Book excerpt: This is the fourth book in the Math Made a Bit Easier series by independent author and math tutor Larry Zafran. As the second "main" book of the series, it builds upon the first book which covered key topics in basic math. Before working with this book, it is absolutely essential to have completely mastered all of the material from the first book. Continuing the roadmap which began with the first book, this book covers the basics of the following topics of algebra and geometry: Expressions, equations, inequalities, exponents, factoring, the FOIL method, lines, angles, area, perimeter, volume, triangles, the Pythagorean Theorem, linear equations, and the Cartesian coordinate plane.Again, if the prerequisite material from the first book has not been fully learned, the student will almost certainly proclaim that this book and its material are "hard," and will continue to feel frustrated with math. There is no way to avoid learning math step-by-step at one's own pace. This book emphasizes concepts which commonly appear on standardized exams. While it does not go into great detail about any concept, it explains the material conversationally and "in plain English." Some practice exercises and self-tests are included. Mastery of these concepts will likely be sufficient for the student to achieve his/her math goals, but more advanced exams may require some knowledge of material presented in later books in the series.