Book excerpt: Basic math skills to prepare them for algebra. Her fun methods and concrete examples will help younger students begin to grasp the principles of algebra before they actually have to deal with the complete course. Included are easy-to-understand explanations and instructions, wall charts, games, activity pages and worksheets. As in all her Math Phonics™ books, the author emphasizes three important principles: understanding, learning and mastery. Students will learn about integers, exponents and scientific notation, expressions, graphing, slope, binomials and trinomials. In addition to helpful math rules and facts, a complete answer key is provided. As students enjoy the quick tips and alternative techniques for math mastery, teachers will appreciate the easy-going approach to a difficult subject.