Lial and Hestwood’s Prealgebra: An Integrated Approach focuses on the basic concepts of algebra, while integrating arithmetic review and geometry topics into the text at appropriate points. The text begins with early coverage of integers (Section 1.2) and then introduces variables, expressions, and equations in such a way that students see the need for variables, the usefulness of algebraic expressions and formulas, and the power of writing and solving equations.