Free Downloadable Math and Physics Textbooks

In summary, the online textbooks are good, but not popular. They are full length textbooks, and are just as accurate as the textbooks that are in class. They are offered for free because the writers could not find a publisher, and the market for these books is congested.
  • #1
Tom1992
112
1
i'm so surprised at all the hundreds of free downloadable math and physics textbooks at freescience (e.g. http://www.freescience.info/books.php?id=4&PHPSESSID=c3046af36f33033bc738fa34f64005be , covering almost every university level and even graduate level topic, with professional typesetting and diagrams, table of contents, etc... some textbooks have over 500 pages. i can't find these titles at amazon so apparently these books (most of which are only about 5 to 10years old) have not been published. so what gives?

is there a reason that they are offered for free? seems to good to be true. some authors don't have have phd titles (but most do) but many are college instructors, so their credential seems ok. should i start reading from these books and trust their content?
 
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  • #2
*clicks link* Your link doesn't work.

Is it http://freescience.info/index.php" [Broken]

Personally I think it would be somewhat unprofessional for someone to bring a stack of papers he printed out at home to class with him instead of a textbook :rolleyes:

Online textbooks are more intended as a personal supplement to what you learn in class, not an in class text
 
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  • #3
Ki Man said:
*clicks link* Your link doesn't work.

Is it http://freescience.info/index.php" [Broken]

Personally I think it would be somewhat unprofessional for someone to bring a stack of papers he printed out at home to class with him instead of a textbook :rolleyes:

Online textbooks are more intended as a personal supplement to what you learn in class, not an in class text

The link works now. The online books ARE textbooks, just not popular textbooks. But why? What's wrong with them?
 
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  • #4
Ki Man said:
Personally I think it would be somewhat unprofessional for someone to bring a stack of papers he printed out at home to class with him instead of a textbook :rolleyes:

Online textbooks are more intended as a personal supplement to what you learn in class, not an in class text

Don't print it out... read it [and mark it up electronically] on a https://www.physicsforums.com/blog/2006/05/20/tabletpcs-for-science-and-science-teaching/" [Broken].
 
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  • #5
robphy said:
Don't print it out... read it [and mark it up electronically] on a https://www.physicsforums.com/blog/2006/05/20/tabletpcs-for-science-and-science-teaching/" [Broken].

so you are saying that the accuracy of the content in these books is good.
 
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  • #6
robphy said:
Don't print it out... read it [and mark it up electronically] on a https://www.physicsforums.com/blog/2006/05/20/tabletpcs-for-science-and-science-teaching/" [Broken].

are you being paid to advertise on pf?:rofl:

These are full length textbooks, and they are (probably) no less accurate than the kind you would use in class. Schools just like making you pay for stuff. :tongue2:
 
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  • #7
Ki Man said:
are you being paid to advertise on pf?:rofl:

Nope... but being an advocate and amateur evangelist, and acting like salesman for TabletPCs, I sometimes wonder if I should get a commission. :approve:
(I am, however, trying to advertise the PF blog among PF users.)
 
  • #8
Ki Man said:
These are full length textbooks, and they are (probably) no less accurate than the kind you would use in class. Schools just like making you pay for stuff. :tongue2:

textbooks like these could cost $50 to $150. so there must be a reason that they are offered for free. my guess is that the author's could not find a publisher to invest in their books (the writer's must have tried to make money first before uploading them for free). the question is why couldn't they? is it because they are not famous enough? you said that the books' content is just as good as other textbooks.
 
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  • #9
I imagine the market for books like those is congested and publishers probably don't accept all offers.
 
  • #10
that sucks for the authors (they must have spent 1000+ hours typing out their books and perfecting the typesetting and diagrams), but is great for us.
 
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  • #11
If a company puts out a billion books on one subject, every school will have a different book so overall the writers of the books won't get as much comission, and then the writers will start to take their business elsewhere, so i guess writers who don't get their books published give their books to the community for independant study through e-books
 
  • #12
I can't see how to download them, the formats don't work with any program I seem to have. One of the sites I got from the link was kind of hilarious:

"If you are a students and do not feel sufficiently challenged your courses try solving the Discrete Problem of the Week or one of the Seven Mathematics Problems of the Millennium." :D Ill do that
 
  • #13
you need adobe acrobat reader or ghostscript viewer. once done, you have a free library of university textbooks.
 
  • #14
Some are simply proofs of very good books, eg. Meyer's matrix book - iirc, SIAM let authors put preprints of their books on the web.
 
  • #15
Ki Man said:
*clicks link* Your link doesn't work.

Is it http://freescience.info/index.php" [Broken]

Personally I think it would be somewhat unprofessional for someone to bring a stack of papers he printed out at home to class with him instead of a textbook :rolleyes:

Online textbooks are more intended as a personal supplement to what you learn in class, not an in class text

Unprofessional? Who in your school really cares about how professional you look as a student? You could always take the money that you saved on books and buy some really nice suits, now who looks more professional when it counts?

If you can find the book that your school is using then I say go for it, you would be stupid not to.
 
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  • #16
:redface: I didnt really mean it as a bad thing.

an education is an education no matter how you obtained it
 

What are free downloadable math and physics textbooks?

Free downloadable math and physics textbooks are textbooks that are available for free online, usually in a digital format such as PDF or e-book. These textbooks cover a variety of topics in mathematics and physics and can be accessed and downloaded by anyone with an internet connection.

Where can I find free downloadable math and physics textbooks?

There are many websites and online platforms that offer free downloadable math and physics textbooks. Some popular options include OpenStax, Project Gutenberg, and the National Science Digital Library. These websites often have a wide range of textbooks to choose from, covering various levels and topics.

Are free downloadable math and physics textbooks reliable?

While the quality of free downloadable math and physics textbooks may vary, many of them are written and reviewed by experts in the field. It is important to check the source and credibility of the textbook before using it for academic purposes. Additionally, some websites and platforms have a peer-review process in place to ensure the reliability of their textbooks.

Can I use free downloadable math and physics textbooks for my coursework?

Yes, you can use free downloadable math and physics textbooks for your coursework. However, it is always best to check with your instructor or professor first to ensure that the textbook aligns with your course curriculum and meets the required standards.

Are there any copyright issues with using free downloadable math and physics textbooks?

Most free downloadable math and physics textbooks are released under open licenses, such as Creative Commons, which allows for free and legal use of the material. However, it is always important to check the license and terms of use before downloading and using any textbook to avoid any copyright issues.

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