Calculus is a conceptual framework which provides systematic techniques for solving problems. These problems are appropriately applicable to analytic geometry and algebra. Therefore precalculus gives you the background for the mathematical concepts, problems, issues and techniques that appear in calculus, including trigonometry, functions, complex numbers, vectors, matrices, and others. Precalculus prepares students for calculus somewhat differently from the way that pre-algebra prepares students for algebra. While pre-algebra often has extensive coverage of basic algebraic concepts, precalculus courses might see only small amounts of calculus concepts, if at all, and often involves covering algebraic topics that might not have been given attention in earlier algebra courses. This book includes a brief algebra review to the core precalculus topics along with coverage of analytic geometry in three dimensions and an introduction to concepts covered in calculus. The book is designed for a variety of students with different mathematical needs. For those students who will take additional mathematics, the book will provide the proper foundation of skills, understanding, and insights necessary for success in further courses. For those students who will not pursue further mathematics, the extensive emphasis on applications and modeling will demonstrate the usefulness and applicability of mathematics in the world today. Many of the applied problems in this text are actually real problems that people have had to solve on the job.