ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS
SELECTED TOPICS AND PROBLEM SOLVING

It must be emphasized that this book is not an ordinary textbook but one in which certain carefully selected topics of theory and an abundant amount of problem solving will enable the student to expand and deepen his knowledge of the school course of elementary mathematics and enable him better to begin the study of higher mathematics in higher educational institutions. The topics chosen here for detailed discussion are those that usually cause the most trouble or do not, fora variety of reasons, receive the attention they deserve. The most complicated and important parts of elementary mathematics are analyzed and illustrated in detailed problem solving and subsequent discussion. Particular attention is paid to analyzing typical mistakes of the student. Another point to bear in mind is that the authors consider only the more traditional topics of elementary mathematics. They do not use methods of analytic geometry or differential and integral calculus; in geometry, axiomatics is not dwelt on, nor is the terminology of set theory made much use of. 

This textbook is supplied with a large number of problems in the form of exercises appended to each section. The answers are given at the end of the book.

This book is aimed at a broad range of readers, from students of secondary school to students of teachers’ colleges and universities, and mathematics instructors in secondary and higher educational institutions. It can also be used in self-instruction as a supplement to any standard textbook.