Reviews (33)

Awesome book.
this book is the best. its not boring and doesnt make you fall asleep. Mr. Kelley's jokes keep u awake. its interesting to read, and you also learn calculus. it doesn't have all the small little details.. but it does have the big picture and basic stuff that you need to understand. such as the confusing limit E stuff that most textbooks use. in this book it skips that and explains it in a better more understandable way. i think its a great book, you just have to read it and most people will love it. i agree that it does not have many pratice problems.. but thats what textbooks are for. i suggest you get this book if you are taking calculus. it doesn't help very much with calculus II or III. i wish there was a book just like this for calc II and III. if you don't trust any of the review here, go to the bookstore and look through it for yourself. im sure ull like it too.

Get an A in Calculus!!
I wish I had discovered this book during my first semester of calculus. Unfortunately I bought it during the last weeks of my second semester calculus class, but if I hadn't gotten it, I wouldn't have been able to ace the class. We were learning some new concepts and I couldn't understand it. Finals were coming up real soon. I needed something to help me through these methods and LO AND BEHOLD!! Idiot's Guide to Calculus! Of course! I'm an idiot when it comes to calculus! This book helped me understand areas that were left oblivious to me while trying to learn in class. The book has some humor to it, making learning calculus KINDA fun!! (I know, WHAT?) So if you're studying calculus I and II, buy this book!! It's worth it if you want a good grade.

Thoughts from a HS Calculus instructor
I purchased this book as a supplement to my current text. As many of you know, Calculus text books are not the most reader friendly. This book takes a subject that can be intimidating to many, and clearly explains the topics in a humorous and informative way. Thanks Mike! Keep writing.

I was an idiot until.....
I was an idiot until I got my hands of this extremely helpful book. In no way does it completely teach you Calculus, rather it is in my opinion an edition to complement a textbook. It helped tremendously in translating the concepts and the theorems written by math geniuses that have no compassion for us less than inadequate in the world of numbers. I highly recommend this as a companion to your textbook, as it saved me from pulling out more of the hair that I don't have.

This book is spanktastic!
It makes me want to keep my pants on while reading! ... Read more

Book Description

In recent years, mathematics has become valuable in many areas, including economics and management science as well as the physical sciences, engineering and computer science. Therefore, this book provides the fundamental concepts and techniques of real analysis for readers in all of these areas. It helps one develop the ability to think deductively, analyze mathematical situations and extend ideas to a new context. Like the first two editions, this edition maintains the same spirit and user-friendly approach with some streamlined arguments, a few new examples, rearranged topics, and a new chapter on the Generalized Riemann Integral. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Good guidance to the world of analysis
This book is very helpful to those student who want a advanced calculas process and need a basement to the study of real analysis. This book has many example which are very helpful to the student and we can have a chance to think about the process to the solution. Best textbook of what i have read this year!!

An excellent real analysis text !!!
A good introduction to real analysis. Proofs are detailed. This book is definitely for anyone who loves real analysis.

A concise and to-the-point Real Analysis book
~I am a non-Math undergraduate but Finance graduate . I found this book quite concise and useful . Mathematical concept are developed in a systematic way and are not too difficult to catch. Graduate Student in Finance may find this book useful to help them develop essential real analysis skills before they move on to study other probability / integration / measure / mathematical finance theory .

However , hints for exercise is not enough , this may create a problem for some beginning~~ undergraduate maths student.~

Masterpiece
This is a coherent piece of work. Presentation is crisp. Techniques of proof are rigourous. You need a touch of mathematical mutarity and an informal background in calculus to appreciate the treasures hidden in the pages of this book.

It's Not That Good
This text is used at the University at Buffalo, SUNY in the US for the first undergraduate/graduate course (MTH 431/531) in so-called real variable theory.

This text while making some improvements over the years, such as providing more 'examples' in an attempt to help the student understand the theory, it really reflects the major problem in the field of mathematics today.

This problem is the discipline's fixation on abstraction and technique which alienates some less capable and prepared students (and I might add, people in general).

To make my point, the authors, as has been a common complaint, are not really aware of the lack of pedagogy incorporated in the text. This is a major problem with most mathematical and other technical textbooks.

In many of the examples and proofs, the authors leave out important information, expecting that the already stressed and overloaded graduate student will figure out on their own. Many of the examples are not instructive at all, but very frustrating because they are too complicated. There is in many places of the text too much information left out, and in other places points/claims made with no explanation. This is true of most mathematical textbooks and renders them worthless in my opinion for learning.

This textbook is not suitable, in my opinion, for use in a big university where there is poor instruction along with a major lack of faculty/student support for beginning graduate students. It would be better if there was some tutelage along with the texts overkill of brevity.

In conclusion, this book illustrates a major problem in mathematics education in this country (USA) today, along with what appears to me as the problem of professional snobbery of disciplines. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (58)

If you want to understand calculus, get this book
I went thru 5 years of college, emerging with degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. I never really understood the foundations of calculus, but managed to pass the math classes by learning by rote. Years later, I discovered this book, and it was truely a revelation. I now know what 5 years of high-level education failed to teach me. This book explains things in ways that my other math books never did. If I'd had this when I entered college, math classes wouldn't have been such a struggle. If you're about to begin taking calculus classes, I recommend that you read this first. It'll make your life much easier.

An Outstanding Book
This is the very best math book I have ever read. As many other reviewers have pointed out, this book is an excellent source for UNDERSTANDING calculus!!! If you want to understand calculus, this book is an outstandingly excellent beginning. I studied calculus over 30 years ago as a math major. I currently teach mathematics and was absolutely stunned when I ran across this wonderful, beautful, lucid exposition of the differential and integral calculus. Dr. Thompson is surely ranked among the greatest math teachers of all time. Of course, Martin Gardner's revision simply increases the lucidity, joy and beauty of this mathematics classic. MUST reading for any literate and intelligent person, who wants to UNDERSTAND mathematics. There are tons of books that one can read in order to learn how to "do" mathematics, but Thompson's book is in a class by itself, when it comes to excellence in teaching mathematial understanding. I simply cannot find the words to describe the sheer joy and wonder I experienced while reading Calculus Made Easy!!!!

