Thomas' or Apostol's calculus for beginner

[Hossam Halim]

I am a high school student . I am a beginner in calculus . In the future i wil study theoretical physics and pure mathematics . I am puzzled which to use Thomas'nor Apostol's ?? I am a self learner .
Should i choose whether Thomas' or Apostol's to use ? then, which ?
Or should i read both,one after another, . I mean reading Thomas' then Apostol's . ?

Thanks in advance .

 

[Reyaz]

I have used Thomas calculus for preparation of AP Calculus BC in High school. After that I gone through Apostol single variable calculus. So I will recommend to go in same order.

PS:- Thomas is very big book, if you learning just for fun then go with I A Maron calculus/ G N Berman Analysis otherwise Stewart/Larson/Thomas (9th Ed.) are good to go with.

 

[jbunniii]

Do you have access to both books? If so, see if you are able to read and understand Apostol, including the exercises. If so, then there is no point starting with Thomas, and you can go directly to Apostol (or Spivak).

If you need a more introductory book then Thomas may not be a good choice for self study, assuming it is the typical 1000 page brick. Most people who use such a textbook while enrolled in a course never read more than a fraction of the book, but you won't have that luxury. So get something more efficient - I would recommend Serge Lang's "A First Course in Calculus" for this purpose. It's not a short book either but it's shorter than most because doesn't have as much filler. Lang's style is also more a bit more sophisticated than most intro books, so it will be good preparation for future math studies.

 

[micromass]

I would recommend Serge Lang's "A First Course in Calculus" for this purpose. It's not a short book either but it's shorter than most because doesn't have as much filler.

I don't think anybody will be surprised that I second this advice.

That said, you should at least try to do Apostol. Most likely, it will be too difficult, but perhaps you like it anyway. If it's too difficult, then Lang should suit you perfectly.

 

[rezeew]

I would suggest that you read both Thomas' and Apostol's calculus books. Both books are highly regarded and widely used in introductory calculus courses. Each book has its own unique approach and explanations, so reading both will give you a more comprehensive understanding of the subject. Additionally, since you are interested in pursuing theoretical physics and pure mathematics, it would be beneficial to have a strong foundation in both Thomas' and Apostol's perspectives. Reading both books will also help you develop critical thinking skills and the ability to compare and contrast different approaches to problem solving. Ultimately, the decision is yours, but I would recommend reading both books to supplement your self-learning journey in calculus.