Book Description

Stewart's CALCULUS: EARLY TRANSCENDENTALS, Fifth Edition has the mathematical precision, accuracy, clarity of exposition and outstanding examples and problem sets that have characterized the first four editions. Stewart retains the focus on problem solving and the pedagogical system that has made the book a favorite of students and instructors in a wide variety of colleges and universities throughout the world. The structure of CALCULUS: EARLY TRANSCENDENTALS, Fifth Edition, remains largely unchanged, the sole exception being that the review of inverse trigonometric functions has been moved from an appendix to Section 1.6. Stewart has made hundreds of small improvements: new examples, additional steps in existing examples, updating of data in existing examples and exercises, new phrases and margin notes to clarify the exposition, references to other sources and web sites, redrawn art, and references to the TEC CD (Tools for Enriching Calculus). These refinements ensure that students and instructors using this text are using the best resource available. The number of pages in the book, however, remains unchanged from the 4th edition. This edition is complemented with and expanded array of supplementary material for both students and instructors.These best-selling texts differ from CALCULUS, Fifth Edition in that the exponential and logarithmic functions are covered earlier. In the Fifth Edition of CALCULUS, EARLY TRANSCENDENTALS these functions are introduced in the first chapter and their limits and derivatives are found in Chapters 2 and 3 at the same time as polynomials and other elementary functions. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Excellent college calculus text
Contrary to what some reviewers have written, I feel that Stewart's Calculus book is easily the best textbook I have encountered so far in college. In my opinion, the best indication of a textbook's worth is having to learn the material solely through the text, instead in addition to a lecturer; this book passed that test with flying colors.

Of course I had calculus lecturers, but every one of them was horrible. For Calc I (single variable), the professor spoke in a thick Russian accent; in Calc II (advanced integration/series, sequences), the professor was simply inadequate and didn't know how to explain anything; in Calc III (multivariable), the professor was a crazy Polish guy bent on teaching us calculus using his own weird linear algebra/advanced math methods (you'd think Berkeley might assign some better math professors...). In every case, I ended up shunning the lectures and learning everything straight from Stewart. Every chapter was teeming with great example problems, and wasn't saturated with unnecessary proofs (read the Principia or other advanced books if you're interested in that sort of thing). Perhaps the homework problems weren't always as challenging as other books, but I'd rather understand the problems than sit around staring an unsolvable puzzle for 3 hours.

Again I say, best college text I've had so far. I highly recommend it.

Much better than worse, but you need additional materials...
Reader reviews on the 4th edition are split (see below), but I liked this book in the calculus class I was taking at University of Massachusetts. The breadth is good (almost too much for a two-semester class), the content well presented, and, yes, many problem sets are well done (although I learned to hate related rates problems in the first semester). Students will need some additional materials, however: (1) the Student Solutions Manual (James Stewart, 4th ed.) which gives the answers to all odd-numbered problems (Brooks/Cole guards its teachers' answers and reserves the even-numbered ones for the teachers' edition). (2) The CD/ROM Journey Through Calculus (Win 98/2, Pentium II or >) was helpful in the first semester, but less so in the second. Most teachers require use of a TI-86 calculator, so you will need not only the TI manual sold with the calculator, but also (3) Single Variable Calculus 4th ed., James Stewart ("Calclabs with the TI85/86"), which was annoying because the sequence of button-pushing was not all that clear, and the correct answers to problems are not given (so you have no way to check)--but you need the book to figure out the TI-86, which is not intuitively obvious.

I sometimes wonder: what other calculus books are out there? And how much of a market share does Brooks/Cole have, with this integrated set of materials?

Excellent!
The book was exactly as described and arrived promptly. I would use A1 Books again.

If only I can rate it lower than 1 star!
I had taught this book several times and I only get more and more frustrated with it.

This is a text book full of mistakes. I began to wonder if the author was indeed a mathematician. Some complained that this book was proof-oriented but I don't feel this way. The proofs presented are either too shallow or wrong. If I were a good student trying to figure out why a theorem might work, its explanation would only raise more questions for me. And I had yet to find another textbook which gives a wrong proof to a simple result such as lim_{x->0} sin x / x =1.

Some praised the problem sets given. I feel the opposite. The problems sets are shallow and present no challenge at all to the more advanced students. Some of them even appeared before the material was covered. The examples are either trivial or wrong. I was startled to see the author gave the wrong solution to some of the most classical problems in calculus. For example, the author could use implicit differentiation to find tangents at a self intersection!! Wow, I am lost for words. More better examples than those given are needed to help students avoid some of the common pitfalls that they often encounter.

The inverse trig functions were also defined most scandulously. Although I can guess the reason behind it, but I think the definition could present a false security to students who are not careful with composites of trig and inverse trig functions.

The materials are scattered around with no rythem at all. I often found myself working into a concept and before the climax the book suddenly digressd to something else. The most obvious example is parametrization. This was separated into several parts and could have been easily treated as a coutinuos flow.

The treatment of vector calculus part is substandtard, but I assume this is probably hard for many authors. Vectored-valued functions of several variables are hard for most students to visualize in their minds. So the 3D graphics in the textbooks come to play a very important role helping students understand this part of material. But the graphics in this book lack the clarity as those in some other books I had used before. Somehow they look less 3D to me.

I had found more than a dozen of mistakes (I am not talking about typos) during the course of my teaching and I had not read the book cover to cover. Since this is a very popular book I regret to see that no effort had been made to correct the mistakes after so many editions.