More interesting than crosswords
I withdrew from first year university calculus after the first lecture - it was some impossible situation involving rowing across a river. In a theatre with hundreds of not especially attentive students, it was just all lost on me. I took stats instead.

Learning mathematics is like knitting; it all works great unless you drop any stitches. Areas you fail to understand early on, block you from all later learning based on the same idea.

I enjoy reading about science, and 20 years after leaving university, it was this that sparked an interest in Calculus. Reading popular science books helped me understand that Calculus was important, useful and bloody interesting - and that it might be worthwhile actually knowing how to do it.

This kind of book means that anyone who is reasonably interested can sit down and learn it for themselves - knitting brain cells at your own speed.

For the last 6 months, this book and a working notebook for the problems has sat on my reading table, and a couple of times a month, it gets opened and I do more problems from it. It is astonishingly satisfying to be able to differentiate impossible looking equations that previously, I would have spluttered in disbelief at the idea that I could solve them. It has made me properly understand how to manipulate equations - something I don't think I ever really learnt properly before. Now I am confidently flipping equations around, doing things several ways to check my answers, and growing brain cells in the process. I do not move on to new problems until I have solved the previous one and have really understood it.

The holes in my own math understanding have stopped progress at times. It uses but does not give the equations for things I only dimly remembered existed such as how to find the roots of quadratic equations and trigonometry equations. Those without decent high school mathematics will need other sources to help them.

This is way more fun than crosswords. When I finish it (which could take some time) I will miss this book. I am going to have to get something else along the same lines.

Any recommendations?

Calculus made Easy
I am now finished with Calculus II and I still don't understand the content of thisbook. It is extremely complicated and poorly written. It makes it seem that Calculus is so easy, but it's just easier studying the old fasioned way, doing homework problems.I really don't recommend this book, at least for undergrads.

Misinformation
This book is terrible and cannot be recommended. Many of the things it says are simply wrong, like the opening discussions of 'orders of minuteness'. This book gives a lot of disinformation in attempts to simplify difficult topics, when all that is needed of these topics are clear unthreatening explanations. It does not deserve the popularity it has received for the last century. For a much better book to help a struggling student of introductory calculus, I can to no end highly recommend How to Ace Calculus: The Streetwise Guide by Colin Adams, et al. ... Read more

Book Description

Kaseberg presents an effective, nontraditional approach to the traditional algebra curriculum. The first and second editions gained a strong following among instructors who found that Kaseberg's use of guided discovery and problem solving facilitates the learning of new concepts and strengthens skill retention. Kaseberg's informal, interactive style makes algebra more accessible to students while maintaining a high level of mathematical accuracy. To reduce preparation time for course leaders and facilitate use by adjuncts, the Instructor's Resource Manual is a valuable resource. The manual provides structured lesson and group-activity suggestions for each section in the textbook, incorporates materials from the textbook with supplemental projects and activities, suggests core homework assignments, and furnishes guided discussion questions. This resource serves to bridge the gap between traditional pedagogy and a reform approach. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Kaseberg's 2nd Edition is Terrific
Kaseberg outdid herself on the second editon (2000 publication date)of Just-in-Time! Yes, the first edition (1996 edition)was difficult to read and lacked organization. But those problems have been fixed. The 2nd edition is very readable and the organization is much clearer. The new edition also has more exercises. The best thing about this book is that no one can ever again ask "why do I need to know this?" because from the first page, Kaseberg shows you how the math is used in the real world. Also, in many places you get a triple whammy explanation of the math: you get it with algebra symbols, if that doesn't work, she shows you how the same idea looks on a graph, and in case you still don't get it, she shows how the same math looks with sketches of stuff in the real world. Finally, Kaseberg treats you like you have a brain--she helps you discover why the math works instead of just telling you that it works and expecting you to believe her. I LOVE this book!

You'll love this book!
I don't understand why the reviews on here are negative. I used this book, and polled my classmates, and we found absolutely nothing wrong. As far as we are concerned, using this book more than prepared us for out next step in mathematics. It's assigned to our class, and we would recommend them to continue to assign it. Thank you.

Terrible
This book is impossible to use. Students find it the most confusing mess they've ever seen. I teach at the community college (in Reno) and this is a nightmare to teach from. DON'T BUY IT! I repeat: DON'T BUY IT!!!!!!!

The wors book I've ever read.
This book is just as bad as the author's other work "Intermediate Algebra". The reader will be more confused than enlightened on the subject of Algebra. I've had teachers and upper classmen try to read the book and they concur, this is absolutley the worse Algebra book ever written. ... Read more

Book Description

James Stewart's well-received SINGLE VARIABLE CALCULUS: CONCEPTS AND CONTEXTS, Second Edition follows in the path of the other best-selling books by this remarkable author. The First Edition of this book was highly successful because it reconciled two schools of thought: it skillfully merged the best of traditional calculus with the best of the reform movement.This new edition continues to offer the balanced approach along with Stewart's hallmark features:meticulous accuracy, patient explanations, and carefully graded problems.The content has been refined and the examples and exercises have been updated.In addition, CALCULUS: CONCEPTS AND CONTEXTS, Second Edition now includes a free CD-ROM for students that contains animations, activities, and homework hints.The book integrates the use of the CD throughout by using icons that show students when to use the CD to deepen their understanding of a difficult concept.In CALCULUS: CONCEPTS AND CONTEXTS, this well respected author emphasizes conceptual understanding - motivating students with real world applications and stressing the Rule of Four in numerical, visual, algebraic, and verbal interpretations.All concepts are presented in the classic Stewart style:with simplicity, character, and attention to detail.In addition to his clear exposition, Stewart also creates well thought-out problems and exercises.The definitions are precise and the problems create an ideal balance between conceptual understanding and algebraic skills. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Wish i had the solutions manual
I have used this book for two semesters now andi wish i had hte solutions manual.I would buy it but i dont know which one it is there are so many and James stewart has written many calc books.Overall this book is ok, but i would recommend getting hte solutions manual, whichever it is.And if anyone knows which solutions manual to buy let me know pleasepenguinGamer@gmail.com .Thanks

From another Cornell student
This book deserves 1 star for listing "L'HoSpital's rule" in the index... L'Hopital's = L'Hospitals?
In any case, this book isn't bad. I've been using it for 2 semesters now. Examples and solutions are explained well enough. The solutions manual is a must.

