Experienced authors, Hein, Pattison, Best, and Arena, recognize that both science and mathematics can be daunting subjects to students.   They skillfully anticipate areas of difficulty and pace the text accordingly.  Particular emphasis is placed on the understanding of how chemical principles relate to their lives and future careers.  The authors focus on problem solving over rote memorization and provide a variety of exercises to aid in the development of this essential skill. 

While the authors have revised and updated sections on inorganic and organic chemistry throughout the text, they particularly focused on incorporating many of the recent developments in biochemistry.