MCLA Professor Publishes ‘Math For Liberal Arts’ Book
NORTH ADAMS – Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) mathematics professor Christopher Thomas recently published “Schaum's Outline of Mathematics for Liberal Arts Majors.”The book originated from a series of notes Thomas took while teaching students in his “Math for Liberal Arts” classes.
“I didn’t care much for the textbook that was most often used in teaching math for the liberal arts,” Thomas said. “In some places, it would take many pages to make a single point and in others it would brush through a huge amount of material with a single line. Most of all, it costs about $140, which is simply ridiculous when a student won’t want to keep it for life.”
An outline and not a textbook, Thomas’ goal with the publication was to provide supplemental examples and explanations that would help any student struggling through a math-for-liberal-arts-type course. It costs less than $20.
The book covers practical topics such as the basics of reasoning, financial mathematics, calculating interest, payments, how financial savings grow, weighted voting, voting methods and different methods for counting votes.
Published by McGraw Hill, “Schaum’s Outline of Mathematics for Liberal Arts Majors” is part of a series of books called the “Schaum’s Outlines.”
Thomas previously wrote a teach-yourself calculus book entitled, “Calculus Success in 20 Minutes a Day,” and a trigonometry book entitled “Trigonometry Success in 20 Minutes a Day.” He has reviewed and revised a number of books for the “Schaum’s Outlines” series; and also contributed new material to “Schaum’s Outline of Geometry,” published in a fourth edition in August.
For more information, go to www.mcla.edu.
