Introduction

This textbook was created to support the study of key mathematical concepts and skills among future occupational and public health professionals. Specifically, it contains material adapted from multiple existing resources on college- and university-level mathematics. The primary intended use of the textbook is for the course POH103 “Data Management” at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), but it could be used or adapted to other settings.

The material is designed for first-year undergraduate occupational and public health students with different backgrounds in mathematics. The material is intended to prepare students for more advanced quantitative courses in biostatistics, epidemiology, and risk assessment, among others.

The textbook consists of seven chapters, each focusing on a major topic in mathematics. The material is presented in a specific order, starting with fundamental mathematics such as an algebra review, followed by a discussion of linear equations. It then progresses to different types of functions, followed by an exploration of sets and counting, and finally, it looks at probability.

  • Chapter 1: Algebra Review
  • Chapter 2: Linear Equations and Graphs
  • Chapter 3: Introduction to Functions
  • Chapter 4: Exponential and Logarithmic Functions
  • Chapter 5: Sets and Counting
  • Chapter 6: Probability – Part 1
  • Chapter 7: Probability – Part 2

The textbook follows a standard chapter format. It begins with a summary of terms and formulas. Each chapter comprises subsections, each of which addresses specific topics and elucidates concepts with various examples. At the end of each subsection, there are practice questions provided to facilitate the application of learned concepts. Key terms are highlighted in bold within the text, and their definitions or respective formulas are provided in textboxes to reinforce comprehension. Additionally, each chapter concludes with final answers to short practice questions.

The second edition of this textbook contains updated material, including the following:

  • As the “combinations” formula explained in Chapter 5 is used in Chapters 6 and 7, reminders including the “combinations” formula, were added where this formula is used for the first time in Chapters 6 and 7 to aid the reader while studying these chapters.
  • A summary of terms and formulas was added at the beginning of the textbook as a quick reference guide for the reader.
  • The name of the university was changed from “Ryerson University” to “Toronto Metropolitan University” throughout the textbook.
  • To ensure accuracy and proper appearance in the textbook for the reader, we thoroughly reviewed the entire textbook and edited certain final answers in examples (e.g., example 4.2.10) and tree diagrams (e.g., example 7.3.5).

License

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Mathematics for Public and Occupational Health Professionals Copyright © 2019 by Ian Young is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.