Math Books for Undergraduate Physics

[ZeroZero2]

I recently made a https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=489019" about self studies in Physics. However, the topic mostly focused on physics books.

Here, I want to focus on math books. In particular, math books needed for undergraduate level physics (and maybe first year graduate school as well)

Browsing through this forum and elsewhere, I cleaned up my original math section and this is what I've gathered so far:


Calculus – Ron Larson, Bruce H. Edwards
ISBN: 9780547167022

Div, Grad, Curl, and All That: An Informal Text on Vector Calculus – H. M. Schey
ISBN: 0393925161

Introduction to Linear Algebra – Gilbert Strang
ISBN: 0980232716

Linear Algebra Done Right – Sheldon Axler
ISBN: 0387982582

Ordinary Differential Equations – Morris Tenenbaum, Harry Pollard
ISBN: 9780486649405

Partial Differential Equations for Scientists and Engineers – Stanley J. Farlow
ISBN: 048667620X

Introductory Complex Analysis – Richard A. Silverman
ISBN: 9780486646862

Topology – James Munkres
ISBN: 9780131816299

Lie Groups, Lie Algebras, and Some of Their Applications – Robert Gilmore
ISBN: 9780486445298

Introductory Functional Analysis – Erwin Kreyszig
ISBN: 9780471504597

=======================================================

Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering: A Comprehensive Guide – K. F. Riley, M. P. Hobson, S. J. Bence
ISBN: 0521679710

Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences – Mary L. Boas
ISBN: 0471198269

Mathematics of Classical and Quantum Physics – Frederick W. Byron, Robert W. Fuller
ISBN: 048667164X



What should I take out?? What should I add?? Any good alternatives?

The main undergrad physics books I'm looking into at the moment are at the bottom (not including some supplements recommended to me on the other topic). I'm still hunting for a few more (maybe a book or two on condensed matter physics, also one on optics). However, this is a good representation to give you a good idea on how much math I'll need.

Thanks!

Spoiler

Fundamentals of Physics - David Halliday, Robert Resnick, Jearl Walker
ISBN: 9780470044728

Classical Mechanics – John R. Taylor
ISBN: 9781891389221

An Introduction to Thermal Physics – David V. Schroeder
ISBN: 0201380277

A Student’s Guide to Maxwell’s Equations – Daniel Fleisch
ISBN: 9780521701471

Introduction to Electrodynamics – David J. Griffith
ISBN: 013805326X

Special Relativity – A.P. French
ISBN: 9780393097931

A First Course in General Relativity – Bernard Schultz
ISBN: 9780521887052

General Relativity – Robert M. Wald
ISBN: 0226870332

Introduction to Quantum Mechanics – David J. Griffith
ISBN: 0131118927

Introduction to Elementary Particles – David J. Griffith
ISBN: 3527406018

Gauge Theories in Particle Physics Vol. I, II – I. J. R. Aichison, A. J. G. Hey
ISBN: 9780750308649

A First Course in String Theory – Barton Zweibach
ISBN: 9780521880329

String Theory and M-Theory: A Modern Introduction – Katrin Becker, Melanie Becker, John H. Schwarz
ISBN: 9780521860697

 

[yungman]

I am a self studier, having many books in one topics is very important because no one book is good in all the sub-topics. You always find one book good in one part, the other good in another part. I usually have 3 to 5 books per topics. On a more difficult subjects like electrodynamics, I have 7 to 8 books! Here are the three topics I studied:

I have a lot of calculus book, the one really stand out is by Anton and Bevins.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0471482730/?tag=pfamazon01-20

They came out with 8th edition and this is really cheap! As low as $3.50!


For ODE (differential equation), I like Zills and Cullen.

For PDE, I think I would get two books:
1) Partial differential Eq with Fourier Series and BVP by Asmar. ( Easy one but come short in some area)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0131480960/?tag=pfamazon01-20

2) Partial Differential Eq by Strauss ( more difficult and brief, but make up the short coming of the first one)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0470054565/?tag=pfamazon01-20

I would not just buy Strauss because it lags the detail to learn the topic from ground scratch.

 

[bcrowell]

My favorite linear algebra book is free: Hefferon, Linear Algebra, http://joshua.smcvt.edu/linalg.html/

There are lots of free calculus books out there, many of them quite good: http://www.theassayer.org/cgi-bin/asbrowsesubject.cgi?class=Q#freeclassQAmg

 

[contramundum]

I would recommend not using Strang's Intro to Linear Algebra. I did not like that book at all. It was much too informal/conversational for my tastes. Perhaps you like that style though?

 

[ZeroZero2]

I would recommend not using Strang's Intro to Linear Algebra. I did not like that book at all. It was much too informal/conversational for my tastes. Perhaps you like that style though?

It's ok, we used it in class last semester (never really read it).

Oddly enough I absolutely hated it, but I reread it and worked most of the problems over the winter break. I also got the complete solutions guide from Dr. Strang himself so the book was pretty useful to me. It was a really easy and quick read. I know what you mean though about how informal it is. Thankfully Dr. Strang's lectures are up on Youtube.

I hope Axler won't be as bad.

 

[ZeroZero2]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Any books that might help if I'm considering Mathematical Physics?

I'm a physics major right now but the Physics Department is rather underfunded.

Im taking ODEs this semester using Polking's book.. its a decent book, but very example oriented which I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing in the long run... It certainly makes the material easier though

Are there any subjects that I did not list that are crucial for what I'm considering??

 

[yungman]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Any books that might help if I'm considering Mathematical Physics?

I'm a physics major right now but the Physics Department is rather underfunded.

Im taking ODEs this semester using Polking's book.. its a decent book, but very example oriented which I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing in the long run... It certainly makes the material easier though

Are there any subjects that I did not list that are crucial for what I'm considering??

You list plenty. I am not sure you need all the subjects. Since you have ODE, if you study PDE, Complex Analysis and Linear Algebra, that is very good already.