Excellent
Very good book and it will make calculs really interesting for you. ... Read more

Book Description

Stewart's CALCULUS, Fifth Edition has the mathematical precision, accuracy, clarity of exposition and outstanding examples and problem sets that have characterized the first four editions. Stewart retains the focus on problem solving and the pedagogical system that has made the book a favorite of students and instructors in a wide variety of colleges and universities throughout the world. In this Fifth Edition, he has made hundreds of small improvements: new examples, additional steps in existing examples, updating of data in existing examples and exercises, new phrases and margin notes to clarify the exposition, references to other sources and web sites, redrawn art, and references to the TEC CD (Tools for Enriching Calculus). These refinements ensure that students and instructors have the best materials available. The number of pages in the book, however, remains unchanged from the 4th edition. Further support for students and instructors is now available through a vast array of supplementary material. ... Read more

Reviews (105)

Not for the faint of heart!
I have heard talk that this is the best calculus text out there. If so, mathematics professors really need to get their publishing act together. This may be a tour-de-force of math knowledge, in which author James Stewart expounds just how much of an expert he is on the subject, but it is NOT a good book to LEARN from. I took calculus about a year ago and used this text to refresh my knowledge for an upcoming class. It took me multiple passes through the Chain Rule section (actually, quite easy stuff!) to jog my memory. The way Stewart explains things makes a prerequisite in astrophysics required for learning from the book. I will grant that it's colorful and well illustrated, which is the reason for the second star, but that probably only serves to double the price of the textbook. You'll probably have to get the solutions guide to learn from this at all- and boy do they make a killing off you in the process! There is a lot of non-essential extra information that really should be in different sections, but is instead the first thing you'll read about a fundamental concept. I was particularly irked by how Stewart demonstrates how different differential notation can be used to show formulae. This is ridiculous. He should stick with one all the way through, and put the rest in footnotes. If you instructor uses this text, you had better hope he's better at explaining things, or you'll be up the creek.

Not for the slack student
This text book was extremely difficult to understand when I first bought it. Even after spending a significant amount of time on that book alone, calculus to me was still confusing. This is the text book I used for my computer science course. Had to drop the calculus units since I found it hard. But when I decided to jump right into Discrete Mathematics for computer science, I was forced to review through my college algebra notes. It was after I finished discrete mathematics did I finally understand the formality of Stewarts text book which made it so difficult to understand. In high school calculus text books, the language used arent so formal. In fact, reading a high school calculus text book is like reading a text book on college algebra and trigonometry. Stewarts text book require that you understand the language of proving theorems and thats what Discrete Mathematics in computer science taught me. But let me warn you that you should also thoroughly read through a text book on college algebra and trigonometry plus geometry. Combine that with Discrete Mathematics and you will see the beauty of stewarts text book.

A highly frustrating journey through calculus
The author of the book obviously has a great degree of mastery of calculus and the systematic structure of the book is well arranged and everything is thoroughly defined in mathematical terms. That's about the only thing positive however I can say about this book. I don't care how well Stewart knows Calculus and how well he shows it off, that does not equal students comprehending this subject. The biggest drawback of this book is that the author makes frequent conceptual leaps and constantly skips steps in problem solving which often make it extremely hard to figure out how the author arrived at a particular conclusion or solution. Not only that, the book is stuffed with unnecessary filler in order to increase it's size and hence make more money of it. Application to economics and natural sciences, linear approximation, graphing calculator section and etc. are of course interesting, but they are absolutely non essential to the 1st two semesters of Calculus. There is quite a bit of material to master in the subject as it is and an average class absolutely has no time to go in anything but the essential material. I'd say half of the book can be thrown away. The extra stuff might be helpful as reference but unnecessary for an average Calc class. Morever, what angered me was the clear marketing scheme for the book: this new fith addition is virtually the same as half thinner 4th addition, and features lots of non essential material...obviously to make more money without actually writing another book...by canceling the print of 4th edition and making colleges and highschool buy the new, more expensive, more useless 5th edition. This book can be very frustrating for students when the try to master calculus and will give you lots of hedache before you actually throughly understand something and without the guidance of a good professor the 5th addition is not the most helpful material. This book might stimulate your intellect if you are a math whiz, but for most, average joe people just trying to master calculus this book will cause much unpleasantness.

Negatives outweigh possitives
Negatives:

Let's face it, the book is dry. It breaks down concepts into steps and recalls the number of the particular step, rather than the concept of the step (hope I didn't confuse anybody). Expanded explanations of algebraic manipulation/tricks would have been helpful. Because of the previous statement, I have gone through the whole book and still sometimes wonder how he got from point A to point B.

Positives:

Forces ones mind to expand beyond the terrible habit of memorization (in most chapters). If one knows all the algebra that the book composes of, then that one is an algebraic god (not kidding). Don't excpect to get much out of this book without alot of time.

Why Such Varied Reviews?
There is a reason why the reviews of Stewart's Calculus textbook vary so widely. It's because Stewart is challenging. Some instructors favor Stewart because they are steeped enough in the Math to appreciate Stewart's applications and explanations of Calculus's uses in so many fields of study. But students who struggle with Math may have a difficult time with Stewart's rigor, and his algebraic/conceptual jumps. Let's review some specific qualities of this book:

o Text: The text is pretty clearly written, with no errors I know of, but makes some conceptual leaps periodically.

o Layout: The layout is excellent. It makes great use of consistent color coding and typographical conventions to identify classes of concepts. (I.e., It's always easy to spot and distinguish Examples, Proofs, Rules, and New Sections.)

