Chemistry Beginner's Guide: Math & Book Recommendations

[stochastic]

I am thinking about taking chemistry and I really know very little about it :[

1. Is there a form of math commonly used throughout chemistry that I should become competent in?

2. What is a good book(about chemistry) that starts out using more basic terms that a newb can understand? :)

 

[esalihm]

there is very simple math involved in chem unless u go into radioactivity calculations and finding half life sort of things
then u need some log knowledge

 

[Stevedye56]

You should be fully competent in Algebra, assuming that this is a Honors Chemistry class. A.P Chem didn't involve anything more than Algebra 2. Is this an Honors class?

 

[stochastic]

i have not gone as far as choosing a class. i want to get a book first. suggestions?

 

[symbolipoint]

I am thinking about taking chemistry and I really know very little about it :[

1. Is there a form of math commonly used throughout chemistry that I should become competent in?

2. What is a good book(about chemistry) that starts out using more basic terms that a newb can understand? :)

1. Ratios, Proportions, and Intermediate Algebra.

2. Any identifiable "Elementary" Chemistry book; if you are capable of handling something a little more advanced, then any General Chemistry book.

 

[stochastic]

thanks a lot ^_^ !

 

[Nerro]

If you go to university to study chemistry you're going to need to be competent at goniometry, calculus, vectors etc. and matrices ;)

 

[kdinser]

Get a good college algebra book, one that deals with lots of graphs, then get a good general chemistry book, it's likely to be very thick if it's intended for use over 2 semesters of general chemistry.

General chemistry is 1/2 vocabulary, 1/4 math(95% algebra), and 1/4 faith. I say that because professors and the people who write general chem books know that you are not likely to have the background in mathematics and physics to understand where the formulas and theories come from. So when they tell you that you can get a linear relationship by multiplying by a certain constant, just take it on faith, memorize the constant, and plug and chug. Professors love to make test questions harder by playing with the vocabulary. Read the questions very carefully, general chem is so straight forward that sometimes the only way to make a problem hard is to play with the wording.

 

[ice109]

Get a good college algebra book, one that deals with lots of graphs, then get a good general chemistry book, it's likely to be very thick if it's intended for use over 2 semesters of general chemistry.

General chemistry is so stupid

corrected for reality

 

[Brad Barker]

i used "the complete idiot's guide to chemistry" before i took chem 1 at my college and was, on the whole, pleased with it.