Schaum's Outline for self-studying mathematics

[Mayhem]

Does anyone have experience with using these books for learning mathematics? I'm particularly looking at the one on linear algebra. The fact that there are countless practice problems with solutions is a selling point. Also, this book in particular sells for like 1/4 of the price of a proper linear algebra textbook and I can buy it at my university book store and have it tomorrow.

My question is this. Are these books too superficial for learning (for someone who is not exactly a genius) and are they best as reference books for someone who has already taken linear algebra? For reference, I personally find I learn the best by doing exercise after exercise as that is where I start noticing emergent patterns.

Thank you.

 

[jedishrfu]

I think they are okay for what they were intended ie as a supplement to learning the actual topic.

You could for example, self study using Khan Academy videos and this book and I think that would dramatically improve your learning experience.

https://www.khanacademy.org/math/linear-algebra

or using the book with the MathIsPower4U site:

http://www.mathispower4u.com/linear-alg.php

Some of the Schaum's titles have been in print for a long time and may be notationally slightly out of date. I recall in college I would turn to them for help in a course and find that some of what was taught was covered but other things were not.

This was in the time of the great internet desert (ie no internet) and so my options were limited to these study guides and to actual textbooks. In many cases, the problem I was trying to solve was not available in the study guide and so I was never sure my solution was right.

However with todays online resources that problem is mostly fixed.

Lastly, there's the 3Blue1Brown Youtube channel which has a great short sequence called the Essence of Linear Algebra that s definitely a must see once you become more familiar with the math.

https://www.3blue1brown.com/essence-of-linear-algebra-page

 

[jedishrfu]

One Schaum's that you should definitely get is the Schaum's Outline Mathematical Handbook of Formulas and Tables.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1260010538/?tag=pfamazon01-20

It was perhaps the most useful of all of their series. There's a comprehensive table of integrals of many types.

There's a section on various coordinate systems and related formulas. I was truly amazed at all the ones they provided as at the time only familiar with the orthogonal X, Y, Z, cylindrical and spherical. They however had several more that I'd not seen before.