The answers to all the problems are printed RIGHT NEXT to the questions themselves so that it is impossible to try something yourself without already seeing what the answer is. Many of the problems (actually, most of the problems) use concepts not introduced at or prior to the position where they appear in the book. The language used is very formal and means diddly-squat to real people who do something in life other than conceptualize stuff involving number tricks. For a field in which structured thought is bread and butter the very lack of any thought by whoever planned it is curious. If you are already very well grounded in mathematics and want a handy reference this would be okay, but for the intended market of people like myself trying to plug the gaps in math background, this is a useless book. Mastering Technical Mathematics by Stan Gibilisco and Norman Crowhurst is vastly superior even if it is a book that over-corrects the flaws of this one (some of its material is oversimplified to the extreme).

Being a college student,I do not agree with the first review at all. This is a great book. It covers the FUNDAMENTALS of college algebra, discrete mathematics, trigonometry, analytic geomety, and calculus. This study guide is the best tutor you could ask for. It really produces results without overwhelming you with unnecessary details. You get a complete overview of the subject. Plus you get plenty of practice exercises to test your skills!! It's perfect for preparing you for any exam. You'll see it when you get your test results. I highly recommend it. Try it for yourself before believing negative reviews.