Throughout the development, writing, and production of these texts, two people have been of such great value that we are truly indebted to them for their excellent work on our behalf. We wish to express our utmost thanks to Theresa Grutz and Eugenia M. Collins. We are grateful to our "book team," for without them there would be no book. In particular, we would like to express our sincere thanks to Earl McPeek, K. Wayne Harms, and Keri Witman.

The following people deserve special thanks for their excellent work in the following areas: Signe Kastberg, Abraham Baldwin College, for Cooperative Learning for the College Mathematics Classroom; Suresh Ailawadi, Henry Ford Community College, Student’s Solutions Manual; Jeanne M. Draper, Solano Community College, for the Instructor's Resource Manual; Vince McGarry, Austin Community College, Irene Doo, Austin Community College, Jean M. Shutters, Harrisburg Community College, Christine Shutters Verity, and Jason D. Shutters for the Instructor's Solutions Manual; Pat Foard, South Plains College, for the Algebra Study Cards and Elementary and Intermediate Explore to Learn Tutorial Software; Cynthia Fleck, Wright State University, for contributions to the Annotated Instructor's Edition; Kathy Struve, Columbus State Community College, for contributions to Explore to Learn; Brenda Lackey, University of Tennessee at Martin, for graphing calculator accuracy check; William Radulovich, Florida Community College at Jacksonville, for the videos; Mary Wilber, Pasco Hernando Community College, Dade City, Florida, for contributions to the exercises; and Pat Martin for supplying so many wonderful photographs.

A very special thanks goes out to the accuracy checkers. In particular, we wish to thank: Suresh Ailawadi, Henry Ford Community College; Oiyin Pauline Chow, Harrisburg Area Community College; Shaun Kleitsch; Rita B. Sowell, Volunteer State Community College; Faye W. White, Canton College; Ruth Ann Henke, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville; and Carroll Wells, Western Kentucky University.

We would like to express our appreciation for the valuable contributions to the fourth edition that were made by the following people: Bobby Avila, Mount San Jacinto College; Ondis Bible, Volunteer State Community College; Philip E. Buechner, Cowley County Community College; Susan J. Decker, Lackawanna Junior College; Diane K. Downie, Pierce College; Edward A. Gallo, Indiana University East; Kay Haralson, Austin Peay State University; Joe Howe, St. Charles County Community College; Joseph G. Karnowski, St. Louis Community College at Florrisant Valley; Patrick Keeler, Corning Community College; Rebecca Kitto, Antelope Valley College.

Harvey W. Lambert, University of Nevada; Giles Wilson Maloof, Boise State University; Laurie K. McManus, St. Louis Community College; Beverly K. Michael, University of Pittsburgh; Katherine Muller, Cisco Junior College; Shai Neumann, Brevard Community College Melbourne; A. J. Perrotto, El Paso Community College; Mary V. Portman, State University of New York at Cobleskill; Leon F. Sagan, Anne Arundel Community College; Patricia Stone, Tomball College; Diane Tischer, Metropolitan Community College; Wesley W. Tom, Chaffey College; Kevin Trutna, Arizona Western College; and George Witt, Glendale Community College.

We would like to thank the following reviewers of the Fourth Edition of Elementary Algebra with Applications. Their classroom experience and concern for their students positively influenced the development of this textbook. Barbara Allen, Southeastern Louisiana University; James Blackburn Tulsa Junior College; Dave Busekist, Southeastern Louisiana University; John Coburn, St. Louis Community College; Neil Aiken, Milwaukee Area Technical College; Joe Albree, Austin University at Montgomery; Ann Anderson, Broward Community College; Robert Baer, Miami University at Hamilton Branch; Pat Barbalich, Jefferson Community College; Charles Beals, Hartnell College; Don Bellairs, Grossmont College; Marybeth Beno, South Suburban College; John P. Bibbo, Southwestern College; Nancy Bray, San Diego Mesa College; Daniel Bums, Sierra College; Sharlene Cadwallader, Mount San Antonio College; P.M. Commons, Florida Junior College - South Campus.

