Where can I find more difficult 'versions' of problems?

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SUMMARY

This discussion centers on the challenge of finding advanced problem sets in mathematics and physics that are suitable for undergraduate students. Participants highlight the discrepancy between textbook problems and exam questions, emphasizing the need for resources that present difficult problems without requiring extensive prior knowledge. Recommendations include Spivak's "Calculus," which is noted for its rigorous approach, and Piskunov's "Differential and Integral Calculus," which is praised for its accessibility and depth. These resources are suggested as supplements to standard calculus courses to enhance problem-solving skills.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic calculus concepts and techniques.
  • Familiarity with undergraduate-level mathematics curriculum.
  • Knowledge of problem-solving strategies in mathematics.
  • Awareness of various mathematical textbooks and their focus areas.
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore Spivak's "Calculus" for challenging problems suitable for introductory courses.
  • Investigate Piskunov's "Differential and Integral Calculus" for accessible yet difficult exercises.
  • Research online platforms that compile advanced problem sets for undergraduate mathematics.
  • Review additional resources such as Courant's and Hardy's texts for supplementary problems.
USEFUL FOR

Undergraduate mathematics students, educators seeking supplemental materials, and anyone looking to enhance their problem-solving abilities in calculus and related fields.

PhizKid
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Like, questions that you would technically be able to solve with very limited knowledge of a particular subject, except that it requires more work/cleverness.

For example in Calc I, I was able to solve every problem for each learned topic given in the textbook rather easily, however on the exams the questions were nothing of the easy nature in the textbook and as such were much, much more difficult and some students complained that they did not learn the material to solve these problems, when in fact they just required extremely tricky knowledge to break through them. Sometimes there are questions we haven't learned, but we are expected to learn some topics on our own due to the limited number of class hours. I have no complaints about that, as I believe in taking my own responsibility.

So the textbook questions being too easy, are there any web resources for different subjects like maths/physics that list extremely difficult problems that don't require advanced knowledge of the subject and can realistically be solved/expected to appear on a lower-level undergraduate exam?

What about Spivak's Calculus for the rest of my Calculus sequence? I'm told it's more of a Real Analysis book, but can it be used as a supplement for introductory Calc II/III courses, especially the problems in the book that might appear in a first year Calculus course?
 
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try the usual suspects, spivak, courant, hardy, apostol, kitchen, dieudonne'.
 
I can also recommend Piskunov's "Differential and Integral Calculus." You can find the international edition on the cheap. I found it at a library and read through some of it. Nice book.
 

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