However, there are some algebraic manipulations that are sometimes combined into one line that should probably be expanded out and explained better. Even though students are expected to understand the algebra at this point, it's often crucial to explain _why_ certain algebraic manipulations are being done. Usually there is a certain form of an expression or equation that is useful or desirable for a specific reason. Such reasons need to be explicated side-by-side with the steps to reach the desired form, instead of just skipping to the desired form (as sometimes is done).

o Terminology: In some places Stewart talks about "constants" when what he really means are "scalars." There is a distinction between these two concepts that is important in other fields of math that could be confused. He also uses different letters to identify "any real number" or "a particular real number" than is standard in many other texts. This also could lead to confusion.

o Graphics: The integration (pun intended :) of graphs and diagrams to supplement functions, step-by-step processes, and proof descriptions in this text is frequent, helpful, and very well done.

o Exercises: The exercises for each section start off easy and in close step with the concepts and example problems that have been demonstrated in the preceding section. However, Stewart's problems ramp up in difficulty quickly. Exercises in the the middle or near the end of a set often have no direct prototypes in the preceding text for students to lean on. Some instructors might consider this an asset, but when assigned carelessly can be a frustration to students. One improvement from Fourth Edition to Fifth Edition was the "red flagging" of many exercises of especial difficulty.

o Proofs: Simple theorems and rules are proved in the text as they are introduced. More complicated proofs are provided in appendices in the back. The text is pretty thorough about proofs.

o Worst section: I think the hardest section for students to understand (and unfortunately one of the most important in Calculus) is the section titled "The Precise Definition of a Limit". Stewart has a habit in this section, when manipulating an absolute value of epsilon expression, to abbreviate it all on one line without explaining _why_ he is performing the operations that he is. He should expand these out to multiple algrebraic lines, possibly with some text explaining that he is trying to get the epsilon expression to match the delta expression. It is impossible to be too verbose, explicit, and careful with this section. And certainly more of each of these could be used in Stewart's rendition.

Other reviewers mentioned the sections on the Chain Rule, Integration by Substitution, and Integration by Parts -- all of which could be improved. Substitution and Parts could be improved by drawing the little grids of what u and du represent (that many instructors write underneath these kind of exercises before substituting).

To summarize, if you're good at math this is probably a good text for you. If you (or your students) have weaknesses, stick with something simpler -- Larson's Calculus text is excellent and good to compare against this one. ... Read more

Book Description

Designed for the three-semester course for math and science majors, the Larson/Hostetler/Edwards series continues its tradition of success by being the first to offer both an Early Transcendental version as well as a new Calculus with Precalculus text. This was also the first calculus text to use computer-generated graphics (Third Edition), to include exercises involving the use of computers and graphing calculators (Fourth Edition), to be available in an interactive CD-ROM format (Fifth Edition), and to be offered as a complete, online calculus course (Sixth Edition). Every edition of the book has made the mastery of traditional calculus skills a priority, while embracing the best features of new technology and, when appropriate, calculus reform ideas. The Seventh Edition also expands its support package with an all-new set of text-specific videos.

• P.S. Problem-Solving Sections, an additional set of thought-provoking exercises added to the end of each chapter, require students to use a variety of problem-solving skills and provide a challenging arena for students to work with calculus concepts.
• Getting at the Concept Exercises added to each section exercise set check students' understanding of the basic concepts. Located midway through the exercise set, they are both boxed and titled for easy reference.
• Review Exercises at the end of each chapter have been reorganized to provide students with a more effective study tool. The exercises are now grouped and correlated by text section, enabling students to target concepts requiring review.
• The icon "IC" in the text identifies examples that appear in the Interactive Calculus 3.0 CD-ROM and Internet Calculus 2.0 web site with enhanced opportunities for exploration and visualization using the program itself and/or a Computer Algebra System.
• Think About It conceptual exercises require students to use their critical-thinking skills and help them develop an intuitive understanding of the underlying theory of the calculus.
• Modeling Data multi-part questions ask students to find and interpret mathematical models to fit real-life data, often through the use of a graphing utility.
• Section Projects, extended applications that appear at the end of selected exercise sets. may be used for individual, collaborative, or peer-assisted assignments.
• True or False? Exercises, included toward the end of many exercises sets, help students understand the logical structure of calculus and highlight concepts, common errors, and the correct statements of definitions and theorems.
• Motivating the Chapter sections opening each chapter present data-driven applications that explore the concepts to be covered in the context of a real-world setting.

Reviews (17)

Calculus With Analytic Geometry
This is an excellent book with lots of examples. First a concept is introduced, then an example given, and then the student can work problems relating to the section to reinforce the concepts presented.

Easy to read, and nice progression of topics.

Good book but NOT for a math major
I have to agree that larson's calculus is a very comprehensive calculus text. It includes a lot of material and applications.

If you are going to selfstudy calculus, i have some advices:
1 Not every section is necessary. Some sections are mainly about applications in mechanical engineerings(actually, most applications). If you are not interested in ME, just skip them.

2 Don't go too fast. If you don't have time, just skip some sections of the end of each chapters. Especially at the end of the book. Chapter 14 is quite confusing. Read them slowly, understand piece by piece.

If you are a math major, particularly pure math, this is not a book for you. You need a book that talks more about theory.

Refer to other editions 0618141804
Checkout the 7th edition without a CD. Slightly different listing. Copied below....
* Hardcover: 182 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 11.25 x 1.75 x 9.00
* Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company; 7th edition (July 1, 2001)
* ASIN: 0618141804
* In-Print Editions: Hardcover (7th Bk&Cdr) | Paperback (4th) | All Editions
* Average Customer Review: Based on 16 reviews. Write a review.
* Amazon.com Sales Rank: 857,204
(Publishers and authors: improve your sales)

Good but problems were too easy
Not bad at all! I found the book's explanations pretty easy to understand.

The CD I really did not use. Some of you probably got more use out of it. But the text and diagrams are well enough done that I found the CD unnecessary.

The only criticism is that perhaps some of the problems could have been harder/more challenging.

