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Precalculus with Limits, 6th Edition

Ron Larson

Copyright 2027
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Precalculus with Limits 6th Edition by Ron Larson

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Overview

Larson's "Precalculus with Limits," 6e offers a clear, streamlined approach that helps students strengthen prerequisite skills while building the precalculus knowledge and early calculus connections they need for what comes next. Continual review and real-life applications reinforce learning throughout the course. WebAssign brings together the proven Larson approach with varied question types, targeted practice and grading that recognizes algebraically equivalent answers, giving instructors flexibility to support students where needed. New brief lecture videos and Getting Ready for the Chapter sections add more ways to address readiness and keep students moving forward.

Meet the Authors

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Ron Larson

Dr. Ron Larson is a professor of mathematics at the Pennsylvania State University, where he has taught since 1970. He is considered the pioneer of using multimedia to enhance the learning of mathematics, having authored more than 30 software titles since 1990. Dr. Larson has also authored numerous acclaimed textbooks, including the best-selling calculus series coauthored with Dr. Bruce Edwards and published by Cengage. Dr. Larson received the 2017 William Holmes McGuffey Longevity Award for PRECALCULUS and for CALCULUS. He also received the 2018 Text and Academic Authors Association TEXTY Award for CALCULUS: EARLY TRANSCENDENTAL FUNCTIONS. In addition, Dr. Larson received the 1996 Text and Academic Authors Association TEXTY Award for INTERACTIVE CALCULUS -- a complete text on CD-ROM that was the first mainstream college textbook to be offered on the internet.

What's New

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New brief lecture videos provide concise presentations of key concepts, giving students another way to get support when they need it.
New Mastery Sets provide focused practice that helps students reinforce key skills and demonstrate what they have learned.
New Getting Ready for the Chapter sections emphasize the Big Idea concepts and prerequisite skills students need before beginning new material.
Fully updated Larson Corequisite Support through Precalculus gives instructors a more consistent way to address readiness with prerequisite practice alongside course-level work.
Expanded Problems guide students through intermediate steps, providing structured practice with multi-step problem solving rather than focusing only on the final answer.
Review & Refresh exercises revisit prerequisite skills throughout the course, while WebAssign's free College Math Readiness Bootcamp gives students an additional way to identify and strengthen gaps before they interfere with new learning.
How Do You See It? exercises use real-life problems and visual reasoning to help students apply course concepts in different contexts.

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1. FUNCTIONS AND THEIR GRAPHS.
Rectangular Coordinates. Graphs of Equations. Linear Equations in Two Variables. Functions. Analyzing Graphs of Functions. A Library of Parent Functions. Transformations of Functions. Combinations of Functions: Composite Functions. Inverse Functions. Mathematical Modeling and Variation. Summary and Study Strategies. Review Exercises. Chapter Test. Proofs in Mathematics. P.S. Problem Solving.
2. POLYNOMIAL AND RATIONAL FUNCTIONS.
Quadratic Functions and Models. Polynomial Functions of Higher Degree. Polynomial and Synthetic Division. Complex Numbers. Zeros of Polynomial Functions. Rational Functions. Nonlinear Inequalities. Summary and Study Strategies. Review Exercises. Chapter Test. Proofs in Mathematics. P.S. Problem Solving.
3. EXPONENTIAL AND LOGARITHMIC FUNCTIONS.
Exponential Functions and Their Graphs. Logarithmic Functions and Their Graphs. Properties of Logarithms. Exponential and Logarithmic Equations. Exponential and Logarithmic Models. Summary and Study Strategies. Review Exercises. Chapter Test. Proofs in Mathematics. P.S. Problem Solving.
4. TRIGONOMETRY.
Radian and Degree Measure. Trigonometric Functions: The Unit Circle. Right Triangle Trigonometry. Trigonometric Functions of Any Angle. Graphs of Sine and Cosine Functions. Graphs of Other Trigonometric Functions. Inverse Trigonometric Functions. Applications and Models. Summary and Study Strategies. Review Exercises. Chapter Test. Proofs in Mathematics. P.S. Problem Solving.
5. ANALYTIC TRIGONOMETRY.
Using Fundamental Identities. Verifying Trigonometric Identities. Solving Trigonometric Equations. Sum and Difference Formulas. Multiple-Angle and Product-to-Sum Formulas. Summary and Study Strategies. Review Exercises. Chapter Test. Proofs in Mathematics. P.S. Problem Solving.
6. ADDITIONAL TOPICS IN TRIGONOMETRY.
Law of Sines. Law of Cosines. Vectors in the Plane. Vectors and Dot Products. The Complex Plane. Trigonometric Form of a Complex Number. Summary and Study Strategies. Review Exercises. Chapter Test. Proofs in Mathematics. P.S. Problem Solving.
7. SYSTEMS OF EQUATIONS AND INEQUALITIES.
Linear and Nonlinear Systems of Equations. Two-Variable Linear Systems. Multivariable Linear Systems. Partial Fractions. Systems of Inequalities. Linear Programming. Summary and Study Strategies. Review Exercises. Chapter Test. Proofs in Mathematics. P.S. Problem Solving.
8. MATRICES AND DETERMINANTS.
Matrices and Systems of Equations. Operations with Matrices. The Inverse of a Square Matrix. The Determinant of a Square Matrix. Applications of Matrices and Determinants. Summary and Study Strategies. Review Exercises. Chapter Test. Proofs in Mathematics. P.S. Problem Solving.
9. SEQUENCES, SERIES, AND PROBABILITY.
Sequences and Series. Arithmetic Sequences and Partial Sums. Geometric Sequences and Series. Mathematical Induction. The Binomial Theorem. Counting Principles. Probability. Summary and Study Strategies. Review Exercises. Chapter Test. Proofs in Mathematics. P.S. Problem Solving.
10. TOPICS IN ANALYTIC GEOMETRY.
Lines. Introduction to Conics: Parabolas. Ellipses. Hyperbolas. Rotation of Conics. Parametric Equations. Polar Coordinates. Graphs of Polar Equations. Polar Equations of Conics. Summary and Study Strategies. Review Exercises. Chapter Test. Proofs in Mathematics. P.S. Problem Solving.
11. ANALYTIC GEOMETRY IN THREE DIMENSIONS.
The Three-Dimensional Coordinate System. Vectors in Space. The Cross Product of Two Vectors. Lines and Planes in Space. Summary and Study Strategies. Review Exercises. Chapter Test. Proofs in Mathematics. P.S. Problem Solving.
12. LIMITS AND AN INTRODUCTION TO CALCULUS.
Introduction to Limits. Techniques for Evaluating Limits. The Tangent Line Problem. Limits at Infinity and Limits of Sequences. The Area Problem. Summary and Study Strategies. Review Exercises. Chapter Test. Proofs in Mathematics. P.S. Problem Solving.
13. CONCEPTS IN STATISTICS.
Representing Data. Analyzing Data. Modeling Data. Summary and Study Strategies. Review Exercises. Chapter Test. Proofs in Mathematics. P.S. Problem Solving.
APPENDIX A: REVIEW OF FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS OF ALGEBRA.
Real Numbers and Their Properties. Exponents and Radicals. Polynomials and Factoring. Rational Expressions. Solving Equations. Linear Inequalities in One Variable. Errors and the Algebra of Calculus.