Basic College Mathematics

A steady, student-friendly path through college math

Basic College Mathematics brings together the core skills many students need most: whole numbers, fractions, decimals, ratio and proportion, percent, measurement, and introductory geometry. Elayn Martin-Gay organizes the material in a clear, incremental way, so each chapter builds on the last without losing sight of review and reinforcement.

This sixth edition is especially well suited to readers who want a structured, practice-heavy approach. The contents show a repeated rhythm of explanation, integrated review, vocabulary work, chapter highlights, and test preparation—helpful for students who learn best by doing, checking, and practicing again. The result is a worktext that feels built for the classroom and for independent study alike.

What the book covers

• Whole numbers and the basics of problem solving
• Fractions, mixed numbers, and factor skills
• Adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing with fractions
• Decimals and their relationship to fractions
• Ratio, rate, proportion, and percent
• Measurement in U.S. and metric systems
• Foundations of geometry, including lines, angles, area, and solids

Built for practice and confidence

The chapter structure suggests a strong emphasis on repetition and guided learning. Frequent review sections and end-of-chapter test preparation make this a practical choice for students who need steady pacing rather than a rushed survey. It is also a natural fit for instructors looking for a dependable foundation text for basic college-level mathematics.

Why it stands out

Rather than treating arithmetic as a short list of procedures, this edition presents math as a sequence of connected skills. That approach helps readers see how number sense, computation, measurement, and geometry work together in everyday coursework. For many students, that kind of organization is exactly what makes a challenging subject feel manageable.

Publisher: Pearson
Edition: Sixth Edition