Ben Cornelius, Oregon Institute of Technology; Lena Dexter, Faulkner State Junior College; Louis Dyson, Clark College; Gail Earles, St. Cloud University; Pat Foard, South Plains College; Alice Grandgeorge, Manchester Community College; Michele Greenfield, Middlesex County College; Natalie Creed, Belmont Abbey College; John Garlow, Tarrant County Junior College; Peg Hovde, Grossmont College; Joyce Huntington, Walla Walla Community College; Judy Kasabian, El Camino College; Sharon Killian, Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College; Gail Kingrey, Pueblo Community College; Jill McKenney, Lane Community College.

Ralph Merah, University of Louisville; Vicki Minor, Columbus State Community College; Michael Montemuro, Westchester University; Gerry Moultine, Northwood University; Joanne Peeples, El Paso Community College; Sarah Percy Jones, San Jacinto College North; Angela Peterson, Portland Community College; Richard Rockwell, Pacific Union College; Joel Spring, Broward Community College; Judith Stahl, Lake Sumter Community College; Ron Staszkow, Ohlone College; Allyson Stewart, Napa Valley College; Mary Jane Still, Palm Beach Community College; Katharine R. Struve, Columbus State Community College; Carole Sutphen, Muskegon Community College; Froy Tiscareno, Mt. San Antonio College; Rebecca Wong, West Valley College

Special thanks go to the reviewers for their helpful comments. In particular, we wish to thank Roy D. Frisinger, Harrisburg Area Community College; John McIntosh, St. Louis Community College at Meramac; Richard D. Edie, Southeastern Louisiana University; David Pitrie, Cypress College; Mitzi Chaffer, Central Michigan University; James E. Coleman, Baltimore City Community College; Jennie Preston-Sabin, Austin Peay State University; Mary Jean Brod, University of Montana; Joe Karnowski, St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley; Kathryn Pletsch, Antelope Valley College; and David Harvey, University of Texas at El Paso.

In addition, we would like to thank the reviewers of Principles of Elementary Algebra with Applications, First and Second Editions and Elementary Algebra with Applications, First, Second, and Third Editions, whose comments have positively influenced this edition. Ray Haertel, Central Oregon Community College; Pam Hager, College of the Sequoias; Harry Hayward, Westmoreland County Community College; Angela Hernandez, University of Montevallo; Marty Hodges, Colorado Technical College; Tom Householder, Muskingham Area Technical College; Roe Hurst, Central Virginia Community College.

Elizabeth Huttenlock, Pennsylvania State University; T. Henry Jablonski, Jr., East Tennessee State; Martha Jordan, Okaloosa at Walton Junior College; Glen Just, Mount St. Clare; Margaret A. Kimbell, Texas State Technical Institute Waco Campus; Joanne E. Korsmo, New Mexico State University; Henry Kubo, West Los Angeles College; Theodore Lai, Hudson County Community College; Calvin Latham, Monroe Community College; Wanda J. Long, St. Charles County Community College; Jeri Vorwerk Love, Florida Junior College.

Thomas McGannon, Chicago City College; Phil Mahler, Middlesex Community College; J. Robert Malena, Community College of Allegheny County; Gerald Marlette, Cuyahoga Community College; Hank Martel, Broward Community College Samuels Campus; Jerry J. Maxwell, Olney Central College; Donald Mazukelli, Los Angeles Valley College; Robert Olsen, Dearborn Public Schools; Rita B. Sowell, Volunteer State Community College; Gerry C. Vidrine, Louisiana State University; Keith L. Wilson, Oklahoma City Community College; Kelly Wyatt, Umpaqua Community College.

For their help in typing the manuscript we thank Amy Miyazaki and Debbie Miyazaki, and a special thank you goes to Lisa Miyazaki for her superb aid in preparing the manuscript and for working all of the problems. Because of his invaluable help and advice in the area of marketing, our sincere thanks go to Harold Elliott.