Calculus
I've worked with several calculus books over many years and this is the CLEAREST and most staightforward of all. It makes the concepts seem so obvious and simple, where many other books make them appear arcane and mysterious (even to me, and I love this stuff.) It's a joy to read and work with. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

needs improvement
My professor(who is a statistician) pointed out several problems in this text. Some times he was just in awe of the serious mistakes and liberties taken in this book. One that comes to mind is Mario's use of the Z-test when (in certain circumstances) really it would have been more accurate to use the T-test. Also, there are many little mistakes that should have been corrected by the seventh edition (in some of the examples etc). The book is okay if your just taking the course for a general ed. requirement...My professor, who himself has authored many high-level math textbooks found the book to be problematic. Perhaps there is a difference of opinion on the Z- versus t-test. Hopefully, the little mistakes (that aren't controversial) will be corrected before any new editions are published!

Excellent text for a intro course in stats.
I found this book to be user friendly with regards to learning statistical foundations. Concepts are presented in a clear understandable format. The use of Margin Essays describing real uses with people in their respective fields of employment were an enormous asset. I found this book to be very helpful with instructor/student interaction.

very good intro stats book
I think this is a great textbook. I have been reviewing texts for an AP statistics course and have settled on this book as a middle ground between very basic texts and rigorous textbooks for math majors.

It is not intended for math majors. I don't understand why reviewers are criticizing it for it not being more rigorous.

It has enough depth for intro undergrad stats, yet is adaptable to lower levels so some of the boneheads I have in high school can comprehend.

Excellent explanations. Very readable. Decent problem sets.

I approve.

thank you!
The book arrived promptly and was in excellent condition. Thank you for saving me time and money!

Frank
An absolutely outstanding text for conceptual development in elementary statistics. - I'm currently taking a statistical analysis course, and, after having read the vast majority of the text, I've found it to be the most clear and intelligently written text on the undergraduate market. (I've read most of the competing texts and they really don't compare). Clear, to the point, lucid prose - explaining not only the calculations, but also the CONCEPTS BEHIND THE PROCEDURES, is what seperates this text from the others. A lot of books lose the reader in computational detail without clearly explaining the ideas behind the procedures. - This book clearly surpasses the others in its conceptual clarity and insight that it offers into critical ideas left out of most other elementary texts I've read. I actually went out and got this book after seeing how clearly superior it was in communicating critical ideas necessary to understand the subject - relative to the text that was assigned by the professor for the course. The doctrinaire critiques I've read about the book are, to me, entirely unfounded. If you're looking for a good conceptual foundation in elementary statistics, and calculations that illustrate the concepts, you won't find a better text on the market. ... Read more

Book Description

John A. Van de Walle has written a book that helps readers make sense of mathematics and become confident in their ability to teach mathematics to children K to 8. Elementatry and Middle School Mathematics consists of 16 chapters reflecting the view that all mathematics can be taught through a problem-solving approach that motivates children and builds their confidence as they learn. This book thoroughly discusses the new standards and clearly develops four key aspects of teaching mathematics: the nature of mathematics as a science of pattern and order; an understanding of how children learn mathematics; a problem solving view of teaching mathematics; and specific methods for integrating assessment with instruction.Simple yet effective classroom activities are woven throughout the chapters as well as suggestions for technology and literature. For teachers, future teachers, and educators.nt Code-- F ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Must have!
If you learned math from traditional methods or algorithms, you must read this book. Math today is so different from how I learned it. This book explains how and why math has changed so much. I recommend it to teachers and parents alike. The author explains how to teach math using problem-solving. The method makes so much more sense than traditional mathematics. The book is filled with activities for every math concept and age that are easy to find, read, and use without much prep or prop. It also has ideas and resources for including literature and technology into math class.
I find it highly valuable as a 3rd year teacher of fifth grade. My district uses the Visual Math program, and this book has helped me understand why visual math works much more than any inservice. I have the fifth edition as a textbook for a methods class, and I'll never leave home without it.

good book for teachers
This book is a great book for teachers. I learned a lot through it. And I know you will too.

A Great Resource!
As an elementary teacher and college math methods instructor, I have found this book to be an excellent resource for teaching children math in an engaging, meaningful way. The author includes lots of examples of useful activities for all areas of mathematics. A book I'll use over and over in the years to come... ... Read more

Book Description

This book presents the traditional content of Precalculus in a manner that answers the age-old question of “When will I ever use this?” Highlighting truly relevant applications, this book presents the material in an easy to teach from/easy to learn from approach. KEY TOPICS Chapter topics include equations, inequalities, and mathematical models; functions and graphs; polynomial and rational functions; exponential and logarithmic functions; systems of equations and inequalities; matrices and determinants; conic sections; and sequences, induction, and probability.For engineers of every kind, manufacturing personnel, technologists, technicians, and technical marketing professionals. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers
I had the chance to go through the above book and I must say that I found it very useful. I very much liked the modern approach to the theory of numbers and the use of the historical aspect.
I am in Ghana teaching at the University of Education Wnneba. How can a get some copies for the Departmental Library?
I can not give much detail review now until a get a copy of the book. ... Read more

Book Description

ELEMENTARY STATISTICS: A STEP BY STEP APPROACH is for general beginning statistics courses with a basic algebra prerequisite. The book is non-theoretical, explaining concepts intuitively and teaching problem solving through worked examples and step-by-step instructions. This edition features increased emphasis on Excel, MINITAB, and the TI-83 Plus graphing calculator, computing technologies commonly used in such coureses. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I used this book for an online stats with ease.
I did not have the luxary of an instructor guide me through problems and have my questions clarified in class. I took the class online and I had no problem inderstanding how to wrok out the problems. It goes into detail on how to work out problems and gives examples step by step. There are also a lot of practice problems in the text with odd numbers answered for review. The CD in also a great learning advantage with some of the chapters with E-professor. Excellent to walk you through your stats course.

