Distinguished by a superior writing style that draws upon common student experiences to introduce economic concepts, this text makes economic theory accessible, interesting, and understandable. "Case Studies" and numerous examples take advantage of students' intuitive knowledge of economics, building upon real-life situations. A streamlined design places pedagogy and illustrations directly within the flow of the text, making it less distracting and more useful for students. A fully integrated Internet strategy sets this text apart by including relevant Web addresses and exercises directly in the text and on a dedicated Web page. These Internet materials complement the real-world focus of this text, encouraging students to explore and apply extensions of the chapter material to real economic events and data.