What are some good non-textbook books for preparing for Calculus II-III?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around recommendations for non-textbook books to prepare for Calculus II and III. Participants share their experiences and suggest various titles that could help familiarize readers with the material covered in these courses.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant seeks recommendations for non-textbook books that include practice problems and are more formal than "How to Ace the Rest of Calculus."
  • Another participant suggests "The Calculus Tutoring Book" by Carol and Robert Ash and "Calculus: An Intuitive and Physical Approach" by Morris Kline as worthwhile options.
  • A different participant recommends "Course on Modern Analysis" by Whittaker & Watson, noting its usefulness and the availability of newer editions.
  • One participant mentions "Multivariable Calculus" and "Calculus, Early Transcendentals" by James Stewart, acknowledging that while these are textbooks, they are accessible and well-explained.
  • There is a viewpoint that actual textbooks may be more beneficial for understanding concepts quantitatively rather than qualitatively.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants present a variety of suggestions, indicating that there is no consensus on a single best resource. Some prefer textbooks for their depth, while others seek non-textbook alternatives.

Contextual Notes

Participants express differing opinions on the value of textbooks versus non-textbook resources, reflecting a range of preferences and learning styles.

Who May Find This Useful

Students preparing for Calculus II and III, educators seeking supplementary materials, and anyone interested in alternative resources for learning calculus concepts.

kingnasty
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I am going to be taking calculus II-III next year and would like to know if there are any good non textbook books out there that would be a good read over the summer to get me familiar with the material that will be covered in each of these classes. I read "calculus, by Gootman" prior to taking calc one and it helped enormously. I have already checked out “How to ace the rest of calculus" but I would like something a hair more formal than that (something with practice problems). Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
 
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You might try "The Calculus Tutoring Book" by Carol and Robert Ash, published by the IEEE...and/or "Calculus: An intuitive and physical approach" by Morris Kline, published by Dover. Both of them are very worthwhile, IMHO.
 
Whittaker & Watson "Course on Modern Analysis" is a good book.I got the 1927 edition.I think newer ones have been published.

Real nice & useful stuff.

Daniel.
 
Try "Multivariable Calculus" and "Calculus, Early Transcendentals" by James Stewart. The former is for Cal 3 and the latter, Cals 1&2.They are textbooks, but are easy reads and the concepts and proofs are well explained.

Personally, there is nothing better than actual textbooks if your aim is to understand "quantitatively", and not just qualitatively.
 
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