Excellent Statistics Book
Excellent college book and I intend to keep this in my library for future reference. This book was well done for the beginner and some advance users. This book covers many step-by-step solutions using excel and the "TI83 calculator." ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Very Readable Text
I used this as the textbook for an undergraduate course in Linear Algebra. It was by far the most reader-friendly math book I've ever had the pleasure of using. The book explains Linear Algebra in plain, easy-to-read english. Each section of each chapter is very clear and to-the-point. The examples are helpful and well-placed in the chapters. I attribute getting an 'A' in that class to this text.

One word of advise however... the study guide for this text comes in handy at numerous points of the book. It's not needed, but strongly advised. Other than that, the book is great! I only wish that I had a calculus book that well written.

A thorough and concise textbook.
Dr. Lay has put out a quality textbook, worthy of a read as well as a series of challenging questions. As an undergraduate physics student at Queen's University, it is often frustrating when the course materials are lacking in study content. This is not the case with this book. The only real drawback to this textbook is the limitation of the study guide that accompanies the book. When preparing for exams, it is often best to review extra problem that were not assigned throughout the year, since it is not possible to confer with the professor or the TA with regards to every question. One must complete this task independently. Dr. Lay's student guide an excellent reference pertaining to the problems that it contains solutions for, however some the challenging study questions require a more in depth analysis than is provided. On the whole this textbook is worth while reference and definitely worth considering for and undergraduate course in linear algebra. A.C. Toews (Queen's Arts & Science 2001)

Good introductory book- Math students may want more
This book presents, in a reasonably clear manner, the concepts, formulas, and theorems related to linear algebra. Examples of linear algebra in economics and engineering help solidify these concepts. However, the book does not cover several types of matricies. For example, an assignment involved a population-change question involving Leslie matricies. Unfortunately, the Leslie matrix is not covered anywhere in the book. It would also be desirable to have a summary of the Invertible Matrix Theorem. Instead, the various parts of this theorem are scattered throughout the book. Otherwise, however, this book serves its purpose well- as an introduction to linear algebra.More advanced students will want a text with more thorough coverage.

Not bad for a math book!
As a college student, I'm really no fan of reading my math texts; often they're incomprehensible and frustrating. But this text is clear and understandable. The only thing I find aggravating is the lack of help given on the true/false problems - even the study guide seems lacking in this area.

Recommended for everyone!
The last time I wrote a review for this book, I gave it 2 stars; now, after going through the whole book, I'm able to give it 5 stars. No matter what your major is, and no matter how advanced you are, this book has something. It is example-oriented, easy to follow, and right to the point. Each chapter starts off with theory and ends with applications. Each section starts with basic definitions and easy problems and ends with theorems and harder probrems. The 2nd edition is pretty much the same as the 3rd edition, so don't waist money for nothing. ... Read more

Book Description

This market leading text offers proven, comprehensive, applications-oriented approach. Written by authors who are highly regarded in the field, the text provides sound methodological development. The discussion and development of each technique is presented in an application setting, with the statistical results providing insights to decisions and solutions to problems. Statistics for Business and Economics, 9e offers proven accuracy that has led instructors to adopt it simply for its superior examples and exercises alone. ... Read more

Book Description

This new Fifth Edition of Zill and Cullen's best-selling book provides a thorough treatment of boundary-value problems and partial differential equations. This edition maintains all the features and qualities that have made Differential Equations with Boundary-Value Problems popular and successful over the years.Written in a straightforward, readable, helpful, not-too-theoretical manner, this new edition keeps the reader firmly in mind and strikes a perfect balance between the teaching of traditional content and the incorporation of evolving technology. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

excellent text for self-learners and non-freaks
Right after high school, I enrolled in a d.e. course at the local junior college (ok, I was a masochist). We used the Zill text, although not the boundary value problem edition. Needless to say, that book was a godsend b/c the instructor was horrible, so after awhile, I only showed up for class for exams, and self-studied on my own from that book. I recall that the book was fun and easy to understand.

Why is it good? It explains things in clear language. The proofs are laid out clearly. There are lots of example problems with solutions. This was critical in the portion of the book where he explains how to solve d.e.'s with variable coefficients. The book makes differential equations look interesting, which is important to capture readers. Zill also has a calc book, and mygoodness, that book was sort of repulsive b/c of the 70's style printing and the nasty brown colors. Looks are always a big thing, back then and now.

I'm not sure how applicable this text is for hard-core math majors, but definitely, if you are in engineering and don't require any weird esoteric understanding of the proofs that math people might need, this is text worth referring to. I can't comment on the BVP, though... However, it helped me to earn an A+ at Cal that first semester as a freshman, so he must be doing something right.

P's and Q's
Overall a good book; however, it is filled with small, yet significant, errors in the solutions, study manual and a few theorems. These errors though not major may cause confusion serious confusion.

Good book, for the most part.
The problem sets for each section were good. I used this book for Penn State's distance education ODE/PDE class. However, book should be supplemented with lectures, though. The chapter on Cauchy-Euler equations was lacking because it didn't tell you "why can we use this approach to solve these types of equations" (I had to ask my prof to show me why). On the plus side, it did have an intro to PDE's in the latter chapters, and was fairly thorough in the number of techniques covered for solving various types of DE's.

