What Is OpenIntro and What Does It Provide?

Updated

OpenIntro is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that develops and promotes educational products—primarily statistics and mathematics textbooks—that are free, transparent, and designed to lower barriers to education. Its core offering is free PDF textbooks with affordable print editions, supplemented by teaching resources such as slides, videos, solutions, and sample exams for verified teachers.

What OpenIntro provides

Textbooks in statistics

OpenIntro's statistics catalog covers both high school and college levels:

  • OpenIntro Statistics
  • Introduction to Modern Statistics
  • Intro Stat for Life & Biomedical Sciences
  • Advanced High School Statistics
  • Intro Stat with Randomization and Simulation

Textbooks in mathematics

Mathematics titles are available through a pilot program:

  • College Algebra and Trigonometry
  • APEX Calculus
  • Linear Algebra

Supporting resources

Beyond the books themselves, OpenIntro features supporting materials such as slides and videos. Teachers who complete verification can request desk copies, access solutions for statistics textbooks, review sample exams, and more.

How the access model works

Aspect What OpenIntro states
PDF access Every student has immediate, perpetual, and free access to the PDF when using an OpenIntro textbook
Print editions Each book is also affordable in print
Funding model Print book sales make it financially possible to expand the number of textbooks supported
Organizational focus As a nonprofit, OpenIntro says it is focused on what is best for students and teachers rather than maximizing shareholder profit

The site cites that 65% of students have opted out of buying a college textbook due to its high price, and that 94% of those students know they suffer academically from that decision. OpenIntro positions free PDF access as a direct response to that problem.

Who it is for

  • Students who want immediate, no-cost access to a statistics or mathematics textbook PDF, with the option to buy a print copy.
  • Instructors who need desk copies, solutions, and sample exams; these require teacher registration and verification.
  • Schools and departments looking for textbooks that have been used across a wide range of schools, per OpenIntro's own description.

Getting started

  1. Browse the Books section and choose a subject area (Statistics or Mathematics).
  2. If you are unsure which statistics title fits your course, use the "Help Me Decide" option listed on the site.
  3. Students can open the free PDF directly; those who prefer print can purchase an affordable print edition.
  4. Teachers should register and complete verification to request desk copies and access solutions and sample exams.

For questions beyond the catalog, the site also links to a blog, forums, common questions, and contact information.