A Great Intro Calc Book
I used this book for a first semester calculus course at Cornell University last summer, and I thought that the book was very good.The examples were helpful, and the book was able to cover a reasonable amount of material in the applications of calculus while remaining focused on teaching the calculus.The only problem with the book is that for high school students taking AP Calculus BC this book lacks topics in polar and vector calculus, but that is a very minor part of the test which shouldn't be too hard to learn from your teacher.For Calculus AB, however, the book covers everything you need.This is a great textbook. ... Read more

Book Description

Focusing on and reinforcing problem-solving throughout, Kaufmann helps students learn to analyze a word problem by approaching it logically and extracting all its essential mathematical components so that the process of solving a problem can be approached with ease. Kaufmann's proven approach of "learn a skill" then "use a skill to solve equations and inequalities" and finally, "use equations and inequalities to solve word problems" helps students apply their newly learned skills immediately for better comprehension and retention. This is the same approach developed by the author in his highly successful developmental mathematics texts. ... Read more

Book Description

Designed for the Calculus I-II-III sequence, the seventh edition continues to evolve to fulfill the needs of a changing market by providing flexible solutions to teaching and learning needs of all kinds. The new edition retains the strengths of earlier editions--its trademark clarity of exposition, sound mathematics, excellent exercises and examples, and appropriate level--while incorporating new ideas that have withstood the objective scrutiny of many skilled and thoughtful instructors. For the first time, the Seventh Edition is available in both Late Transcendentals and Early Transcendentals versions. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

This book is truly the best Intro Calculus text available.
I have taught Calculus at the University level for well over 20 years now. When I first arrived, the school had already adopted the 1st edition of Anton's Calculus, and the school (and myself) have liked it so much that we have stuck with Anton for 20 years, until 2000. For some reason, the Math Department has decided to change to Stewart's book. Let me tell you, Anton's book is most certainly the best. The examples actually explain the concept, the concepts are explained coherently in words before the mathematics is presented, graphs are abundant where necessary, and the book eases students into Calculus. I have found that deficiencies in trigonometry plague students through the calculus sequence. Mr. Anton provides a thorough review in Appendix 1, which clears up the problems. Also, Chapter 1 is a review of Algebra and Coordinate Geometry. This gets students into a mental framework necessary to learn Limits (Chap 2), Differentiation (Chaps 3-4), Integration (Chaps 5-6), Logs and Exponential Functions (Chap7), etc. My ONLY complaint about this book is the way Anton leaves logs and the number e out until Chap 7. Students are expected to learn it all at once, where I feel it would be better distributed throughout the exercise sets. But, again, that is my ONLY complaint. IF YOU WANT YOUR STUDENTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN CALCULUS, CHOOSE THIS TEXT. It truly beats the pants off Stewart's book!

requestin answer quetions sheet
Well am trying to find out where can i get all answer sheet for the questions which is provided in the book.

I have found answers to odd-numbered exercies, But am looking for all answers. How can i get it please.
Thanks for helpping customers

Excellent book
I'm learning Calculus with this book and I'm finding excellent!
My college changed Swokowski's book (it's out of print in Brazil!!!) by Anton's book. This book -together with Swokowski- is highly recommended for the beginners undergraduates. For me, Anton is very better Stewart's book -for instance-. Therefore, buy "Calculus a new horizont, 6th edition!

Scary stuff
The book is unbelievable cra..., it's hard to tell because the stuff that the author put is very super unbelievable cra... I belive the author doesn't know the advanced stuff or might be he just like to play with the beginner stuff. Don't ever buy this book for your reference,future,or what ever that you need. This book is not bible for mathematician,science and engineering student. But this book is a holy bible for donald duck, pluto, and their friends. I suggest if you want learn calculus well, I really highly recommend spivak,apostol,or richard courant. There is no dictionary that you can be a mathematician by using this book, unless you want be a "greatest" mathematician.

You can teach yourself with this book.
Our school used this book for calc 3 and I'm very happy with the selection.
Our teacher taught the theory part of the material. He rarely taught how to do the work (he relied on the book to do that and it was very understandable and taught well). The teacher's theory helped to get the material to our long term memories so hopefully your teachers' are using the same method.

So if you need a book to show you how to work through the problems of Calc 3, buy this one, it'll do the job. ... Read more

Book Description

Ever since the Irish mathematician William Rowan Hamilton introduced quaternions in the nineteenth century--a feat he celebrated by carving the founding equations into a stone bridge--mathematicians and engineers have been fascinated by these mathematical objects. Today, they are used in applications as various as describing the geometry of spacetime, guiding the Space Shuttle, and developing computer applications in virtual reality. In this book, J. B. Kuipers introduces quaternions for scientists and engineers who have not encountered them before and shows how they can be used in a variety of practical situations.

The book is primarily an exposition of the quaternion, a 4-tuple, and its primary application in a rotation operator. But Kuipers also presents the more conventional and familiar 3 x 3 (9-element) matrix rotation operator. These parallel presentations allow the reader to judge which approaches are preferable for specific applications. The volume is divided into three main parts. The opening chapters present introductory material and establish the book's terminology and notation. The next part presents the mathematical properties of quaternions, including quaternion algebra and geometry. It includes more advanced special topics in spherical trigonometry, along with an introduction to quaternion calculus and perturbation theory, required in many situations involving dynamics and kinematics. In the final section, Kuipers discusses state-of-the-art applications. He presents a six degree-of-freedom electromagnetic position and orientation transducer and concludes by discussing the computer graphics necessary for the development of applications in virtual reality. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

An oustanding work on rotations for the practitioner
My graduate school work was in theoretical quantum mechanics, and was especially concentrated in the group properties of rotations. I can honestly say that I would have been twice as effective if I had this reference available then.

