Books for self-learning Calculus?

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around recommendations for books suitable for self-learning Calculus. Participants express preferences for different texts based on their intended use, background knowledge, and learning styles.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests Spivak's "Calculus" for its focus on the mathematical foundations, stating it begins with basic properties of numbers and functions.
  • Another participant counters the recommendation of Spivak, advocating for Stewart's book instead, though the reasons for this preference are not initially provided.
  • A later reply requests clarification on why one would prefer Stewart over Spivak, indicating a desire for more detailed reasoning.
  • One participant emphasizes the importance of learning how to do proofs before engaging with a math book.
  • Another participant suggests visiting a library to explore various books, including Spivak, Courant, Stewart, and others, to find one that resonates with the reader.
  • One participant notes that the choice of book may depend on the specific needs for learning Calculus, such as preparing for a mathematics degree or applying concepts in engineering.
  • A participant shares their positive experience with Stewart's book, highlighting its engaging presentation.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing opinions on the best book for self-learning Calculus, with no consensus reached on a single preferred text. Multiple competing views remain regarding the suitability of Spivak versus Stewart and the importance of foundational proof skills.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various books without resolving which is definitively better, and the discussion reflects a range of needs and preferences that may influence book choice.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in self-learning Calculus, particularly those considering different approaches or needing guidance on suitable resources based on their goals.

Direlect
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Hello all. I ran a search on the forums, but didn't find anything specific to my query.

Does anyone here have a favorite book for self-teaching Calculus? Preferably, the book should have a small refresher for older needed maths before the actual Calculus segment. Thanks for the help.
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
Spivak's "Calculus" is great if you intend on learning more of the mathematician's calculus than the engineering/physics applications. It starts from going over the basic properties of numbers and functions first. In either case, a Schaum's review of Calculus will easily fill in the applications if you need them.
 
I wouldn't suggest Spivak.

I would go with Stewart's.
 
JasonRox said:
I wouldn't suggest Spivak.

I would go with Stewart's.

Not a disagreement with those, but would you give your reasons for not using the Spivak book but to use the Stewart book?
 
if you're going to read a math book you should learn how to do proofs first
 
Thanks for the suggestions guys.
 
Thanks for the suggestions guys.
 
go to thelibrary and try reading them. choose whichever one you like to read. e.g. spivak, courant, stewart, thomas, cruse and granberg, thomas finney, salas - hille, kitchen, silvanus p thompson, ...
 
It depends what you need this calculus for. Do you need a firm understand with strong fundamentals because you wish to do a degree in mathematics, do you want to use it this apply the basics to some problems, just enough understanding to apply to some engineering perhaps? Different books suit different needs.
 
  • #10
I used Stewart's to self learn. It's a great book and full of color :)
 

Similar threads

Replies
41
Views
7K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
12K
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 71 ·
3
Replies
71
Views
4K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K