# What is the meaning of transcendentals for calc books?

1. Oct 18, 2012

### mindheavy

I see these calculus books, some titled 'early transcendentals' some 'late transcendentals'. What does this mean? What is the difference?

2. Oct 18, 2012

### micromass

It means that book is bad. Just get a copy of Lang or Spivak's calculus.

Seriously (or not): it means that functions such as $e^x$ are introduced later or earlier in the book.

3. Oct 18, 2012

### mindheavy

wow. I've seen this book by Lang recommended before. I'm in Calculus I currently, and my school is using Larson's Calculus for Calc I,II, and III, which I will be taking all of. Would you recommend either of Lang or Spivak as supplemental reading or that I just stick to the prescribed course book? I do enjoy having multiple sources of literature to gain more perspective on sometimes. Thoughts?

4. Oct 18, 2012

### dextercioby

Confusing and plain bad terminology, indeed. There's only one type of transcendentals = numerical values in the images of transcendental functions, such as sin x.

5. Oct 18, 2012

### mindheavy

Another thing that interests me is, most 'older' texts seem to present the integral before the derivative, while some books present the limit->derivative->integrals, is there any reasoning behind the order of presentation, or are they completely interchangeable and authors preference?

Last edited: Oct 18, 2012
6. Oct 22, 2012

### SolsticeFire

Ahahaha and I was thinking of a clever way to answer this question! :D

Well said! :D

SolsticeFire