Kuiper does an outstanding job of pulling together the traditional matrix-based approach to describing rotations with the less-frequently encountered quaternion approach. In doing so, he clearly shows the benefits of the quaternion algebra, especially for computer systems modeling rigid body rotations and virtual worlds. The exposition is clear, concise, and aimed at the practitioner rather than the theoretician. The examples are taken from classical engineering problems -- a refreshing change from the quantum-mechanical problems I was used to from previous works on the subject.

Despite the practical foocus, though, there is plenty of material here for those more interested in understanding the minutia of the SO(3) symmetry group. And unlike most work in this field, he doesn't stop with algebra, but includes the calculus of rotation matrices and quaternions using material on kinematics and dynamics of rigid bodies, celestial mechanics, and rotating reference frames.

I give the book my highest recommendation. It should be considered an essential reference work for anyone who encounters rotational problems with any frequency.

--Tony Valle

Good beginning, not enough for most applications
The book delivers exactly what it promises, an in-depth study of rotations using quaternions. However, if you are looking for a complete description of how to use quaternions, it is missing a lot.

Specifically it doesn't explain anything about interpolating rotations, which is absolutely required in the field of animation. After reading this book, I would recommend finding a copy of Ken Shoemake's article "Animating Rotation with Quaternion Curves", which explains slerp and squad, there are many references available on the Internet. The Flipcode.com site has some code by Tim Sweeney (lead programmer for Unreal) under "Vector Math and Quaternions", which explains how to use quaternion logarithms to handles higher-order (Hermite, Bezier, TCB) interpolations. It could be argued that this is out of the scope of the book, but I suspect many people interested in buying this book will need this information. This is the main way quaternions are used in game programming, for example.

Still, this book gives you a good starting point and its explanation of Euler angles and conversion to/from is about the best I have ever read. The derivation of quaternions as an extension of complex numbers is quite easy to follow and has a very easy-going style, which still giving a firm mathematical basis.

I am the Quaternion Book's Author
I merely want to share with you an excellent review of my Quaternion Book. The review appeared in the Nov/Dec'03 issue of Contemporary Physics, vol6., and was written by Dr Peter Rowlands, Waterloo University, UK. The review is herewith attached (if I may) otherwise I'll paste the text). It's probably too long --- but you now know where to find it. Here goes:

The following Book Review Appeared in Journal: Contemporary Physics},
Nov/Dec 2003,
vol 44, no. 6, pages 536 - 537 · · ·
Quaternions & Rotation Sequences
A Primer with Applications to Orbits, Aerospace, and Virtual Reality
by JACK B. KUIPERS
Princeton University Press. 2002, £24.95(pbk), pp. xxii +
371, ISBN 0 691 10298 8.
Scope: Text.
Level: Postgraduate and Specialist. }

Quaternions are one of the simplest and most powerful
tools ever offered to the physicist or engineer. Unfortunately,
they are relatively little known because a centuryold
prejudice (the result of a family feud involving vector
theory) has been responsible for keeping them out of
university courses. The fact that quaternions have never
really found their true role has become a self-fulfilling
prophecy, despite their reappearance in various disguised
forms such as Pauli matrices, 4-vectors, and, in a complex
double form, in the Dirac gamma algebra. The straightforward
manipulation of this relatively simple formalism,
however, means that, to a quaternionist, such things as

Minkowski space-time and fermionic spin are no longer
mysterious unexplained physical concepts but merely
inevitable consequences of the fundamental algebraic
structure, while even ordinary vector algebra as David
Hestenes has shown (Space-Time Algebras, Gordon and
Breach, 1966) is much better understood in terms of its
quaternionic base. The immense value of the quaternion
algebra is that its products are ordinary algebraic products,
not the dot or cross products of standard vector algebra,
although they also include these concepts.

Despite many statements to the contrary, quaternions
are by no means short of serious applications, either. Often
in highly practical contexts, and, in every application that I
know of, where a quaternion formulation is possible, this
formulation is invariably superior to any more 'conventional'
alternative. Kuipers, in his splendid book, effectively
shows this in the eminently practical case of the aerospace

sequence and great circle navigation by demonstrating how
the same calculations are done, first by conventional matrix
methods, and then by quaternions. Rather than abstractly
defining quaternion algebra and then seeking possible
applications, he prepares the ground well by describing
the application first, and then developing the quaternion
methods which will solve it. It is not until chapter 5, in fact,
that quaternion algebra is seriously introduced. However,
Kuipers sets this on a
firm basis by establishing early on the connection with
complex numbers, matrices and rotations. These subjects
are discussed with great thoroughness in the early chapters.
The work is avowedly a primer, and so nothing is taken for
granted. The student can begin at the beginning and follow
the argument through stage by stage, with virtually no
prior knowledge of the subject. The real core of the
mathematical analysis comes in chapters 5 to 7, with solid
and relatively easy to follow treatments of quaternion
algebra and quaternion geometry, together with an algorithm
summary, relating quaternions to such things as
direction cosines, Euler angles and rotation operators. The
superiority of quaternion over, for example, matrix
methods is demonstrated by Kuipers' statement on p. 153
that the quaternion rotation operator (unlike the matrix
one) is 'singularity-free'. Following the main application to
the aerospace sequence and great circle navigation, there
are further chapters on spherical trigonometry, quaternion
calculus for kinematics and dynamics, and rotations in
phase space, with two final chapters devoted to applications
in electrical engineering (dipole radiation signals sent by a
source to a sensor, and then correlated using a processor)
and computer graphics.

The final application is especially interesting as quaternions
have been behind much of the rapid development of
computer graphics. One role that quaternions have always
fulfilled is their applicability to 3-dimensional structures,
and the otherwise difficult problem of rotation, especially
when time-sequencing is involved. Computer software
engineers have exploited this while physicists have missed
out. The creation of a 'natural' 3-dimensionality, using the
'vector' or imaginary part of quaternions was, of course,
the original reason for their creation; but, while the
remaining 'scalar' or real part was originally thought of
as a problem by the proponents of vector theory, it is now
seen as a bonus, allowing the incorporation of time as a
natural result of the algebra. We cannot escape the fact that
we live in time within a 3-dimensional spatial world, and
quaternion algebra appears to be the easiest way of
comprehending and manipulating this 3-or 4-dimension-
ality. Kuipers shows us examples of the exploitation of the
technique in aerodynamics, electrical engineering and
computer software design, but it also has relevance in
topology, quantum mechanics, and particle physics.

