Mathematics in the Real World

Mathematics in the Real World is a self-contained, accessible introduction to the world of mathematics for non-technical majors. With a focus on everyday applications and context, the topics in this textbook build in difficulty and are presented sequentially, starting with a brief review of sets and numbers followed by an introduction to elementary statistics, models, and graph theory. Data and identification numbers are then covered, providing the pathway to voting and finance. Each subject is covered in a concise and clear fashion through the use of real-world applications and the introduction of relevant terminology. Many sample problems – both writing exercises and multiple-choice questions – are included to help develop students’ level of understanding and to offer a variety of options to instructors.

Covering six major units and outlining a one-semester course, Mathematics in the Real World is aimed at undergraduate liberal art students fulfilling the mathematics requirement in their degree program. This introductory text will be an excellent resource for such courses, and will show students where mathematics arises in their everyday lives.

From the book reviews:

“The presentation is concise, precise and transparent. A number of worked-in-detail examples is considered in each section; this facilitates greatly understanding of the material. … This text is a welcome addition to the existing literature and is warmly recommended not only as a textbook for a mathematics course for students in economics, finance, social and life sciences, but also as additional reading for related courses in probability, statistics or applied mathematics.” (Yuriy V. Rogovchenko, zbMATH, Vol. 1301, 2015)

“This textbook contains a treasure trove of such topics, such as sampling, cryptography, voting, and probability. While Mathematics in the Real World is intended for students with a minimal background in mathematics, the mathematics in the textbook is not dumbed down. The student will be performing calculations, using formulas, and drawing graphs. … All in all, I think Wallis has written a wonderful text. He has chosen exciting topics and explained them in a straightforward manner.” (Kara Shane Colley, MAA Reviews, January, 2014)