Which book should i get for me to learn calculus all by myself

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around recommendations for self-study calculus books. Participants share their opinions on various titles, considering factors such as rigor, clarity, and the importance of practice problems. The conversation includes suggestions for both introductory and more advanced texts, as well as considerations for supplementary materials.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that books like Stewart may not be rigorous enough for self-study and recommend more comprehensive texts.
  • One participant advocates for the "Demystified" series, while another counters that it is poorly written and unclear.
  • Several participants recommend Morris Kline's "Calculus" and "Essential Calculus" from Dover for their rigor and clarity.
  • There is a suggestion to use workbooks and practice problems, emphasizing that reading alone is insufficient for mastering calculus.
  • Some participants highlight the necessity of understanding trigonometry before tackling calculus.
  • One participant mentions "Schaum's Outline of Calculus" as a good starting point for beginners, while another suggests "Calculus - The Early Transcendentals" by Howard Anton for self-study.
  • Concerns are raised about the effectiveness of simpler books in conveying the underlying principles of calculus.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of opinions on the suitability of various calculus books, with no clear consensus on a single recommended text. Disagreements exist regarding the effectiveness of simpler books versus more rigorous ones.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note that the effectiveness of a book may depend on the reader's prior knowledge and study habits. The discussion includes references to the availability of solution guides and supplementary materials, which may influence the learning experience.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for individuals seeking self-study resources for learning calculus, particularly those interested in understanding the rigor and depth of various textbooks.

janemba
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which one should i buy
 

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I would say neither. You probably want something more rigorous if you want to learn calculus by yourself, at least on the level of Stewart. Books like this should probably only be an accompaniment to a good textbook.

If you had to go for one or the other, I would probably say the Demystified book, as I have heard fairly good things about the series.
 
thanks
 
Get something like the REA: Problem Solver. If you are trying to study it on your own, do all of the problems, because you will not have an instructor to test your knowledge.

Applied Calculus is something that has barely changed in the last century, but still textbook manufacturers publish new editions. Instead of dropping $200 on the latest Stewart book, look for an older edition that you could probably pick up for about ten dollars.

Reading about math is no substitute for doing it.
 
Why not take a shot at Spivak's Calculus? Or Apostol ? Both are quite rigorous.
 
I picked up Calculus on an "Idiot's Guide to" and "CALCULUS: An Intuitive and Physical Approach," by Morris Kline (it's only around $30.) From first hand experience I can tell you though, you will NEED a work book to practice everything you learn -- and you might want to think about picking up a regular textbook after you get the basics down. Simple books will teach you the basics, but you will never "feel" Calculus with them.

Also, if you haven't already, I suggest you study Trigonometry (trust me, coordinate systems without trig are useless -- you'll find yourself memorizing formula's that you should be able to make yourself in a few seconds.)
 
kts123 said:
Simple books will teach you the basics, but you will never "feel" Calculus with them.

Also, if you haven't already, I suggest you study Trigonometry (trust me, coordinate systems without trig are useless -- you'll find yourself memorizing formula's that you should be able to make yourself in a few seconds.)

In my opinion,
"Simple books will teach you the basics, but you will never "feel" Calculus with them."
Not really.

"Also, if you haven't already, I suggest you study Trigonometry (trust me, coordinate systems without trig are useless -- you'll find yourself memorizing formula's that you should be able to make yourself in a few seconds."
Definitely need to know trig before you touch Calculus.

Other than that, the Morris Kline book a person mentioned is actually good. In addition with "Essential Calculus" from Dover. I don't think you can go wrong with those two books to first learning Calculus. But before you immerse yourself into those, make sure you practically master trig and the basics.
 
(If you get the Morris Kline book, a PDF file of the solutions guide is available from the publishers upon request, as they say on their website, in case you aren't sure if you are on the right track: http://store.doverpublications.com/0486404536.html)
 
Not really.

"No, you will "feel" it." Or "No it won't teach you the basics."? Of the dumbed down books I've read, none of them ever seem to truly address the underlining principles, akin to teaching someone Pythagorean Theorem as opposed to the laws of cosines (and then neglecting to mention how it relates to the Cartesian Coordinate system.). The Kline book I mentioned, however, really had meat and potato's (it seems people already agree with that one, so I guess I don't need to mentioned it.)
 
  • #10
"Simple books will teach you the basics, but you will never "feel" Calculus with them."

Yeah sorry, skipped the "Simple" in front of books when I read this. You are right, you will not "feel" Calculus from simple books(I had something else in mind). Back to Kline, yes, a great book according to a buddy of mine. I actually plan to get it myself; the other dover book, Essential Calculus which I already own, is excellent for first exposure to Calculus. Essential Calculus by Dover actually has some rigor to it which I enjoyed greatly.
 
  • #11
I Need a Book that will teach all of calculus if you never did it before ?
 
  • #12
Try Schaum's Outline of Calculus; it starts from the Precalculus stuff and works its way up.
 
  • #13
thanks
 
  • #14
In case the poster or anyone is considering "Calculus Demystified". AVOID this book. It is poorly written, unclear and jumps all over the place. I bought it to brush up on Calc I'd forgotten and was totally lost. I ended up buying Kline which is tremendously better.
 
  • #15
I would certainly look at The Calculus Lifesaver by Adrian Banner because its a great book and he has free video lectures that go along with his book on iTunes under iTunesU.

P.S.-Don't buy calculus for dummies. I did and I regret it. It's just silly...
 
Last edited:
  • #16
OH thanks
 
  • #17
If you want something for self-study try "Calculus - The Early Transcendentals" by Howard Anton.
You may want to get "Schaum's Outline of Calculus" as well, if you want lots of worked examples and exercises.
 

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