So many Halliday and Resnick Texts, a few questions about different editions, uk

[icma]

Hi,
My uni uses the Halliday and Resnick textbook. The uni website says to get either the Principles of Physics Extended 9th Edition or Fundamentals of Physics Extended Edition 8th and that it will cost ~£38. Whilst searching for the text I found some are sold in separate volumes whereas some are not, Some texts say Fundamentals of Physics Extended 9th Edition and others say Principles of Physics Extended 8th Edition...

How many volumes are there if I buy separate volumes?
Is it a misprint when the book is being described as Principles of Physics Extended 8th Edition or Fundamentals of Physics Extended 9th Edition? since as far as I'm aware Principles is the 9th Edition of Fundamentals is that right?
Where should I buy the book in uk, can I really get it for £38? I've seen various versions range from £20 to £150 i.e. a 6th Edition at over £100 and a 9th Edition at under £50

(http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/jsp/search_results.jsp?wcp=1&quicksearch=1&cntType=&searchType=keywords&searchData=Fundamentals+of+Physics+Extended&qs-btn=qs-btn )

is there a reason for this?

sorry if this lacks clarity, if you've made it this far, I thank you.

 

[bcrowell]

The publishers are evil and bring out new editions every couple of years in order to kill off the used market. You should typically (but not always, apparently) see that old editions are cheaper, because they can no longer be conveniently used for a course.

I believe the US edition of this book is sold in 5 volumes.

 

[Redbelly98]

But it is not just different editions, there are differently worded titles being thrown in as well. I have been confused by this myself in the past.

 

[jtbell]

There are two basic Halliday & Resnick books: "Fundamentals of Physics" (Halliday, Resnick & Walker) which is now in its 9th edition, and "Physics" (Halliday, Resnick & Krane) which is now in its 5th edition. There is no H&R "Principles of Physics" as far as I know. Your uni's reference to "Principles of Physics" 8th ed. must be a typographical error and is really supposed to mean "Fundamentals of Physics" 8th ed.

HR&W "Fundamentals of Physics" (9th ed.) appears to be available as either the "ordinary" edition, the "extended" edition, or five separate parts: chapters 1-11, 12-20, 21-32, 33-37 and 38-44. The "ordinary" edition contains parts 1-4 (chapters 1-37), and the "extended" edition contains everything. I think Part 5 covers relativity and quantum physics, which are often taught in a separate course in the U.S., which is why there are separate editions with and without part 5.

 

[icma]

There are two basic Halliday & Resnick books: "Fundamentals of Physics" (Halliday, Resnick & Walker) which is now in its 9th edition, and "Physics" (Halliday, Resnick & Krane) which is now in its 5th edition. There is no H&R "Principles of Physics" as far as I know. Your uni's reference to "Principles of Physics" 8th ed. must be a typographical error and is really supposed to mean "Fundamentals of Physics" 8th ed.

HR&W "Fundamentals of Physics" (9th ed.) appears to be available as either the "ordinary" edition, the "extended" edition, or five separate parts: chapters 1-11, 12-20, 21-32, 33-37 and 38-44. The "ordinary" edition contains parts 1-4 (chapters 1-37), and the "extended" edition contains everything. I think Part 5 covers relativity and quantum physics, which are often taught in a separate course in the U.S., which is why there are separate editions with and without part 5.

I've been looking into it a bit further and from what it seems they are publishing, or have published "Fundamentals of Physics" and "Principles of Physics" side by side, (http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-WILEYEUROPE2_SEARCH_RESULT.html?query=halliday) if you scroll down the list you'll see there is both Fundamentals and Principles of Physics 9th edition in that list.

So does anyone know the difference?

 

[jtbell]

Ah, now I see Principles of Physics! Your link redirected me to Wiley's US site, where I didn't see it; then I clicked on the flag icon at the top of the page and reset my "location" to the UK. It must be a non-US edition of Fundamentals of Physics (note the authors are the same) which they had to give a different name for some reason. Note the full title is "Principles of Physics Ninth Edition, International Student Version". I don't know what the differences in content (if any) might be.

 

[icma]

I decided just to go to bookshop at the uni and buy it, I got Principles of Physics 9th Extended Edition, International Student Version. I don't think there would be much if any difference between the content of 'Principles of Physics' and 'Fundamentals of Physics' texts, if there was I think someone would have noticed.