Dawn Dabney

Dawn Dabney is an associate professor of mathematics at Northeast State Community College in Blountville, TN. Northeast State typically serves over 5000 students from counties in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. Dawn teaches a small variety of math courses as well as serving the Division of Mathematics as Corequisite Coordinator. She also serves the institution as a faculty assistant in the Center for Teaching and Learning, researching teaching best practices and providing professional development on these to the faculty.