Introduction
Cover image credit: Heatlth Instruments Image by Tara Winstead used under a Pixabay free licence.
Welcome to College Health Mathematics, created to help students learn how to make sense of numerical information in health care with the undergraduate nursing student in mind. This workbook was published with an open license so that everyone can have access to the necessary tools to help them learn.
Acknowledgements
I give my sincere appreciation to the following people for support in creating this workbook:
- Lynn MacGregor, NSCC Copyright Officer & Open Education Librarian
- Jaskirat Kaur Saini for providing student feedback,
- Pam Williams, Nancy Harvey, and Corinna Lowe for providing peer feedback,
- Julia Langham for A Guide to Numeracy in Nursing from which parts of this book was adapted,
- Jean-Paul Olivier for Business Math: A Step-by-Step Handbook from which parts of this book was adapted
Funding Acknowledgement
The open textbook College Health Mathematics was created with the support of a 2024 AtlanticOER grant.
Workbook Layout
This workbook is divided into sections. Each section contains chapters that are related to the section theme.
Several box types have been used to organize information within the chapters.
Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes will be included at the beginning of the chapter in a black and grey shaded box.
Sample Exercises
Sample exercises will be included within a maroon shaded box.
Practice Sets
Practice sets will be included within a blue shaded box.
Key Takeaways
Key takeaways will be included within an green shaded box.
Case Studies
Case studies appear at the end of the chapter in a black and grey shaded box.
Tips for Working Towards Correct Answers
When completing practice questions you should focus on reading each question carefully and reducing any distractions around you. Check your work after completing questions and try to determine where your mistakes are coming from if you get the wrong answer. Answers to sample exercises and practice questions have steps in solving shown to help you identify where you are making mistakes. You can compare your work to the work shown in the answers. Ask yourself the following questions to help you to understand why you are not getting the right answer:
- Did I understand what the question was asking?
- Did I set up the equation correctly?
- Did I make a mistake when using the calculator or doing mental math?
- Is there a difference between my answer and the provided answer because of the method I used when rounding?
Always check in with your instructor or tutor if you continue to make mistakes.