It is frankly as absurd for physicists and engineers to
neglect quaternions as it would be for them to disregard
complex numbers or the minus sign. It is important that
students get to learn about this spectacularly simple and
powerful technique as early as possible, and Kuipers has
provided us with the perfect opportunity of remedying a
massive defect in our technical education. His book has

everything that one could wish for in a primer. It is also
beautifully set out with an attractive layout, clear diagrams,
and wide margins with explanatory notes where appropriate.
It must be strongly recommended to all students of
physics, engineering or computer science.

DR PETER ROWLANDS
(University of Liverpool)

A good introduction to quaternions
Is it possible to recommend a book and still say that it needs revision? It needs revision precisely because it is a good book and may well find more readers. The book does what no other does as far as I know; it introduces quaternions in elementary terms and shows some, at least, of how useful the concept is. The topic is neglected in textbooks for students at this level and probably even more generally. And yet I do think that the author could revise this book substantially and produce a better one.

A word of caution
I was very disappointed when I started reading the book and immediately noticed a number of errors in the formulae. These were most likely typos but still can be confusing at times. As the other reviewers mentioned, the book has a very interesting, and in my opinion very good, teaching sytle, but don't take all the formulae by heart if you are going to use it as a reference book.

(PS. My comments are on the first print of the book, I hope the errors have been corrected in the later prints.) ... Read more

Book Description

The Table of Integrals, Series, and Products is the major reference source for integrals in the English language. It is essential for mathematicians, scientists, and engineers, who rely on it when identifying and subsequently solving extremely complex problems.

The Sixth Edition is a corrected and expanded version of the previous edition. It was completely reset in order to add more material and to enhance the visual appearance of the information. To preserve compatibility with the previous edition, the original numbering system for entries has been retained. New entries and sections have been inserted in a manner consistent with the original scheme. Whenever possible, new entries and corrections have been checked by means of symbolic computation.

Preface
This completely reset sixth edition of Gradshteyn and Ryzhik is a corrected and expanded version of the previous edition. The book was completely reset in order to add more material and to enhance the visual appearance of the material.To preserve compatibility with the previous edition, the original numbering system for entries has been retained.New entries and sections have been inserted in a manner consistent with the original scheme. Whenever possible, new entries and corrections have been checked by means of symbolic computation.

The diverse ways in which corrections have been contributed have made it impossible to attribute them to reference sources that are accessible to users of this book.However, as in previous editions, our indebtedness to theses contributors is shown in the form of an acknowledgement list on page xxiii.This list gives the names of those who have written to us directly sending corrections and suggestions for addenda, and added to it are the names of those who have published errata in Mathematics of Computation. Certain individuals must be singled out for special thanks due to their significant contributions: Professors H. van Haeringen and L.P. Kok of the Netherlands and Dr. K.S. K”lbig have contributed new material, corrections, and suggestions for new material.

Great care was taken to check the reset version of Gradshteyn and Ryzhik against the fifth edition, both by computer means and hand inspection, but it is inevitable that some transcription errors will remain. These will be rectified in subsequent reprinting of the book as and when they are identified.The authors would appreciate knowledge of any errors or deficiencies, their email addresses are listed below.If any errata are found, they will be posted on the website, www.az-tec.com/gr/errata.
As in the previous edition, a numerical superscript added to an entry number is used to indicate either a new edition to the book or a correction. When an entire section is new, an asterisk has been added only to the section heading. Continuing in the previous convention, a superscript 10 has been added to entry numbers to indicate the most recent changes that have been made.

This latest version of Gradshteyn and Ryzhik also forms the source for a revised electronic version of Gradshteyn and Ryzhik.

Special thanks are extended to John Law and the Newcastle University Computing Service for their help in the preparation of this edition.

Alan Jeffrey
Daniel Zwillinger ... Read more

Reviews (5)

This software is unusable on mac's and unix systems.
I bought this software hoping that it would help me to find required mathematical formulas faster. At home on my powermac (OSX.1, OS9.2) I only see messed up windows. Furthermore, the formulas are unreadable, using an archaic font. Trying to save the day, I went to my linux machine at work reading "Your operating system, Linux 2.2.19-7.0.1, is not supported by this software. It appears that the software is only suitable for some SUN and SGI machines. It only appears to run properly on a windows machine. From an editor, who I remember, is one of the few persons finding errors in Knuth's TeX system, I expected much better.

A fun book
I bought Gradshteyn & Ryzhik because I had to write an answer to some homework problem in some physics class that I took. The problem had contorted itself into a perverse elliptic integral and its recovery was beyond my means, so I went to the bookstore, looked for something fat and Soviet, and found this gem. I forked over the cash for it, figuring that it was a long-term investment.

I took it home and dutifully plagiarized some of its lines to satisfy my physics professor. For the next few months, that was the mode in which I used this book: read physics problem, translate into elliptic or hypergeometric beast, look up answer in G&R, cover up my tracks, get 9 or 10 points on the problem. Occasionally, I would own up to having looked something up.

The book served its purpose well. Subsequently, I studied some integrals of the spinning top that were more or less right out of Nikiforov's book on special functions (another excellent source for those of you that would like to "earn" a PhD), and G&R stood well by its side. Indeed, I discovered how much fun it was to look up an integral whose complicated solution had been derived elsewhere, and then to look for patterns by analyzing the immediate neighbors of the given integral on the preceding and subsequent lines in G&R.

After I was done with answering questions from physics professors, the book sat on the shelf taking up more room than several of its neighbors put together. Nonetheless, its binding was good, its typesetting clear, and its terse and copious stream of forbidding integral forms was pleasing to the eye.

Some time passed, and one day I asked myself just what would motivate anybody to write such a large collection, so I started rummaging through its pages looking for a pattern. I realized that its organization was excellent (which would explain why I was able to find the answers for my homework), and I also found some sections that were just plain fun. The very beginning lists some sums of infinite series that can be derived during lunch or while waiting for a friend at a cafe (e.g. sum of k^3 = [1/2(n)(n+1)]^2 ). Then one can read about numbers and functions named after Euler, Jacobi, Bernoulli, Catalan... each line, more or less, is cross-referenced, so after you have given up trying to derive that darned product representation of the gamma function, you can go to the book in the library and see how Whittaker did it.

