Math is an important part of everyday life and an integral part of the skills necessary to become certified in the safety profession. Many who pursue certification have long since completed their college math courses and have not actively pursued the math skills they once had. Background Math provides the basics necessary to successfully negotiate the math included on the certification exams, as well as a handy primer for those who already have their credentials.

Topics include:

• Calculator selection and use, including BCSP rules for calculators, strategies for examinations and hierarchy for operations
• Fractions, reciprocals, proportions, rounding and absolute value
• Exponents, roots and logarithms and antilogs
• Systems of measurement, including English, metric, conversions and dimensional analysis
• Notation, both scientific and engineering
• Algebraic properties and simple equations, including variables, commutation, associative and distributive properties, order of operations, rules of equations, multiplying polynomials, and solving equations
• Applied algebra, including sets, subsets, Venn diagrams, graphing, slopes and intercepts, quadratic equations and word problems
• Geometry
• Trigonometry, including functions, law of cosines and sines, scaffold problems, sling problems, ramp problems and multiple triangles
• Boolean algebra, including fault tree analysis

Also includes a section on abbreviations and symbols used, as well as an Index.

Recommended by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals for candidates preparing to take the examinations for the Certified Safety Professional designation.