The 5th edition of Beginning and Intermediate Algebra by Sherri Messersmith and Nathalie Vega-Rhodes represents the most evolved version of the P.O.W.E.R. series textbooks yet. To each chapter we have added a new Get Ready chapter opener that contains prerequisite/corequisite lessons, with exercises, to prepare students to learn the concepts coming up in the chapter. Also new to this edition are the two academic mindset topics of developing a growth mindset and developing grit. The power (no pun intended) of the Internet is that it allows us to enhance the learning and teaching experience for students and instructors. We can do things that we couldn't dream of even 10 years ago! That's where Nathalie Vega-Rhodes comes in. A long-time P.O.W.E.R. math textbook user and outstanding instructor, Nathalie has a lot of experience using digital tools. Better yet, she and Sherri have the same philosophy of teaching, love for students, and belief in addressing all of their students' needs in the classroom. What makes P.O.W.E.R. a unique tool for the classroom? A major challenge in developmental courses is that students at this level struggle with basic study skills and habits. Maybe this is one of their first college courses or perhaps they are adults returning to school after a long absence. Either way, many of the individuals taking this course don't know how to be good students. Instructors often don't have the time, the resources or the expertise to teach success skills AND the math concepts. The P.O.W.E.R. Learning Framework was developed by successful author, psychologist, student success instructor and researcher, Bob Feldman. It is a method of accomplishing any task using five simple and consistent steps. Prepare. Organize. Work. Evaluate. Rethink. The P.O.W.E.R. framework that Math instructors have come to know and love is at the core of each section and new study strategies and exercises have been integrated with every chapter better help students successfully learn math concepts while at the same time developing habits that will serve them well throughout their college careers and in their daily lives. The conversational writing style, practical applications, innovative student resources and expanded available in ALEKS makes this an appealing and very teachable option for faculty.

Intermediate Algebra, 1e, authored by Sherri Messersmith presents content in bite-size pieces, focusing not only on learning mathematical concepts, but also explaining the why behind those concepts. For students, learning mathematics is not just about the memorization of concepts and formulas, but it is also about the journey of learning how to problem solve. By breaking the sections down into manageable chunks, the author has identified the core places where students traditionally struggle, and then assists them in understanding that material to be successful moving forward. Proven pedagogical features, such as You Try problems after each example, reinforce a student's mastery of a concept. While teaching in the classroom, Messersmith has created worksheets for each section that fall into three categories: review worksheets/basic skills, worksheets to teach new content, and worksheets to reinforce/pull together different concepts. These worksheets are a great way to both enhance instruction and to give the students more tools to be successful in studying a given topic. The author is also an extremely popular lecturer, and finds it important to be in the video series that accompany her texts. Finally, the author finds it important to not only provide quality, but also an abundant quantity of exercises and applications. The book is accompanied by numerous useful supplements, including McGraw-Hill's online homework management system, MathZone as well as ALEKS.

MESSERSMITH is rigorous enough to prepare students for the next level yet easy to read and understand. The exposition is written as if a professor is teaching in a lecture to be more accessible to students. The language is mathematically sound yet easy enough for students to understand.