Good book on differential equations

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around recommendations for good books on differential equations, exploring various titles and their perceived strengths and weaknesses. Participants share personal experiences with different textbooks, focusing on clarity, problem sets, and overall value.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants recommend Tenenbaum's book as a fantastic and affordable option.
  • George Simmons' "Differential Equations with Applications and Historical Notes" is praised for its clear exposition and engaging writing style.
  • Sheldon Ross' differential equations book is noted for its thoroughness, with some participants suggesting it is well-written but may have easier exercises.
  • Others mention Zill's Differential Equations as a good supplementary resource for problems.
  • Rainville and Bedient, as well as Boyce and DiPrima, are also mentioned as good learning resources, although some express concerns about the cost of Boyce and DiPrima's book.
  • Participants discuss the varying prices of textbooks, with some finding used copies to be excessively priced.
  • A later reply introduces "An Introduction to Differential Equations and Linear Algebra" by Goode as another potential resource.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of opinions on the recommended books, with no clear consensus on which is the best option. Some agree on the merits of specific titles, while others raise concerns about pricing and content quality.

Contextual Notes

Participants' recommendations are based on personal experiences, and there are mentions of varying quality in explanations and exercises across different texts. The discussion reflects differing preferences and expectations regarding textbook content and pricing.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in learning about differential equations or seeking textbook recommendations may find this discussion valuable.

Sobi
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I need a good book on differential equations.
 
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I haven't read it myself (though will soon), but I hear Tenenbaum's book is fantastic. On top of that, it is one of the cheaper textbooks you'll find!
 
If you would like a clear exposition of topics and excellent problems, I heartily recommend a book called "Differential Equations with Applications and Historical Notes" by George Simmons. His writing style is very clear, and his books read like novels.
 
Sobi said:
I need a good book on differential equations.

Ross' differential equations is one of the best ODE books I ever read. The first part of the book deals with giving exact or numerical solutions. The second part is more theoretical (and more interesting). It contains everything you would ever want to know about basic ODE theory.
 
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Ross is great, I second that. I feel that the exercises are a tad to easy. Buy a cheap edition of Zill Differential Equations for under 5 dollars and supplement Ross with problems from Zill.
 
I learned from Rainville and Bedient. I think Boyce and Diprima is also good
 
mpresic said:
I learned from Rainville and Bedient. I think Boyce and Diprima is also good

I think Boyce de Prima is too expensive for what it offers. At a hundred dollars a used copy? no.
 
You may be right MidgetDwarf. I used Simmons (already mentioned) as a sophomore and I liked it. I have some books by Sheldon Ross, but not his DE one. If his DE one is like his other books, it should be very good.
 
  • #10
MidgetDwarf said:
I think Boyce de Prima is too expensive for what it offers. At a hundred dollars a used copy? no.
At my university a used copy in even dreadful condition goes for $150. Absolutely horrifying.
 
  • #11
mpresic said:
You may be right MidgetDwarf. I used Simmons (already mentioned) as a sophomore and I liked it. I have some books by Sheldon Ross, but not his DE one. If his DE one is like his other books, it should be very good.

It is a different Ross, this Ross writes even better.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0534418783/?tag=pfamazon01-20

this is a copy of Zill. Good exercises, the text is typical plug and chug, but very clear. Use this for problems or when you need to clarify something in Ross.

For Ross, their are two versions of his book. I got the Introduction to Ordinary Differential Equations. I believe, the book titled Ordinary Differential Equations, includes the Introduction to Ordinary Differential Equations and more material. Maybe Micromass can confirm this, I am not 100% sure.

But Ross was really well written.
 
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  • #12
mpresic said:
You may be right MidgetDwarf. I used Simmons (already mentioned) as a sophomore and I liked it. I have some books by Sheldon Ross, but not his DE one. If his DE one is like his other books, it should be very good.

I have Simmons Calculus, never looked at his other books. It was well written. Good thinking exercises. The problem I did not like however, was that he hand waved a lot of proofs, and sections and topics that should be combined in one section were spread out. It was well written and offered great intuition. I feel it lacked it in the explanation of Sequences. I found Stewart Beat Simmons in explaining Sequences and Series. However, Simmons is the better book.

Im looking forward to Simmons book on Topology for next year.
 
  • #13
KiggenPig said:
At my university a used copy in even dreadful condition goes for $150. Absolutely horrifying.
Really? Wow.
I see them in the Amazon used books section for like < $15. May be worth checking out.
 
  • #14
An introduction to Differential Equation and linear Algebra. By Goode.
 

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