ABSTRACT
To operate a waterworks or a wastewater treatment plant and to pass the examination for an operator’s license, you must know how to perform certain mathematical operations. Do not panic. As Price (1991) pointed out, “Those who have difficulty in math often do not lack the ability for mathematical calculation; they merely have not learned, or have been taught, the ‘language of math.’ ”
Without the ability to perform mathematical calculations, it would be difficult for operators to properly operate water/ wastewater systems. In reality, most of the calculations that operators need to perform are not difficult. Generally, math ability through basic algebra is all that is needed. Experience has shown that skill with math operations used in water/ wastewater system operations is an acquired skill that is enhanced and strengthened with practice. In this chapter, we assume the reader is well grounded in basic math principles; thus, we do not cover basic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. However, based on recommendations provided by a large number of previous users, we have added more than 50 additional, real-world practice problems and solutions to this new edition.