Classic Old Text
This is a book from the old school of ODE's. The absolute focus of this book is analytical methods and beats the algebra and integration drum to the exclusion of anything else. If you want to learn how ODE's were solved 25 years ago then this book is for you. If you are looking for a book that deals with more modern theory, or handles modeling in a constructive manner then this book is NOT a good choice.

interesting
Great for self study or as a course textbook. The problems are nice, and so are the explanations. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Further adventures with algebra...
This book is currently being used by the community college where I tutor as a book for the internet version of Intermediate Algebra, a course that most of our two-year degree programmes require as part of the mathematics requirement, and one of the most 'popular' courses at the tutor centre. Because this book is used by the internet course, it has to be well crafted to enable students to learn from on their own, and indeed, it seems to pass muster on that account.

The organisation of the book is fairly standard for algebra texts of this level: basic number theory is introduced (which should be a refresher or review from previous basic mathematics or algebra courses), the linear equations and inequalities are introduced, with equations of one variable, some elementary set operations, and the concept of inequalities. The third chapter introduces graphs, with the x-y coordinate axis, two-variable equations introduced. The fourth chapter looks at systems of equations, both in two and three variables, and introduces matrix methodology.

The fifth chapter develops the ideas of exponents, introducing scientific notation and polynomial multiplication and division. This is a prelude to factoring, the subject of chapter six. Trinomial factors, special cases and general approaches are discussed, including the grouping method and trial-and-error.

Chapter seven looks at rational expressions, complex fractions, and applications that build upon the factoring. Chapter eight introduces roots and radicals as a prelude to the quadratic equation in chapter nine. Graphing of functions such as parabolas is developed here.

Chapter ten looks at logarithmic, inverse and exponential functions, leading to analytic geometry topics such as conic sections, nonlinear functions and nonlinear systems in chapter eleven. This include hyperbolas, circles, and ellipses. The final chapter addresses the ideas of series (arithmetic sequences, geometric sequences) and introduces the binomial theorem.

The chapters have group activities at the end of each section that set the mathematics learned in proper 'real world' context. For example, the group activity for chapter eleven on analytic geometry topics deals with finding the paths of natural satellites; other activities include figuring out investments, the progress of disease spreading, the paths of comets, and comparing long-distance charges.

Each chapter comes with a convenient summary, a set of review exercises, and a chapter text. The summaries address key concepts, terms, new symbols introduced, and basic patterns of problems. There are also cumulative review sets after each chapter that address all the previous chapters. The first appendix is an introduction to calculators (there are many types of calculators, so this section is somewhat general, addressing those calculators which use basic algebraic logic in order of operations and other important areas.

The other appendices go into more detail about matrices and determinants (Cramer's Rule) and synthetic division for polynomials, for the ambitious students who wish to understand further.

The text is generally readable and accessible, with colourful pages, well-illustrated graphs and charts as required, and pictures thrown in for good measure and visual interest. The authors employ a six-step method for problem solving (read, assign variables, write equations, solve, state answers, check) at each step in the text. There is a student's solution manual, with detailed solutions to odd-numbered problems (plus others), available; this is where they 'show the work'; the simple answers are found in the back of the book.

This is a good book for classroom and self-study purposes. ... Read more

Book Description

A proven motivator for readers of diverse mathematicalbackgrounds, this book explores mathematics within the context ofreal life using understandable, realistic applications consistentwith the abilities of any reader. Graphing techniques are emphasized,including a thorough discussion of polynomial, rational, exponential,and logarithmic functions and conics.Includes Case Studies; New design that utilizes multiple colors to enhance accessibility; Multiple source applications; Numerous graduated examples and exercises; Discussion, writing, and research problems; Important formulas, theorems, definitions, and objectives; and more.For anyone interested in algebra and trigonometry. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Very Good Precalculus Reference
With the sixth edition of this textbook, Sullivan has made significant strides since the fifth edition of the College Algebra portion. The interval notations used to indicate the regions where the value of a function is increasing or decreasing is so much more clear and concise. In contrast to the former use of frequently displaying number lines with pluses and minuses underneath, in which the readings of them were perhaps more of an exercise for the eyes than for the mind, Sullivan revised this mess using parentheses and brackets to indicate test intervals.

As a teacher, I say that this is not the most user-friendly book for an instructor who teaches one hour college algebra classes three times a week. Oftentimes, for me to quickly get the fundamentals across, I have to paraphrase what Sullivan lays out in many of the sections. The language is often too theoretical for several of my students (Many are in non-technical majors but have to complete college algebra as a last mathematics course requirement), and I have to put the symbolic logic sequences into terms that can cross over to applied mathematics. This is not meant to be a criticism, however.

Perhaps the main weaknesses lie in the shortcomings of applied problems, particularly in the sections concerning maxima and minima, and especially in the inequality segments. On a very positive note, however, I will grant that the sixth chapter, which involves logarithms and exponents is quite fascinating. For instance, you have applied problems involving the amount of interest that can be gained after so many years if, say, [money amount]is deposited into an account and accumulates interest at 6% compounded quarterly. Physics problems are also well presented. One interesting tidbit: if you wondered how long it would take for a 300-degree dish to cool down to 100 degrees in an environment that is at room temperature, the formula that can be used, namely Newton's Law of Cooling, is provided. As another example: suppose that a dead animal was discovered in a barn at midnight and its temperature was 80°F° ; the temperature of the barn is kept constant at 60°F; two hours later the temperature of the corpse dropped to 75°F; find the time of death. The formula for this type of problem is also shown.

As added kudos, I especially like the intermittent TI-83 calculator tips. The use of technology in mathematics classes is notably increasing in the community colleges. All in all, this is a finer, more updated version, and it is especially recommended for those who want to go beyond the call of duty and discover new ways of applying mathematics to their daily lives.