A very special thanks goes out to the accuracy checkers. In particular, we wish to thank Shaun Kleitsch; Sandra Beken, Horry Georgetown Technical College; Ruth Mikkelson, University of Wisconsin at Stout; Suresh Ailawadi, Henry Ford Community College; and George Witt, Glendale Community College.

We would like to express our appreciation for the valuable contributors to the Fourth Edition that were made by the following people: Bobby Avila, Mount San Jacinto College; Ondis Bible, Volunteer State Community College; Philip E. Bucchner, Cowley County Community College; Joseph G. Karnowski, St. Louis Community College at Florrisant Valley; Rebecca Kitto, Antelope Valley College; Giles Wilson Maloof, Boise State University; Leon F. Sagan, Anne Arundel Community College; and George Witt, Glendale Community College.

In addition, we would like to thank the reviewers of Principles of Intermediate Algebra with Applications, First and Second Editions and Intermediate Algebra with Applications, First, Second, and Third Editions, whose comments have positively influenced this edition. Bob Billups, Citrus Community College; Neil Dickson, Weber State University; David Fynn, University of Regina; Dan Gardner, Elgin Community College; Kay Haralsun, Austin Peay State University; Gael Mericle, Mankato State University; Shelby Hawthorne, Thomas Nelson Community College; James Johnson, Modesto Junior College; Chris Kolaczewski, University of Akron.

Peter Williams, University of Maine; Judy Willoughby, Maples Community College; Jerry Wisnieski, Des Moines Area Community College; Joseph Altinger, Youngstown State University; Herbert F. Kramer, Longview Community College; Carolyn Likins, Millikin University; Karla Martin, Middle Tennessee State University; Raymond A. Maruca, Delaware County Community College; Alfred W. Milligan, Western New Mexico University; Ronalde Milne, Goshen College; Jesse Moore, John A. Logan College; Marilyn Morrison, Volunteer State Community College; Douglas W. Nance, Central Michigan University.

Daniel Anderson, University of Iowa; Dorothy Batta, Wilber Wright College; Philip Beckman, Black Hawk College; Ardash Ozsogomonyan, College of San Mateo; Rita Polston, Southern Illinois University; Deborah Ritchie, Moorpark College; Paul Schell, Ferris State University; Larry Smith, Cypress College; Allyson Stewart, Napa Valley College; Richard Zucker, Saddleback College North Campus; Robert Wenger, University of Wisconsin at Green Bay; Richard Werner, Santa Rosa Junior College.

Micah D. Wheatley, Brigham Young University; Deann Christianson, University of the Pacific; Tom Cochran, Belleville Area College; Gregory J. Davis, University of Wisconsin at Green Bay; Duane Deal, Ball State University; Ray Fartch, Eastern Oklahoma State College; Fred W. Fischer, North Seattle Community College; Richard L. Francis, Southeast Missouri State University; Kenneth O. Gamon, Central Washington University; Margaret J. Greene, Florida Junior College; Virginia E. Hanks, Western Kentucky University; Donald Zalewski, Northern Michigan University; Ben F. Zirkle, Virginia Western Community College:

Ann S. Bretscher, University of Georgia; Helen Burrier, Kirkwood Community College; Richard A. Butterworth, Massasoit Community College; Vern Byer, University of Maine at Farmington; William Chatfield, University of Wisconsin at Platteville; Linda J. Padillo, Joliet Junior College; Gus Pekara, Oklahoma City Community College; Sue Philips, University of Nevada at Las Vegas; Thomas Radin, San Joaquin Delta College; George C. Ragland, St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley; J. Doug Richey, Henderson County Junior College.

Beverly Ridenhour, Utah State University; Kenneth Ross, Broward Community College; Grayson Sallez, University of North Carolina at Greensboro; William Schneider, Fairmont St. College; Annalee Scorsone, Lexington Community College; John Snyder, Sinclair Community College; John N. Strange, Hinds Junior College; John Taylor, Hillsborough Community College; Christina Vertullo, Marist College; Deborah A. Vrooman, Coastal Carolina College of the University of South Carolina; Daniel Wachter, College of the Desert; George Wales, Ferris State College.

