Looking for a book to replace Arfken

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around finding suitable textbooks to replace Arfken's "Mathematical Methods for Physicists" for a course in Mathematical Methods III. The topics covered include variational calculus, Fourier analysis, partial differential equations, spherical harmonics, and boundary problems. Participants seek recommendations for books that provide clear explanations and a variety of problems suitable for undergraduate students.

Discussion Character

  • Homework-related, Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses difficulty with Arfken's textbook and requests recommendations for alternatives that offer clear explanations and varied problem sets.
  • Another participant suggests Boas' book and Prof Nearing's book as potential replacements.
  • A participant requests more specific recommendations tailored to the topics covered in their course, noting that Boas' book did not adequately address their needs.
  • Additional suggestions include "Mathematics of Classical and Quantum Physics" by Byron/Fuller and "Theoretical Physics" by Joos, both noted for their affordability and quality.
  • Another participant recommends S. Hassani's "Mathematical Physics" and mentions Morse and Feshbach for rigorous treatment, along with Hilbert-Courant for a more advanced approach.
  • Riley's book is also mentioned as a potential resource.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants present multiple competing views on suitable textbooks, with no consensus on a single recommended book. Various suggestions reflect differing opinions on clarity, coverage, and suitability for the course material.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note that certain recommended texts may not cover specific topics required for the course, indicating a need for careful selection based on the curriculum.

Who May Find This Useful

Students preparing for exams in mathematical methods, particularly those seeking textbooks that provide clear explanations and a range of exercises in physics and mathematics.

PhysicsPrincess
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Hi :)
Okay so next month I have an exam in the course Mathematical Methods III and I desperately need a good textbook to study from.
We covered variation calculus,fourier analysis and partial differential equations including sphrical harmonies (legendre polynomials) and various boundary problems.
This course was very intense and the problem sets were extremely difficult. We were assigned Arfken's Mathmatical Methods for physicists book but I find it very hard to work with it.

I'm looking for books about the subjects mentioned above that have CLEAR AND SIMPLE explanations that would fit an undergraduate student and a variety of problems and exercises in different difficulty levels.

Thanks a lot!
 
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Umm can you recommend texts that are more specific about each one of these subjects?

About that -
jedishrfu said:
How about Boas' book:

I already went through Boas's part about Fourier analysis and it didn't really cover our course.. Same goes with spherical harmonies and boundary problems..

Thanks again
 
Mathematics of Classical and Quantum Physics by Byron/Fuller, and Theoretical Physics by Joos are terrific I hear. They are Dover and can both be bought for $40, so I think its a worthy investment!
 
I like S. Hassani, Mathematical Physics, Springer.
 
Morse and Feshbach, if you like for a very rigorous treatment without exercises try Hilbert- Courant.

Both books will make a good mathematical physicist out of you!
 
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