Basic Training in Mathematics: A Fitness Program for Science Students [Paperback]

R. Shankar (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0306450364 | ISBN-13: 978-0306450365 | Publication Date: April 30, 1995 | Edition: 1

Based on course material used by the author at Yale University, this practical text addresses the widening gap found between the mathematics required for upper-level courses in the physical sciences and the knowledge of incoming students. This superb book offers students an excellent opportunity to strengthen their mathematical skills by solving various problems in differential calculus. By covering material in its simplest form, students can look forward to a smooth entry into any course in the physical sciences.

Editorial Reviews

Review

`Shankar obviously enjoys his mathematics, and his attitude toward mathematics is simultaneously refreshing and contagious....Dirac notation is intriguingly introduced in the discussion of vector spaces. Finally, the book is richly endowed with well-chosen problems.' American Journal of Physics `Consistent with the needs of science students...a sound mathematical reference for anyone studying or practicing in the physical sciences.' Choice

Product Details

• Paperback: 388 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (April 30, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306450364
• ISBN-13: 978-0306450365
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #152,077 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #86 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Physics > Mathematical Physics
  • #90 in Books > Science & Math > Reference

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent review or introduction to math methods for physics, March 28, 1999

By 

Miguel F. Morales ([e-mail]) (Santa Cruz, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Basic Training in Mathematics: A Fitness Program for Science Students (Paperback)

This is the best book I have found for explaining the math needed by physicists and others in the hard sciences. Shankar uses a very conceptual approach to the mathematics without dwelling on proofs - leaving the reader with an understanding of the mathematics involved. He also tackles difficult ideas like: why are complex numbers necessary and where do they come from? Most books simply assume these ideas and run off into the wild blue yonder with some proofs to give a veneer of completeness, whereas Shankar tries to give a conceptual underpinning that is invaluable when he tackles advanced topics (such as contour integration). His approach throughout is conceptual and pragmatic - giving you a solid understanding for the math you will actually use. Though it is designed for undergraduates, I would also recommend it to anyone either reviewing their math or (re)learning math they should have already known. I used this book to study for the math section of my physics PhD. qualifier and I only wish that I had stumbled across it sooner - it would have made many of my physics courses a lot easier.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kind of a last resort, February 5, 2005

By 

Anon - See all my reviews

This review is from: Basic Training in Mathematics: A Fitness Program for Science Students (Paperback)

This book tries to cover pretty much all the mathematical methods you'd need in college-level physics if you haven't had much experience with them before. The trouble is that that is a LOT of math, and trying to cover that in a book this size is just asking for trouble.

If you don't know any of this stuff, this book is going to kill you. It covers multivariable and vector calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, functions of a complex variable, etc. That is maybe 4-5 different math courses. The idea is that physicists don't really need the rigor of theoretical math, they just need to learn the "tools" so they can do the practical, applied stuff.

This book is good if you already have a general idea of these concepts and just want to get the important parts.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Provides an excellent grounding in fundamentals, June 2, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Basic Training in Mathematics: A Fitness Program for Science Students (Paperback)

This was the textbook used for a class I took several years ago, and since then I've really grown to appreciate what a great foundation in mathematical methods it gave me. The text is clear and concise, the problems challenging and illuminating. Shankar writes with a dry sense of humor that makes his book anything but dry reading for the student (a frequent problem I've had with other math textbooks). I've found this book an invaluable reference on numerous occasions. I think the best praise that I can give is that it provided me with a mathematical intuition for much of what I learned in physics, especially Quantum Mechanics. Shankar ingeniously sets up many problems so that when the student comes across the topics in later study, he or she not only already understands the mathematical basis for the physical laws but also can guess where the arguments are going next. Using this book and Shankar's Quantum Mechanics textbook in a later course made for one of the most rewarding intellectual explorations I have ever had.