Elementary and Intermediate Algebra: A Combined Approach

This is an excellent book to learn the basics of Algebra even if you are not a student. It explains everything and it includes a CD ROM with additional resources and exercises.

I found this book on my school's web site for $142, but bought it from Amazon for $97. Shipping was fast and free, the way I like it.
The book does a decent job of explaining the principles and definitions you need to perform algebra, but it's somewhat boring. (Of course, IT IS an algebra textbook)
I'm attending classes at an online college right now and the facilitator I had for this class was horrible, so I relied heavily on the textbook. There are some good worksheets in the book that you can do for practice and then check your answers in the back of the book.
The best part of this package is the CD-ROM that comes with the book. If you have a visual learning style or just want to see things explained with examples, the CD-ROM has several video exaples for each section of the book. It also has worksheets and evaluations that you can use to chart your progress and practice on your own.
I don't think the book is worth anywhere near $142 or even $97, but it was required for my course. The good news is that now that the class is just about over I can use the book as a paperweight or as a sedative.
I can't really complain though, since this was all I had to rely on for this entire class as far as instruction and guidance goes.

The product is great and the CD that came with it is unopened as promised. Although I'm happy with the product, I'm not happy with the fact that I paid for 2-day shipping on a Saturday and didn't receive the book until Thursday. Probably won't be using that anymore...

The plot is intricate, and the mystery deepens until the last few pages of the text. The authors richly deserve the highest praise for their tireless efforts.