Intended for developmental math courses in beginning algebra, this text retains the hallmark features that have made the Aufmann texts market leaders: an interactive approach in an objective-based framework: a clear writing style, and an emphasis on problem-solving strategies. The acclaimed Aufmann Interactive Method, allows students to try a skill as it is introduced with matched-pair examples, offering students immediate feedback, reinforcing the concept, identifying problem areas, and, overall, promoting student success. New!Interactive Exercisesappear at the beginning of an objective's exercise set (when appropriate), and provide students with guided practice on some of the objective's underlying principles. New!Think About ItExercises are conceptual in nature and appear near the end of an objective's exercise set. They ask the students to think about the objective's concepts, make generalizations, and apply them to more abstract problems. The focus is on mental mathematics, not calculation or computation, and help students synthesize concepts. New!Important Pointshave been highlighted to capture students' attention. With these signposts, students are able to recognize what is most important and to study more efficiently. New!A Concepts of Geometry section has been added to Chapter 1. New!Coverage of operations on fractions has been changed in Section 1.3 so that multiplication and division of rational numbers are presented first, followed by addition and subtraction New!A Complex Numbers section has been added to Chapter 11, "Quadratic Equations." New Media!Two key components have been added to the technology package: HM Testing (powered by Diploma) and, as part of the Eduspace course management tool, HM Assess, an online diagnostic assessment tool.