Need guidance please for purchasing a textbook on Math Physics

[warhammer]

(EDIT: I have also added 2 snippets of the syllabus of the entire Math Physics course in my curriculum as reference).

I am currently in the 3rd Semester of my 3 year UG Physics degree from where the subject of Math Physics has been separately included.

I need extensive guidance from someone here about which book I should purchase, something that will build my concepts from scratch, have great conceptual explanations and with practice make me extremely proficient in the subject. I saw the books by Mary L Boas and Arfken but I am just not sure which one is best for my needs. If anybody can suggest from the either of them which one I should go for (or any other book they may have in mind).

Alternatively in my country there is a book by author HK Dass extensively used, almost like a bible. If you have also heard of this book then please offer your opinions about it.

 

[jedishrfu]

No one book is best for your needs as no book covers every facet of every topic in the subject you are interested in. In addition, no book is perfect and multiple sources allow you to get past those types of errors.

Boas and Arfken are both great books with Boas more for undergrad and Arfken for practicing scientists and grad students.

Another book to have in your collection is the Schaums Outlines Mathematical Handbook of Formulas and Tables. It’s cheap and a great resource when you need integral tables for a tough integral or some surface or volume formula or even properties of Bessel, Legendre, Laguerre and other exotic functions.

there's also Prof Nearings downloadable pdf on Mathematical Physics that's free.

http://www.physics.miami.edu/~nearing/mathmethods/

One of our esteemed members @Orodruin may have suggestions for other books to consider.

 

[warhammer]

No one book is best for your needs as no book covers every facet of every topic in the subject you are interested in. In addition, no book is perfect and multiple sources allow you to get past those types of errors.

Boas and Arfken are both great books with Boas more for undergrad and Arfken for practicing scientists and grad students.

Another book to have in your collection is the Schaums Outlines Mathematical Handbook of Formulas and Tables. It’s cheap and a great resource when you need integral tables for a tough integral or some surface or volume formula or even properties of Bessel, Legendre, Laguerre and other exotic functions.

there's also Prof Nearings downloadable pdf on Mathematical Physics that's free.

http://www.physics.miami.edu/~nearing/mathmethods/

One of our esteemed members @Orodruin may have suggestions for other books to consider.

Thank you for your very detailed and exhaustive response sir. I would like to add that I do understand each book has its limitations, but looking for one main textbook which I can majorly use, with all others acting as supplementaries to it.

(Edit: Just checked out Schaums Math Handbook of Formulas and Tables. An excellent reference guide, thanks for such a beautiful recommendation sir!)

 

[Mondayman]

I find the book the book by Riley-Hobson to be better than Boas, but I use both myself.

 

[Meir Achuz]

I taught from Boas and didn't like it.
Arfken is higher level, but still easier for an undergraduate than Boas.
Try to get the earliest Arfken you can. Each new edition is written by other people and gets more complicatrd.