We would like to thank the following reviewers of the
third edition of Algebra for College Students: Fauline J. Mathis, Chipola Junior College; Patricia B. Mathis, Chipola Junior College; Thomas E. Covington, Northwestern State University of Louisiana; Bonnie Smith, Chipola Junior College; Helen W. Baril, Quinnipiac College; Lou Cleveland, Chipola Junior College; Marjorie K. Gross, Carteret Community College; JoAnn Everett, Chipola Junior College

In addition, we would like to thank the reviewers of previous editions, whose comments have positively influenced this edition. Helen Bunier, Kirkwood Community College; Karla Martin, Middle Tennessee State University; Al H. Chew, Central Arizona College; Richard L. Francis, Southeast Missouri State University.

The authors wish to acknowledge the many reviewers of this text, both in its initial form and again after their many constructive suggestions and criticisms had been addressed. In particular, we wish to acknowledge Bonny J. Peters, St. Petersburg Junior College; Lynda S. Morton, University of Missouri at Columbia; Judy Barclay, Cuesta College; Jim Keeton, Southern Nevada Community College; David Lunsford, Grossmont College; Donald Spencer, Northeast Louisiana University; Mark Farris, Hardin-Simmons University; John Saunders, Laredo Junior College; Gerd M. Fricke, Wright State University; Linda J. Padilla, Joliet Junior College.

We need to acknowledge Ruth Mikkelson, University of Wisconsin at Stout who did a great deal of fine work to help make the text error free. Our thanks to Linda J. Murphy, Carol Hay, and Nancy K. Nickerson of Northern Essex Community College for carefully and conscientiously checking the accuracy of the entire typeset text. We also wish to acknowledge Patricia Steele who did an outstanding job as copy editor, and who often went beyond what was required and gave excellent editorial suggestions.

The authors wish to acknowledge the many reviewers of this text: Judy Barclay, Cuesta College; Glenn R. Boston, Catawba Valley Community College; Barbara Cohen, West Los Angeles College; Daniel B. McCallum, University of Arkansas at Little Rock; Peggy Miller, University of Nebraska at Kearney; and Mary Jane Still; Annette Trujillo, New Mexico State University; Natalie G. Sanders, Edison State Community College; August J. Bethem, California State College, California; Andrew Wargo, Bucks County Community College; Richard Wagenknecht, St. Paul Vocational Technical Institute; Morris L. Shoss, San Antonio College; John Seaton, Prince George Community College.

Below are the contributors listed in alphabetical order.