After about 15 years of owning this book, I am nowhere near done with it. If you like math, and you want insurance against being bored, this book just might do the trick. As a bonus, it puts cute matrix stuff in the back (e.g. the "circulant") which one can read when desiring a break from the integrals. I know the book seems expensive, but think of if as spending about two bucks a year on it.

I see that one can now obtain a CDRom version of G&R. An intriguing option, specially because it outputs in TeX; but really, how can anyone resist the large, stubby charm of its paper version?

G&R can help you to deal with members of the opposite sex. I once used it to scare away a girlfriend that was becoming much too annoying, by pretending to be thickly engrossed in the process of memorizing every single integral in the "special functions" chapters. As for my mother, she was particularly proud of me when I showed her that I could actually understand "randomly selected" pages from this book (I don't suppose that I am giving anything away by remarking that books open naturally on sections that have been previously examined).

For those of you that are concerned about home security, G&R is also a weapon. Some people surround themselves with baseball bats or, if they are particularly reckless, a handgun or two... I prefer to keep a fully-loaded G&R by my pillow, which I can hurl at any prowler at a moment's notice. Its shape is surprisingly well adjusted to the hand for the purposes of hurling, and if the covers are bound by a rubber band, the book maintains its shape quite stably as it sails across the room. Sell your Smith & Wesson and buy yourself a Gradshteyn & Ryzhik. You won't regret it.

Daunting at first but worth it.
Before it was much use, I had to read the section as to how the book is organized. As the other reviewers state the integrals are comprehensive and as far as I have used correct. The integrals are very useful, but this book includes many other features that I have found helpful as a graduate student. The sections on Hermite and Legendre polynomials are especially helpful for students of Electricity and Magnetism, Quantum Mechanics, and Mathematical physics (you won't have to hunt in several books to find what you need). The included identities for hyperbolic and trig functions are very helpful simplifying homework answers, mostly because of their comprehensive nature. This book is great because it seems to have everything and most people will not need to buy another table. The binding is good also, so it should last many years with normal care. This is a very good investment.

Gigantic, but well organized and highly accurate
Gradshteyn and Ryzhik is to the CRC Mathematical Tables as the unabridged Oxford English Dictionary is to Webster's Collegiate. Besides being big, it's easy to find things in, because of the way the integrals are organized into classes. Like any other integral tables, you'll probably have to make a change of variables or two to get your problem into a standard form, but since the classes are well covered, you have a big target to shoot for, so your chances of finding your integral tabulated are excellent.

An unscientific sampling indicates that this book has remarkably few errors. It really helped me through grad school.

Best and Largest set of Integral Tables in the WORLD!
This is the best and largest compilation of integrals and their solutions in existence. Whatever integral you are trying to solve, odds are someone else has already solved it and the answer is in this book. If you regularly come across integrals in your work or play (yes, IT IS FUN for some people), this book is an absolute must. Also a great reference for info on special functions, infinite series, jacobians, vectors, rules of integration, and more. ... Read more

Book Description

Utilizing technology to enrich the learning experience, S.K. Jain and A.D. Gunawardena provide an exciting introduction to linear algebra. The accompanying CD-ROM contains the entire contents of the book in a searchable format. The CD-ROM also includesMATLAB drills, concept demonstrations, solutions, projects, and chapter tests. In addition to the CD-ROM, the Web site contains additional problems, projects, and applications, as well as support for MAPLE and Mathematica. In the book, the authors introduce matrices as a handy tool for solving systems of linear equations and then demonstrate that their utility goes far beyond this initial application. Students discover that hardly any area of modern mathematics exists where matrices do not have some application. Offering flexibility in the approach, this book can be used in a traditional course without technology or in a course using technology. ... Read more

Book Description

Elementary Real Analysis is written in a rigorous, yet reader friendly style with motivational and historical material that emphasizes the “big picture” and makes proofs seem natural rather than mysterious.Introduces key concepts such as point set theory, uniform continuity of functions and uniform convergence of sequences of functions. Covers metric spaces.Ideal for readers interested in mathematics, particularly in advanced calculus and real analysis. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A good book
There is no escape from the fact that analysis is hard.

I have spent a full year (academic year) with this book. Furthermore, I have several other texts on analysis compare to this one. This book is the best I have seen.

A few more examples would a be nice addition. However, where present, the illustrations are excellent.

I think the authors did a very commendable job on material.

Mathematical Engineers Love it!
This book is really a great book, having so far completed 8 courses in mathematical sciences, this is the best textbook I have seen so far.
It has as many examples as a applied book on Differiential Equations text. Historical Perspectives that are found in pure algebra texts, and the authors talk to you in a clear consice mannor that really helps promote undestanding

Excellent Book
I have taken many more math courses since taking a first course in analysis using this book, and still it has much to offer me.
It is rich in examples, motivation, intuition, and enrichment, making it easy to learn from, and hard to remove from your shelf. ... Read more

Book Description

From the inventor of fractal geometry, a revolutionary new theory that overturns our understanding of how markets work.

Benoit B. Mandelbrot, one of the century's most influential mathematicians, is world-famous for making mathematical sense of a fact everybody knows but that geometers from Euclid on down had never assimilated: Clouds are not round, mountains are not cones, coastlines are not smooth. To these classic lines we can now add another example: Markets are not the safe bet your broker may claim. In his first book for a general audience, Mandelbrot, with co-author Richard L. Hudson, shows how the dominant way of thinking about the behavior of markets--a set of mathematical assumptions a century old and still learned by every MBA and financier in the world--simply does not work.

