I wish I could take calculus again

1. Sep 10, 2004

modmans2ndcoming

it has been 3 semesters since I was finished with my calc and moved on to other mathematics like analysis and modern algebra....my calc skills have really degraded. any one know of a good website that has a nice range of calc problems I can use to keep me sharp (or even to help me get better int eh areas I was weak in) ? thanks.

2. Sep 10, 2004

Theelectricchild

Solve:

$$\int{e^{x^2}} dx$$

$$\int{sin (x^2) dx$$

3. Sep 10, 2004

Theelectricchild

Hehe jk, whenever i feel i need to review necessary calculus i usually pick up my old text by James Stewart--- Calculus 5th edition or 4th edition or whatever....

Id search for a good text or just google it. Simple as that.

4. Sep 10, 2004

modmans2ndcoming

the problem is that I hated my text book.

5. Sep 10, 2004

Zurtex

Here is a nice one that tests a couple of basic skills of integration:

$$\int x\cosh^{-1} x dx$$

I'll look around at a few of the sites my teachers gave me, what areas do you struggle with?

6. Sep 10, 2004

modmans2ndcoming

hmm, Taylor series for sure (I recall doing the worst on that section) everything else is just equal degradation, you know....you see something and you know what to use, but you for got how to use it.... Calc Skills have not been a top priority for me since I finished calc 3 (even in real number analysis I did not need to press my self)

now I am in Linear Algebra (Finally...though that is not nearly as embarrassing as forgetting to take freshman statistics [I am a senior and have 2 classes left in upper level for my major to be complete] :-), that is sure to be fun, having to sit through stupid questions from people who have had no interest in math since...for ever!!)

so basically if I want to get out of college with a semblance of the skills that I had in calc when I was in the classes (and I will need it since I am going to teach it to smart high schoolers eventually) I have to hit my self with a problem or two a day to keep on the ball.

7. Sep 11, 2004

Theelectricchild

Z-

That integral seems like it should be done by parts--- set u = x and dv = cosh x, which is = 0.5*(e^x + e^-x). Too lazy to solve it out though!

8. Sep 11, 2004

HallsofIvy

Become a tutor. The best way to learn anything is to teach it.

9. Sep 11, 2004

Tide

I'll second that!

10. Sep 12, 2004

Zurtex

Sorry no, you've read the integrand wrong, it should be x multiplied by inverse cosh of x.

11. Sep 12, 2004

modmans2ndcoming

that is a good idea.

I thought about doing that last semester but never looked into it. But lets not say "learn" since the last thing a student wants is a teacher who does not know the subject :-)

Last edited: Sep 12, 2004
12. Sep 12, 2004

fourier jr

Hardy's "A Course of Pure Math" is an awesome calculus book (for people who already know the stuff, I think) with all its evil integrals, etc. That book is jam-packed with all sorts of cool math "trivia" that is hard to fnd in any newer books. I guess Spivak's calculus text is good too, but not as good as Hardy's.

13. Sep 12, 2004

Chrono

It seems the book is hard to find, too. It isn't available at Amazon.

14. Sep 12, 2004

Muzza

15. Sep 12, 2004

Chrono

Then what in the world was I looking at? Aw, it doesn't matter, I'm glad you found it for me. Thanks!

16. Sep 12, 2004

mathwonk

G.H. Hardy
A Course of Pure Mathematics
Cambridge University Press Trade Paperback. Good/None. 509 pages,indexed, THIRD EDITION, rubbed exterior, still well glued.
Bookseller Inventory #3980

Price: US$10.00 (Convert Currency) Shipping: Rates & Speed Bookseller: Westcott books, 2065 St. Catherine St. W., Montreal, PQ, Canada, H3H 1M3 (Search this Bookseller's Books) (More Bookseller Information) Terms of Sale: not yet determined Shipping Terms: Shipping costs are based on books weighing 2.2 LB, or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required. Accepted Payment Methods: - Visa - MasterCard - Cheque - Money Order - Cash - Paypal - Bank Draft - Bank/Wire Transfer 17. Sep 13, 2004 H-bar None This website is my favorite(next to this one) of all timeSOS MATH 18. Sep 13, 2004 Chrono Exambot is a good place to get some printable worksheets on calculus. 19. Sep 16, 2004 mathwonk I do not like hardy's book (which i bought for$2. new) as well as either spivak's or courant's, or apostol's myself, as I am not as inetrested in a bunch of kinky integrals and old tripos problems from 1910. on the other hand, hardy's 2nd edition lives forever in my mind for its preface in which he apologizes for writing the first edition like a "missionary talking to cannibals", and explains that subsequent advances in mathematical education in cambridge made it possible for him to be more succint. Of course that meant to me, that I would prefer the first edition with its greater detail! still it is a great book, just not one i personally find it pertinent to refer to as often as courant, say.

20. Sep 16, 2004

Pyrrhus

Mathwonk, what do you think about James Stewart's Calculus books?

21. Sep 17, 2004

Theelectricchild

Oooh thats what I used in my calc series at my school- stewart 5th ed early transcendentals... I liked it, great progression through the material, and the chapters on vector calculus and multiple integrals were great. Theres even a final chapter in there on 2nd order homogenous and non homogenous differential equations.

22. Sep 17, 2004

Chrono

I know you didn't ask me, but I'll tell you this anyway. I haven't heard very many good things about it, however, it is one of the books my calculus professor had recommended we get one if we want a book of that sort.

23. Sep 17, 2004

Pyrrhus

Thanks, Personally, I like James Stewarts Examples and it has a intermediate rigoruous calculus [At least 4th Edition], I know because i got another 3 books of Calculus:

1) Advanced Calculus by Wilfred Kaplan [9th Edition] (It's pretty complete as far as i've seen).

2) Elements of the differential and integral calculus by William Anthony Granville [Revised Edition] (It covers a lot of stuff and has very nice problems for the math majors, except it doesn't cover linear algebra)

3) University Calculus by Howard E. Taylor and Thomas L. Wade (I didn't bother to check it much, it seems nice, but it's just full of theorems, and exercises, it bores me to death... i mostly use it to check theorems and such...)

Althought it looks like Courant seems to be the best book to learn from... Maybe i will consider buying it.

Last edited: Sep 17, 2004