Please read this review!!!!
1)Michael Sullivan (Sr.) is one of the four or five best writers
of math textbooks on today's scene. If you can find a textbook written by him that fits whatever current math course you are in
buy the book sight unseen. You will be more than happy that you
did.
2)As far as this book is concerned, I used it from chapter 1 to the end (every section of every chapter) and did every problem in
the book. I did not have an instructor and I was not enrolled in a course. I used the book to brush up for calculus after being out of school for 20 years.
3)This book is great for a course in college algebra, trigonometry, or precalculus. It serves all three purposes. I know this because after I finished the text and began studying
calculus, on my own, I was really able to appreciate how well
Sullivan's book prepared me for calculus.
4)The explanations of each concept are clear, not more rigorous
than is appropriate for a student at the level of the textbook,
but certainly not dumbed down.
5)The problems and questions are well written, comprehensive, and
most importantly, instructive. I found that the best question I
could ask myself about every problem in the book was "now what is
Sullivan trying to get me to see by doing this problem or answering this question". I mention this because this is what Sullivan is really good at; he doesn't spoon feed you.
6)Look, we all want essentially the same things from a textbook.
We want clearly written, well illustrated worked out problems
that allow us to grasp the concept in question so that we can use
it to solve problems and answer conceptual questions. With Sullivan, you get this in great measure.
This is a wonderful textbook for both sudents and teachers. It is
a great book to learn from and a great book to learn to teach from.

Well laid out
One feature I really liked about this book was the "Now work on Problem #..." items, which give you a specific exercise to work on in that section to make sure you understand the concept just covered. Also, the author has highlighted certain exercise problems for a suggested practice test. These are great if you already know some of the material you can just breeze through these until you get stuck on something. The paperback solutions manual was also excellent, I used it a lot since I was teaching myself.

BE CAREFUL
This book is NOT the textbook. It is simply the student solutions manual. The textbook is the hardcovered version. It does not come in paperback. This book you are viewing is the student solutions manual ONLY!!! Make sure it's what you want.

Just so you know
The softcover version of this book, ISBN 0-13-081021-5, is the "Student Solutions Manual." This is NOT a softcover version of the hardcover book. It's an awesome 697 pages of detailed solutions, not just the answers, to the odd numbered problems from the hardcover book. I definitely recommend this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Bob Blitzer's books are known for their well-conceived, relevant applications and meticulously annotated examples. This book gives readers the skill-building, practice, applications, and technology needed to foster an appreciation of mathematics. Maintains Blitzer's exceptional writing style that helps readers relate to and grasp the material. Contains new, innovative applications such as “Mammography Screening,” “Political Ideology of U.S. College Freshmen,” and “Nature's Life Cycles and Prime Numbers.” Includes new exercises and more Study Tip Boxes throughout. A handy reference for anyone needing to brush up on their mathematics skills.

Reviews (4)

Not a good book to study with
I taught a course with this book and there are several typo's in the book.

wonderful
I received my book in 2 days. It was in excellent condition, and included the instructor's cd.

Thinking Mathematically
I ordered this book, and it came faster than I expected it too. However, it was the Thinking Mathematically (Expanded 2nd Edition) Instructor's Edition CD-Rom version. I don't know if thats good or bad, but I already purchased the book from my campus bookstore and everything in this book is the same except for the CD that came with it. All and all its the service was exceptional. You should purchase it here.

Not the hardcover edition..
I needed the book "Thinking Mathematically" for a class. Since I dispise carrying hardcover books on my back, I opted for the (cheaper) paperback version. For anyone who is thinking about going a similar route, please note that the paperback version is not of the hardcover "Thinking Mathematically". This is the STUDENT SOLUTIONS MANUAL. If your class requires this too, as mine did, it's a great book for what it's intended.

Please do not purchase this book if you need to ACTUAL "Thinking Mathematically" textbook. THIS IS THE STUDENT SOLUTIONS MANUAL.

Thanks! :-) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Resource for Future Teachers
This textbook is easy to read and follow. The explanations of mathematics, how to teach young children to use strategies, and examples of worksheets make this a great resource for future Elementary school teachers. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A Stand Alone Math Instructor
As a student of the Arts and Sciences, it is no secret that getting a competent mathematics professor is like winning the state lotto. Fortunately, for those venturing into statistics, your chances of playing those odds will be of no matter once you've had the help of this well-illustrated text. This book not only guides the student carefully through each statistical method, but the available exercises are solvable, realistic, and relevant to the examples as described. My reason for giving this book a 4 out of 5 is that there are two cases in which the book uses premature examples in the solution of one problem while in another problem, the given answer is not fully explained. All in all, this book could be the answer for any student needing clarification of the terms and principles that are usually abbreviated in the classroom lecture. To those of us left to fend for ourselves, this book provides the core material in understanding and solving statistics as well as the empowerment of comprehending the more complex of problems found on certain exams.

Fun but most students found it difficult to follow
At our college, we tried to use this textbook for a year, and at numerous requests by students and faculty, we have had to select another book for the upcomming year for general introductory statsitics courses. Most students found the layout of the book confusing, as it is very choppy. Instead of writing the formulas, supplimenting theory to explain them, and then giving examples, the author chops these sections and mixes them through out the book. Most students found the book hard to follow. Instructors almost always needed supplimentry material and found the book somewhat challenging to teach from. However, students found the examples to be fascinating and diverse, from measuring measuring glucose in cockroaches' "hindguts" to Mickey Mantel's batting average. Especially with the C.D., it is an excellent suppliment to any textbook to illistrate the real life applicability of statistics to non-mathematics majors, but not helpful in explaining concepts to students in of itself.

Good introduction to statistics
This book is a good introduction to statistics and is quite easy to understand with excellent examples, though a few parts of it can get a bit technical. For anyone wishing to learn introductory statistics, I would recommend this book.