Neil Aiken, Milwaukee Area Technical College

Suresh Ailawadi, Henry Ford Community College

Joe Albree, Austin University at Montgomery

Barbara Allen, Southeastern Louisiana University

Joseph Altinger, Youngstown State University

Ann Anderson, Broward Community College

Daniel Anderson, University of Iowa

Bobby Avila, Mount San Jacinto College

Robert Baer, Miami University-Hamilton Branch

Terry Baker, Henry Ford Community College

Pat Barbalich, Jefferson Community College

Judy Barclay, Cuesta College

Helen W. Baril, Quinnipiac College

Dorothy Batta, Wilber Wright College

Charles Beals, Hartnell College

Philip Beckman, Black Hawk College

Sandra Beken, Horry Georgetown Technical College

Donald W. Bellairs, Grossmont College

Mary Beth Beno, South Suburban College

August J. Bethem, California State College, California

John P. Bibbo, Southwestern College

Ondis Bible, Volunteer State Community College

Bob Billups, Citrus Community College

James Blackburn, Tulsa Junior College

Glenn R. Boston, Catawba Valley Community College

Nancy J. Bray, San Diego Mesa College

Ann S. Bretscher, University of Georgia

Mary Jean Brod, University of Montana

Philip E. Buechner, Cowley County Community College

Dan Burns, Sierra College

Helen Burrier, Kirkwood Community College

Helen Bunier, Kirkwood Community College

Dave Busekist, Southeastern Louisiana University

Richard A. Butterworth, Massasoit Community College

Vern Byer, University of Maine-Farmington

Sharlene Cadwallader, Mount San Antonio College

Mitzi Chaffer, Central Michigan University

William Chatfield, University of Wisconsin-Platteville

Al H. Chew, Central Arizona College

Oiyin Pauline Chow, Harrisburg Area Community College

Deann Christianson, University of the Pacific

Lou Cleveland, Chipola Junior College

John Coburn, ST. Louis Community College

Tom Cochran, Belleville Area College

Barbara Cohen, West Los Angeles College

James E. Coleman, Baltimore City Community College

Eugenia M. Collins, William C. Brown CC

P.M. Commons, Florida Junior College-South Campus

Ben Cornelius, Oregon Institute of Technology

Thomas E. Covington, Northwestern State University of Louisiana

Natalie Creed, Belmont Abbey College

Harry Datsun, Henry Ford Community College

Gregory J. Davis, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

Duane Deal, Ball State University

Susan J. Decker, Lackawanna Junior College

Lena Dexter, Faulkner State Junior College

Neil Dickson, Weber Slate University

Irene Doo, Austin Community College

Diane K. Downie, Pierce College

Jeanne M. Draper, Solano Community College

Louis Dyson, Clark College

Gail Earles, St. Cloud University

Richard D. Edie, Southeastern Louisiana University

Harold Elliott, N.E.D.S.

JoAnn Everett, Chipola Junior College

Mark Farris, Hardin-Simmons University

Ray Fartch, Eastern Oklahoma State College

Fred W. Fischer, North Seattle Community College

Cynthia Fleck, Wright State University

Pat Foard, South Plains College

Richard L. Francis, Southeast Missouri State University

Gerd M. Fricke, Wright State University

Roy D. Frisinger, Harrisburg Area Community College

David Fynn, University of Regina

Edward A. Gallo, Indiana University East

Kenneth 0. Gamon, Central Washington University

Dan Gardner, Elgin Community College

John Garlow, Tarrant County Junior College

Alice Grandgeorge, Manchester Community College

Margaret J. Greene, Florida Junior College

Michele Greenfield, Middlesex County College

Marjorie K. Gross, Carteret Community College

Theresa Grutz, William C. Brown CC

George Gullen III, Henry Ford Community College

Ray Haertel, Central Oregon Community College

Pamela Hager, College of the Sequoias

Virginia E. Hanks, Western Kentucky University

Kay Haralson, Austin Peay State University

K. Wayne Harms, William C. Brown CC

David Harvey, University of Texas at El Paso

Shelby Hawthorne, Thomas Nelson Community College

Carol Hay, Northern Essex Community College

Harry Hayward, Westmoreland County Community College

Ruth Ann Henke, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville

Lynne Hensel, Henry Ford Community College

Angela Hernandez, University of Montevallo

Marty Hodges, Colorado Technical College

Tom Householder, Muskingham Area Technical College

Peg Hovde, Grossmont College

Joe Howe, St. Charles County Community College

Joyce Huntington, Walla Walla Community College

Roe Hurst, Central Virginia Community College

Elizabeth Huttenlock, Pennsylvania State University

T. Henry Jablonski, Jr., East Tennessee State

James Johnson, Modesto Junior College

Sarah Percy Jones, San Jacinto College North

Martha C. Jordan, Okalaosa-Walton Community College

Glen Just, Mount Saint Clare College

Joseph G. Karnowski, St. Louis Community College Florrisant Valley

Judy Kasabian, El Camino College

Signe Kastberg, Abraham Baldwin College

Patrick Keeler, Corning Community College

Jim Keeton, Southern Nevada Community College

Sharon Killian, Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College

Margaret A. Kimbell, Texas State Technical Institute Waco Campus

Gail Kingrey, Pueblo Community College

Rebecca Kitto, Antelope Valley College

Shaun Kleitsch, Volunteer State Community College

Chris Kolaczewski, University of Akron

Joanne E Korsmo, New Mexico State University

Herbert F. Kramer, Longview Community College

Henry Kubo, West Los Angeles College

Brenda Lackey, University of Tennessee-Martin

Theodore Lai, Hudson County Community College