Calculus : A Complete Course (5th Edition)

sony

Hi

I've looked at the website of the university I have applied to, and they use these three books the first semesters. (physics bachelor degree)

Calculus : A Complete Course (5th Edition)
Robert A. Adams

Linear Algebra and Its Applications
David C. Lay


Elementary Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems
William E. Boyce

I've read some bad reviews at amazon. Can some of you please recommend me som alternatives? I'm in desperatly need of good books if I'm going to survive these courses...

Thanks

chroot

The Boyce and Di Pima Diff Eq book is a good one. I don't know about the Calculus texts, however. I have always liked Thomas and Finney, or the classics: Apostol, Spivak.

- Warren

sony

Thanks for you reply.

The Thomas book: Is it the kind of book that doesn't leave out parts in for example proofs? Is it a book that can make the material understandable for "everyone"?

I see there is a 2002 version on amazon.com - it's still good?


Thanks!

Spectre32

The "Best" calc book is Stewards'. You can snag the 4th Edditon for 10 bucks on ebay, but the 5th eddition is newer(but also like 100 dollars). Since your not in engineering, it usesless to get the Vector eddition, because that one is slightly geared more towards engineers(but it couldn't hurt if push came to shove. All of the material is the same, they just persent vectors to you first. I have both, so I can further answer your questions)

We used a book that was made by prentence hall called Linear Algerba and Diff Q. It was pretty solid, in that it started off with Diff, and then used LA to show you how they both interact. Then it went back to Diff, and so on and so forth. Since your just looking for a reference there is the 2nd edditon of that Diff book(newer) and a first eddition. id suggest the first, b/c it will be cheaper. Since your just looking at furthering your knowlege, i'd start off with the Calc book, work your way through Calc I, and then once you have Intergration down, start working on Diff. I pretty much blew at calc(compared to Diff, my calc grades were about a C+ish for the three of them), but got a A in Diff. If I could have prepared in advance I would have done what I just said.

Hope this helps, PM me or IM me if you need any additonal information

sony

Specetre32: Thanks, I'll check that book out!

ron damon

Yes, get Stewart's Calculus and the Solutions Manuals, and you're done. I taught myself calculus with that one, and enjoyed the experience thoroughly.

mathwonk

i recommend the second edition of stewart if available. these books get worse in my opnion in every succeeding edition. or thomas and finney 9th edition?

if that is the sort of book you want of course, as the classics are much better for math majors at least.