As he did for the physical world in his classic The Fractal Geometry of Nature, Mandelbrot here uses fractal geometry to propose a new, more accurate way of describing market behavior. The complex gyrations of IBM's stock price and the dollar-euro exchange rate can now be reduced to straightforward formulae that yield a far better model of how risky they are. With his fractal tools, Mandelbrot has gotten to the bottom of how financial markets really work, and in doing so, he describes the volatile, dangerous (and strangely beautiful) properties that financial experts have never before accounted for. The result is no less than the foundation for a new science of finance. ... Read more

Book Description

Knowledge spaces offer a rigorous mathematical foundation for various practical systems of knowledge assessment. An example is offered by the ALEKS system (Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces), a software for the assessment of mathematical knowledge. From a mathematical standpoint, knowledge spaces generalize partially ordered sets. They are investigated both from a combinatorial and a stochastic viewpoint. The results are applied to real and simulated data. The book gives a systematic presentation of research and extends the results to new situations. It is of interest to mathematically oriented readers in education, computer science and combinatorics at research and graduate levels. The text contains numerous examples and exercises and an extensive bibliography. ... Read more

Book Description

Geometry & Trigonometry for Calculus By Peter H. Selby If you need geometry and trigonometry as a tool for technical work … as a refresher course … or as a prerequisite for calculus, here’s a quick, efficient way for you to learn it! With this book, you can teach yourself the fundamentals of plane geometry, trigonometry, and analytic geometry … and learn how these topics relate to what you already know about algebra and what you’d like to know about calculus. You’ll work your way through geometry, numerical trigonometry, methods of trigonometric analysis, analytics, and limits—all the way up to the "front door" of calculus. Geometry and Trigonometry for Calculus is one of the Wiley Self-Teaching Guides. It’s been tested, rewritten, and retested until we’re sure you can teach yourself the concepts of geometry and trigonometry. And it’s programmed—so you work at your own pace. No prerequisites are needed. Objectives and self-tests tell you how you’re doing and allow you to skip ahead or find extra help if you need it. Frequent reviews and practice exercises reinforce what you learn. Wiley Self-Teaching Guides Astronomy, Moche Basic Physics, Kuhn Chemistry: Concepts and Problems, Houk How to Succeed in Organic Chemistry, Gordon Basic Electricity, Ryan Electronics, Kybett Ecology, Sutton Energy for Life, Allamong Plant Anatomy, Stevenson Quick Medical Terminology, Smith Human Anatomy, Ashley Dental Anatomy and Terminology, Ashley Math Skills for the Sciences, Pearson Thinking Metric, 2nd ed., Gilbert Using Graphs and Tables, Selby Geometry and Trigonometry for Calculus, Selby Quick Calculus, Kleppner BASIC, 2nd ed., Albrecht BASIC for Home Computers, Albrecht ANS COBOL, 2nd ed., Ashley Structured COBOL, Ashley Fortran IV, Friedmann, Greenberg & Hoffberg ATARI BASIC, Albrecht TRS-80 BASIC, Albrecht Job Control Language, Ashley Flowcharting, Stern Introduction to Data Processing, 2nd ed., Harris Background Math for a Computer World, Ashley Probability, Koosis Statistics, 2nd ed., Koosis Finite Mathematics, Rothenberg Practical Algebra, Selby Quick Arithmetic, Carman Math Shortcuts, Locke Study Skills: A Student’s Guide for Survival, Carman Psychological Research: How to Do It, Quirk Psychology of Learning, Royer Choosing Success: TA on the Job, Jongeward Successful Time Management, Ferner Communication for Problem Solving, Curtis Skills for Effective Communication, Becvar Clear Writing, Gilbert Punctuation, Markgraf Vocabulary for Adults, Romine Spelling for Adults, Ryan Reading Skills, Adams Art: As You See It, Bell Your Library —What’s in It for You? Lolley Quickhand, Grossman Quick Typing, Grossman Consumer Math, Locke ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The Pleasure of Finding Things Out
Like many people, I didn't learn anything in any significant way in high school, so later in life I found out I lacked the necessary mathematical skills to pursue my interests in science.

Looking to fill that void I got this book and its companion introductory volume, Peter Selby and Steve Slavin's "Practical Algebra: A Self-Teaching Guide", and am extremely relieved to find out mathematical illiteracy can be remedied with the right tools.

These books not only taught me the basics of algebra and geometry, but more importantly, gave me a glimpse of how mathematical ideas are developed. Concepts that appeared to me to be mystical elaborations now seem full of reason and purpose, thanks to the self-contained nature of these two books and the step by step construction of ever more complex themes. The authors focus not on mechanical repetition but on understanding, on making sense to the student, so everything fits in in a meaningful way, instead of appearing as a loose aggregation of disjointed bits. I really got a lot of enjoyment out of learning all the material, and finding out what a wonderful world of ideas this knowledge opens up.

Of course, being a great book doesn't mean being a flawless book, and this one indeed has its shortcomings. First, this two volumes do not cover logarithms at all, so you'll have to look for that subject elsewhere. Also, the plain geometry, analytic geometry, and conic sections chapters have insufficient exercises, so you'll probably want to get an additional text to get some more practice in those areas. Finally, even though the books are a very good and well-rounded introduction, they do not go into much depth in any area. On the other hand, the introduction to limits is truly great.

If your knowledge of mathematics has ever held you back professionally or personally, this is a great place to start changing that!!

EXCELLENT! Wish I would have had this author teaching me.
There is no such thing as a student who is "slow" in understanding. There is however a teacher who does not master the art of communicating. A good student memorizes in order to pass a grade. A slow student is normally bugged by the "why" of everything. However I have had the honor of solving engineering problems for students from MIT and other top Universities because my professors were able to explain the "why" to me.

Mr. Peter H. Selby is an excellent author. You flow through his pages without having to read over paragraphs several times in order to understand the sense of his explanations without stress and fatigue. There is no guessing nor ambiguous wording. It is difficult to put down his book for the day. I look forward to his future books.

Bummer
Content is fine. Binding is not.
The book is falling apart.

good as a companion only
If you want to test your knowledge of geometry and trig after reading another text book, this is good. However, this is not a standalone book. It offers problems and answers, but very little in examples and explanations of why.

Unless you want a refresher, I'd go somwhere else, maybe a dummies or idiots guide instead.

