This book teaches chemistry at an appropriate level of rigor while removing the confusion and insecurity that impair student success. Students are frequently intimidated by prep chem; Bishop's text shows them how to break the material down and master it. The flexible order of topics allows unit conversions to be covered either early in the course (as is traditionally done) or later, allowing for a much earlier than usual description of elements, compounds, and chemical reactions. The text and superb illustrations provide a solid conceptual framework and address misconceptions. The book helps students to develop strategies for working problems in a series of logical steps. The Examples and Exercises give plenty of confidence-building practice; the end-of-chapter problems test the student's mastery. The system of objectives tells the students exactly what they must learn in each chapter and where to find it.