Is James Stewart's Calculus Text Worth the Investment?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the value and effectiveness of James Stewart's calculus textbook, particularly the 5th edition, in various educational contexts. Participants share their experiences with the book in relation to different academic backgrounds, including engineering and mathematics, and discuss its strengths and weaknesses.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants found the 5th edition of Stewart's calculus text to be effective for learning calculus, especially for engineering students.
  • Others noted that the book is widely used in undergraduate calculus courses at institutions like Columbia and UC Berkeley, highlighting its straightforward approach.
  • A participant who majored in mathematics praised the book for its helpful explanations and numerous examples, although they mentioned it lacks rigor compared to other texts.
  • One user indicated that while the book is good, they are learning additional useful concepts in their current calculus course that are not covered in Stewart's text.
  • Another participant expressed a preference for the 2nd edition, suggesting that later editions have removed some theoretical content and simplified the material too much.
  • Some participants believe the book is suitable for scientists and engineers, while others question its adequacy for math majors who may require a more rigorous approach.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express mixed opinions about the effectiveness of Stewart's calculus text. While some endorse it as a valuable resource, others criticize its lack of depth and rigor, indicating that no consensus exists on its overall value for different academic disciplines.

Contextual Notes

Some participants mention that the book's focus on concepts over rigor may be beneficial for introductory calculus, but this approach could limit its usefulness for those seeking a deeper understanding of mathematical proofs.

Oomair
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has anybody used James Stewart 5th edition calculus text? is it any good
 
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I liked it, but I'm not a math major. Let's just say, I learned enough about calculus from it to well in my engineering classes so far.
 
I know this book is used to teach undergrad. calc I at Columbia, and UC Berkeley for a few teachers, and I recently acquired it and will admit, it's a darn good book. Very straightforward and understandable.
 
I was a math major in college, and I would say that James Stewart is an excellent calculus book. The explanations are quite helpful, there are sufficiently many examples, and most importantly (to a physicist, anyway), there are plenty of pictures and other diagrams to illustrate calculus concepts.

Is Stewart good for someone majoring in math? Well, it focuses on concept rather than rigor, but I think this is a good thing, since math majors typically have a separate course to teach them how to do rigorous proofs. At such a basic level as calculus, rigor tends to obscure other important ideas, so I think this book is good for math majors and anyone else.
 
I used this book to teach myself Calc I and a little bit of Calc II.
But I'm currently in Calc II and I will admit I'm learning a lot of useful things that aren't taught in this book.

Like my teacher has spent a few days discussing some of the most common types of Integrals that are solved by Integration by Parts, which u/v to choose, etc..

But this book is verry good, if you can also get the solution manual, I found it really helpful in understanding a lot of problems that weren't covered in the text.
 
i liked stewarts 2nd edition best. after that he began to remove theory and generally water it down.
 
I liked it a lot when I used it for the my calculus sequence. I think its great for scientists and engineers, and not bad for math majors, since, as a previous poster pointed out, math majors usually (at least the ones at my university) have a separate course for proofs and rigor.
 
Calculus (ISBN: 053413212X)
Stewart, James
Bookseller: Mary Jane Books
(Albany, NY, U.S.A.) Price: US$ 5.00
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Book Description: Brooks/Cole Pub Co, Florence, Kentucky, U.S.A., 1991. Hard Cover. Book Condition: Great. 2nd Edition. Great condition, no writing or highlighting. Bookseller Inventory # B005846Calculus: Second Edition
Stewart, James
Bookseller: Book Baron Anaheim
(Anaheim, CA, U.S.A.) Price: US$ 17.50
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Book Description: Brooks/Cole Publishing (1991), Pacific Grove, 1991. Book Condition: Good. 2nd Edition. Hardcover No DJ- glossy pictorial boards. Rubbing & chipping to board edges & corner tips. Minor reader's crease. Bookseller Inventory # 380509Calculus: Early Transcendentials
James Stewart
Bookseller: Lost Books
(Little Elm, TX, U.S.A.) Price: US$ 21.61
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Book Description: Brooks/Cole Pub Co., 1991. Mass Market Paperback. Book Condition: good. 2nd (July 1991) edition. 0534138306. Bookseller Inventory # 053249it should have a violin or cello on the front cover.
 

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