There aren't enough exercises..
The best and most enjoyable way to learn math is through practice, and although Peter H. Selby articulately explains the concepts presented in this book, there just aren't enough exercises for you to "teach yourself" the subject. A given section on plane geometry will give you about 15 abstract principles followed by 5 easy practice exercises. I have learned from this book, but in order to do so, I've had to make flashcards and do lots and lots of rereading to help me memorize the vocabulary and rules. This book would be okay for someone who just needs a quick refresher, but if you really want to learn the material, I would suggest buying separate 350-400 page books for each subject. ... Read more

Book Description

Jerome E. Kaufmann and Karen Scwhitters built this text's reputation on clear and concise exposition, numerous examples, and plentiful problem sets. This no-frills text consistently reinforces the following common thread: learn a skill; use the skill to help solve equations; and then apply what they have learned to solve application problems. This simple, straightforward approach has helped many students grasp and apply fundamental problem solving skills necessary for future mathematics courses. ... Read more

Book Description

KEY BENEFIT: This trusted reference offers an intellectually honest, thought-provoking, sound introduction to linear algebra. Enables readers to grasp the subject with a challenging, yet visually accessible approach that does not sacrifice mathematical integrity. Adds over 400 new exercises to the problem sets, ranging in difficulty from elementary to more challenging. Adds new historical problems taken fromancient Chinese, Indian, Arabic, and early European sources. Strengthens geometric and conceptual emphasis. A comprehensive, thorough reference for anyone who needs to brush up on their knowledge of linear algebra.

Reviews (26)

Pretty Bad....
I have taken many math classes in my career (I am currently a graduate student in statistics) and I would have to say this is one of the worst texbooks for introductory linear algebra out there. This book was assigned in an introductory linear algebra course at Cornell and if it weren't for other, much better linear algebra books, I would not have done well at all. One of the main flaws with this book is the lack of concrete examples, which in itself is enough to make it a terrible introductory text, but in addition, the study guide ironically gives detailed answers to relatively easy questions but NO explanation AT ALL of difficult, more theoretical exercises. The only reason that I can figure as to why this book is so popular among good universities is that they are trying to give students a hard time early on, perhaps to discourage them from taking further mathematics courses. I feel great pity for those that have the misfortune of being taught linear algebra with this book.

For me, the conciseness was a plus!
It looks like some of the reviewers here disagree with me, but I think this textbook is excellent. The explanations and examples are generally very clear, and there isn't a lot of distracting nonsense. In many textbooks they try too hard to teach through "Real World" examples. i find such examples confusing because they obscure the math behind the example.

I also felt this book had a nice mix of easy, medium and challenging problems. And it feels like the author really understands and strives to clarify many of the hurdles faced by Linear Algebra students.

Make no mistake about it, Linear Algebra is a tough class that requires a lot of dilligence and abstract thinking. This book isn't going to guarantee you an A. But if you work through it, and if you have a helpful teacher, you'll be on the right track.

By the way, I am a Computer Science major, and while I consider myself decent at math, I'm by no means a math genius. :)

Difficult and Too Concise
I've never had such a hard time in a math class. I realized quickly that linear algebra is completely different from the mechanical things I've been learning. This subject is very different and very abstract. I knew I really had to STUDY and not just read this book.

Considering all of this, when I picked this book up, I was apprenhensive from the start. Whenever I see a thin book assigned for a subject that's entirely unfamiliar to students, I know it's going to be a very concise book without many examples and detailed explanations.

The few people who have given this book rave reviews sound like instructors. If you are an instructor reading this review, please keep one thing in mind: textbooks are written for students, not you. What difference does it make if you think it's great but your students can't understand the most basic concepts, which was happening in my class? Yes, this book will make you think--think for hours on such basic concepts as what's the difference between a rotation and reflection. One more example of a linear transformation would've made all the difference in the world. The very first exercises will often leave most students saying, huh? Thinking is great but if you have to search the web and buy other books to get more information, that book is worthless.

I'm a computer science major and there are books I really think are well-written but I would never recommend them to someone who's never touched the subject. I believe if most of the students don't like it, there's something wrong with the book (many of my classmates complained about this book as well). If you are a math major or someone with a PhD, of course, a concise and clean explanation is great. But for students who've never had it, it's a nightmare. It's a situation I see too often: the textbooks that are assigned usually get the worst reviews yet they keep getting assigned again and again. This is especially true in science and math courses.

Nice intro to linear algebra
I pretty much read this entire book front to back. It covers most basic linear algebra concepts. I don't understand why this book is getting such a poor review. It's concise and to the point. It's mathematically accurate and the problems can be challenging. The notation can take a while to get used to but it is mathematical convention. I found the part on fourier series to be very useful for studying more advanced math topics and for engineering.

The WORST
This was perhaps the most poorly written textbook I've ever encountered. Theorems weren't defined completely or clearly. There were problems whose solution methods could in no way be extrapolated from the text alone; I had to use several other books. I recommend not buying this book unless it's required for a class. I'm sure there are many better references or self-teaching books out there. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Well Done Text
This text is perhaps the best I've used on Algebra and Trigonometry. After taking algebra in high school, obtaining this text for college helped me understand the concepts that I had missed. Bittinger does an extraordinary job of describing the processes and applications of algebra and trigonometry. His use of technology makes the process fun also.

So I give this text 5 stars, and recommend it to anyone interested in mathematics.

Ambitious Text for an Ambitious Student!
First, this book is probably the most beautiful Math Book you will ever see. The text explains mathematical concepts with colorful pictures and modern calculator-generated graphs that definitely encourage students to make more use of their graphing calculators.

Second, I believe this book bridges (somewhat) the gap between the traditional lecture/proofs format and new trend of interactive CPM (Collage Prep. Math.) Programs--where students "investigate" with one another to figure out mathematical puzzles and concepts. In this sense, this book is very ambitious. It presents both graphical, heuristic arguements as well as rigorous proofs (when helpful). (For more info. on the issue, look for Prof. Wu's article in Berkeley Math Dept. Web Site)

Problems and exercises in the text also encourage this "investigation" and Proving process. I believe this to be one of the greatest strengths of the text. There are the classical "warm-ups" (easy repetitive problems), then medium to challenging problems that engage students in heavy and insightful calculations. Following are some review problems...then come the "synthesis" problems where students are