Refer me to a book of calculus to clear the basic concepts

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around recommendations for calculus textbooks aimed at clearing basic concepts. Participants share various resources, including traditional textbooks and online courses, while addressing different levels of understanding in calculus.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant requests recommendations for a good calculus book to understand basic concepts.
  • Another suggests that any senior secondary school or freshman college text would suffice, mentioning "Calculus for Dummies" and free online courses.
  • George F. Simmons' "Calculus with Analytic Geometry" is recommended for its clear explanations.
  • Another participant agrees on Simmons but also suggests Thomas/Finnly's "Calculus with Analytical Geometry" and Serge Lang's "Calculus," noting that Simmons lacks depth in the explanation of sequences and series.
  • One participant appreciates Simmons for its problem sets but feels Lang has fewer exercises, while also stating that Simmons provides a good connection between concepts.
  • A participant shares their experience using a combination of Lang's "A First Course" and Thomas' book, while also mentioning Morris Kline for its explanations but questioning the use of multiple resources.
  • Another participant highlights the clarity of explanations in introductory books, suggesting that deeper foundational texts like Spivak or Courant and John might be necessary for those already familiar with computational calculus.
  • One participant recommends the classic "Stuart Calculus" and Schaum's Outline Series for their examples and exercises, emphasizing the need for dedicated study time.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a variety of opinions on which textbooks are most suitable, with no consensus on a single recommended book. Different preferences for clarity, depth, and exercise availability are noted.

Contextual Notes

Some recommendations depend on the reader's prior knowledge of calculus, with suggestions varying based on whether the learner is starting from scratch or seeking deeper understanding.

Arqam Habib Khan
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Can anyone refer me a good book for calculus from which i can clear the basic concepts.
 
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George F. Simmons' Calculus with Analytic Geometry will suit your need as the explanations are clear and quite basic.
 
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Simmons is good, maybe try Thomas/Finnly: Calculus with analytical geometry 9th ed.
Serge Lang Calculus is also nice.

I found Simmons good, however, the explanation of sequence and series was lacking.
 
MidgetDwarf said:
Simmons is good, maybe try Thomas/Finnly: Calculus with analytical geometry 9th ed.
Serge Lang Calculus is also nice.

I found Simmons good, however, the explanation of sequence and series was lacking.

I like Lang too but I feel like the book does not have many exercises. Simmons does have huge amount of problems (each of them are very well-crafted) that are designed to connect one concept from another. I think the explanation for series and sequence was adequate in a level of non-rigorousness.
 
I'm learning calculus from a combination of A First Course by Lang and Calculus with Analytical Geometry by Thomas, and it's been working really well for me so far. I also have a book by Morris Kline that has nice explanations, but I think using three resources is a bit too much.
 
I like the very clear and elementary explanations in this book, as an introduction. I am assuming you know nothing about calculus, or are struggling in a beginning course. If you meant you already know computational calculus and want to plumb the deeper foundations, then other books are in order, like Spivak or Courant and John:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0812098196/?tag=pfamazon01-20
 

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