Jumps into things, but uses great examples
My instructor did a decent job explaining things that the book did not make clear. Quite often, the book went from basic to intermediate/advanced without any transition or guide. I've seen several other books with better explanations, but as far as statistical examples are concerned, it's excellent. If you're learning Statistics on your own, you may want to find an easier book to teach you the concept, then use this book to work out the example problems and advance your knowledge.

Worthless book good only for fire
Maybe it was because of my college professor, but I could not stand this stuff! Most of it doesn't make sense and isn't really too useful. But there are probably worse math books. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

its a math book
not gonna do back flips for a math book

Pleasently Surprised
I am a college student and the math book that was at the bookstore was $100.00. I went onto amazon.com and found the same book in new condition (looked like)for $56.00. I was kind of weary about ordering on-line for the first time but was pleasently surprised. This was a great first experience and plan on ording all my books through amazon.com.

Fun mathematical Ideas
"Ideas" is the key here as we have calculators, computers, and what not to do any real number crunching or comparing. This book carries you from zero to the edges of most any mathematical discipline. The information in the margins ties the theories back to reality. At the appropriate locations in the margin are postage stamps from around the works are shown commemorating the individual mathematicians and scientists relating to the subject being studied. There is a section in the book with the answers to all the odd questions.

adequate for it's intended use
This book would have been much more useful had it had done a better job of providing clear examples when introducing new material. One advantage of this book was that it could be used for more than one math class, thus cutting down of the student's costs.

Excellent Foundational Text
I have the fifth edition of the text, which is now in its eight edition. This is an excellent book, and it is very entertaining to read--a description that does not fit many mathematics textbooks. Although geared for students without much math background, it is an enjoyable read for all, with its engaging sidebars, its sense of the history, and believe it or not, a sense of humor (for instance, a problem requiring you to create a Venn diagram for the topics of country songs--truckers, prison and love). A a philosopher, it is refreshing that the first 100 pages are devoted to set theory and logic--something that is not focused on often enough in basic courses. Most topics are likewise presented with a philosophical angle--for example, the first page points out the problems with defining "set." Utlimately, all definitions of set are circular--does this make "set" undisputably axiomatic? These kinds of problems are at least implied throughout the text. The effect is as deligtful as it is rare. You are not given the sense that the subject matter is complete, instead you are inspired to solve the dilemmas. While the incompleteness and conundrums are common knowledge to mathematics graduate students, they are not frequently imparted to students taking basic courses. That is a shame. When I was in high school, I felt turned off from math--as did many of my friends, because it was presented as a dry, static subject. Memorizing formulas and theorems was like memorizing the Gettysburg Address. Mathematical Ideas does the opposite--it shows an open door for creative problem solving and makes you hungry to explore. ... Read more

Book Description

This text is designed for the sophomore/junior level introduction to discrete mathematics taken by students preparing for future coursework in areas such as math, computer science and engineering.Rosen has become a bestseller largely due to how effectively it addresses the main portion of the discrete market, which is typically characterized as the mid to upper level in rigor. The strength of Rosen's approach has been the effective balance of theory with relevant applications, as well as the overall comprehensive nature of the topic coverage. ... Read more

Reviews (59)

The "Violin" Book of Discrete Mathematics
This book easily ranks as my favorite lower-division math/computer science textbook. Aside from its omission of elementary coding theory, this book contains just about every important discrete mathematical topic (logic, sets, functions, algorithms, complexity, combinatorics, relations, graphs, Boolean algebra, formal language theory) that a beginning student should be introduced to. Plenty of examples in each section that reflect the end-of-section exercises. Very well organized in that key definitions, rules, and theorems are boxed and well highlighted.
Concepts are well explained and reinforced with numerous examples.
And most importantly, plenty of engaging problems that range from trivial to quite challenging. Applications to areas such as computer science are in abundance. But most enjoyable for me are the numerous biographical sketches of important discrete mathematicians. All around an excellent text, and one I had been searching for since my days as a freshman in college when I had wondered when, as a math major, I would ever get to the fun stuff: logic, graphs, codes, etc.. Little did I know that I would have to wait 17 years as a professor at the same college to finally get to it.

Excellent Discrete Math book
This is a very good book on Discrete Math. I have looked at several books and the only other book that comes close to quality is "Discrete Mathematics" by Hein.
To get the most out of this book it is recommended to get the solutions manual. Also the book's website has several useful worked out examples and links. Discrete Math is what computer science is all about and if you don't like Discrete Math then you should stay away from CS.

Well I liked It
I like the layout, I like the explanations, I like the coverage. It's my favorite textbook. But the material isn't easy, and I think this will always mean Discrete Math textbooks get low reviews.

A great introductory book
I was impressed by the breadth and depth of the book. It starts off by building a thorough foundation, and goes on to cover important topics in discrete math - graph theory, cryptography and combinatorics. The author really shows you why the subject is relevant and makes it interesting. I was most impressed with the exercises which can really help you learn the subject. The historical and biographical material is a nice touch. This is the only good discrete math book I found after checking out at least half a dozen others.

No beauty here
On the surface this seems like a great book - all of the topics in a Discrete Mathematics course are covered, the information is cleanly laid out, and the quality of the binding is excellent. At closer observation, though, this book has some serious flaws that should keep it from being considered from any universitie's curriculum.

Discrete math should be the class that introduces students to the beauty that can be found in math through proofs. Proofs are the foundation of mathematics and - especailly in an introductory text - should be comprehensive. This book leaves out important steps in a good deal of the proofs, making the proofs themselves hard to read. This should be an easy, clear class for anyone intrested in math. If you are struggling, you owe it to yourself to find a real text on proofs to see what mathematical beauty really is.

My advise is - if you have to use this text - buy a good book on proofs and another good book on number theory. There are plenty on Amazon. ... Read more