"The essence of mathematics is not to make simple things complicated,
but to make complicated things simple."
- Stanley Gudder (Professor of Mathematics, University of Denver)

Each link above takes you to a section of this website that contains material developed specifically for the purposes identified.

If you would like to go directly to the download section, click on the "All Downloads" link.

Math Handbooks (and Reference Sheets)

Introduction

The following handbooks are available via this site. Click on the name of the handbook to download it.

  1. Pre‐Algebra Handbook version 2.5 – Covers math subjects for grades 6, 7 and 8.
  2. Algebra and PreCalculus Handbook version 3.5 – Covers two years of Algebra and some Pre-Calculus.
  3. Geometry Handbook version 3.3 – Covers High School Geometry.
  4. HSE Condensed Version of the Above Handbooks - a combination of the above handbooks, pared down to relate more directly to the High School Equivalency Exam.
  5. Trigonometry Handbook version 2.3 – Covers High School and College Trigonometry.
  6. Calculus Handbook version 5.5 – Covers High School and College Calculus.

The handbooks and reference materials are provided in Adobe PDF format, so they can be read on a PCs, Macs, and most phones. Each is intended to be used as a reference, not as a substitute for attending class or doing homework, both of which are essential to high performance in a math class.

Download Instructions

When you click on one of the links above, a new window will open, and the first page of the handbook will be displayed. You may not be able to see much of the page at this point. However, you will notice the following action bar appear at the bottom of the page:

Action Bar

Click the Adobe sign on the far right to be able to manipulate the file using Adobe Reader controls. The following menu will appear for the Adobe Reader.

Adobe Reader Controls

If you are not familiar with the controls in this menu, the most important ones are:

Save File Save File: brings up the save file menu so you can save the file to a location of your choice on your local PC or Mac.

Print File Print File: opens the familiar print menu that allows you to print whichever pages you wish. You can also adjust the printer properties, print double sided, and print multiple copies, depending on the capabilities of your printer. Note: we suggest using a color printer, whenever possible, to get the full effect of the material.

Show Full Page Show Full Page: shows a full page on your screen, so you can peruse the handbook and select the items you want to print. Note that this also makes it easier to peruse the table of contents and the index of the handbook.

How to Use the Materials Provided

You may choose print an entire handbook or set of reference sheets, but this may not be necessary. The materials are organized as student references. As much as possible, each subject area is covered concisely in one or two pages. So you can print out only the pages you need.

When you print, it is recommended that you use a color printer. For some pages, the use of color is essential to the point being made. By printing only the pages you need, you will avoid wasting paper, ink, and money.

The Table of Contents in each handbook is split into sections representing broad subject areas. The order of the chapters in each handbook generally (but not always) follows the order of the subjects taught in a typical high school math class. In addition, each handbook contains an index that can be used to look up subjects of interest to the student.

Suggestions for Improvement

We welcome any suggestions you may have regarding the improvement of the math handbooks. Let us know any pages that are hard to understand, any errors you find, any subjects you would like to see added, or any other ideas for improvement. Also, if you find the material useful, it would be nice to know that also. Email with your thoughts and comments. Have fun with your math and enjoy using the handbooks. Best wishes!

Earl

©2007-2023 Earl Whitney, Reno, NV