Sheldon Axler's Precalculus focuses only on topics that students actually need to succeed in calculus.  Because of this, Precalculus is a very manageable size even though it includes a student solutions manual.  The book is geared towards courses with intermediate algebra prerequisites and it does not assume that students remember any trigonometry. It covers topics such as inverse functions, logarithms, half-life and exponential growth, area, e, the exponential function, the natural logarithm and trigonometry. The Student Solutions Manual is integrated at the end of every section. The proximity of the solutions encourages students to go back and read the main text as they are working through the problems and exercises. The inclusion of the manual also saves students money.