Used Math Textbooks – The word “math” is the abbreviated or shortened version of “mathematics” that derived from the Greek word “máth?ma” which means “learning, study, science.”  Mathematics, in its earliest and most elementary forms, dates back to prehistoric people who learned how to count; first physical objects and then the abstracts such as time which included days, seasons and years.

Later on, of course, seconds, minutes and hours were added to mix of counted abstracts.  Arithmetic which is essentially the basics of mathematics followed in a natural progression with addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.  Out of sheer necessity to document that which was counted or arithmetically calculated, some form of a consistent system for recording had to be invented. and many cultures went about it in different ways with their own distinct methods.  For example:  the Incas used tallies or knotted strings called quipu.

The first evidence of written recordings of arithmetical data is attributed to the Egyptians in the Middle Kingdom and that was realized with the discovery of the Rhind Mathematical Papyrus.  The highly evolved civilization of the Indus Valley developed the decimal system which we still use today as well as the metaphorical concept of “zero.”

For the most part, the mathematics of ancient cultures can more or less be divided into the following studies:

* Quantities.  The realization of quantities which was used for taxation and trade purposes, as well as to conceive the relationships between numbers.

* Structure.  Structure was used to measure the physical size (length, height, widths, depth and weight) of tangibles such as land, homes and all kinds of objects.

* Space.  Space was used to measure the distance between tangibles such as the distance from home to church, from town to village and so on.

* Change.  Change was the method by which time was measured between recurring cosmic, natural and personal events such sunrise and sunset, cold season and hot, night and day, full moon and no moon, conception of baby and its birth, birth and death, and so on.

Mathematics, which is continually expanding and extending its scope, is a science in its own rights but it is also an essential tool used in just about all other fields of science.  To quote Benjamin Peirce, a famous American mathematics professor who taught at the Harvard University in the 19th century, “Mathematics is the science that draws necessary conclusions.”  Many other mathematicians claim that mathematics is the science of patterns which are found in the precision of numbers as they relate to space, to other scientific persuasions, to computers, to non-tangible concepts, to logical thinking and to everything else.

We all use mathematics on a daily basis; at home, in the workforce and out in public.  For the most part we skim through it with ease and do not even give it a second thought but when it comes to the formality of learning mathematics at school, many of us, myself included, freeze up with terror and intimidation.  I cannot even begin to imagine why mathematics scares so many of us but I do know that an effective curriculum with a motivating instructor and an appropriate textbook work wonders.  Unfortunately, textbooks tend to be expensive, particularly those for the sciences and mathematics.  However, buying them used saves a great deal of money.  The following is a list of my preferred sources but please keep in mind that there are many others which are easily found on the Internet:

* Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Mathematics-Sciences-Books/b/ref=tb_bb_math1?ie=UTF8&node=468218&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=browse&pf_rd_r=10ZBZW5PF80F63M9TPET&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=428772601&pf_rd_i=465600) is probably the largest online retailer of, among many other things, used math textbooks.

* Textbooks.com (http://www.textbooks.com/Catalog/M/Math-and-Science.php?CSID=QKA0QQO0MAO0QQDCMOCM2AQKT&hp=02-10LN-Cat-Math) may not be as big as Amazon.com but they do specialize in textbook and thus their textbook selection is more extensive.

* The Back Pack (http://www.thebackpack.com/used_math_textbooks.htm) carry used math textbooks for levels up through high school.

* BookByte.com (http://www.bookbyte.com/browsesubjects.aspx?subjectid=465600) offer college level used math textbooks at amazing prices.

* Powell’s Books (http://www.powells.com/psection/Mathematics.html) stock used math textbooks at all levels of education.

Filed under: Used Textbooks For Sale

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