Calculus for the Utterly Confused, 2nd Ed. (Utterly Confused Series) [Paperback]

Robert Oman (Author), Daniel Oman (Author)

Book Description

Series: Utterly Confused Series | Publication Date: May 24, 2007

Whether you're a science major, an engineer, or a business graduate, calculus can be one of the most intimidating subjects around. Fortunately, Calculus for the Utterly Confused is your formula for success. Written by two experienced teachers who have taken the complexity out of calculus for thousands of students, this book breaks down tough concepts into easy-to-understand chunks.

Calculus for the Utterly Confused shows you how to apply calculus concepts to problems in business, medicine, sociology, physics, and environmental science. You'll get on the road to higher grades and greater confidence, and go from utterly confused to totally prepared in no time!

Inside, you'll learn about

• Calculus problems with applications to business and economics
• How to use spreadsheets for business analysis
• Growth and decay models including exponential and logarithmic models for biology
• How to integrate algebra into business analyses

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

When it comes to understanding one of your most intimidating courses­­calculus­­even good students can be confused. Intended primarily for the non-engineering calculus student (though the more serious calculus student will also benefit), Calculus for the Utterly Confused is your ticket to success.

Calculus concepts are explained and applied in such diverse fields as business, medicine, finance, economics, chemistry, sociology, physics, and health and environmental sciences. The message of Calculus for the Utterly Confused is simple: You don't have to be confused anymore. With the wealth of expert advice from the authors, who have taught thousands of confused students, you'll discover a newer, clearer way to look at calculus. Don't wait another minute­­get on the road to higher grades and greater confidence, and go from utterly confused to totally prepared in no time!

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Dr. Robert M. Oman has twenty years of experience teaching college-level physics and mathematics and is the author of Physics for the Utterly Confused and How to Solve Physics Problems.

Dr. Daniel M. Oman has taught undergraduate physics labs for five years and is the coauthor of How to Solve Physics Problems.

Product Details

• Paperback: 263 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 2 edition (May 24, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071481583
• ISBN-13: 978-0071481588
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #661,779 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The most confusing calculus book I have ever purchased, September 17, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Calculus for the Utterly Confused (Paperback)

This book is confusing in two ways: First, it launches into complex concepts, equations, problems and solutions without ever explaining the underlying fundamentals; the authors assume that the reader is already in command of many concepts and terms that would almost certainly escape a person who is "Utterly Confused" by calculus. Second, although the content of the book would be useful to a person who had successfully completed a formal education in calculus and was in need of a review, the authors chose to bill this book as a quick and easy way to understand the intricacies of calculus for those who have failed to grasp the basic fundamentals. They do a great disservice to the readers whom they dupe into buying this book by making false claims about its nature.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I'm sorry I wasted my money, September 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Calculus for the Utterly Confused (Paperback)

Based on the description of this book, I thought I could gain a better grasp of the subject, only to discover that I was more confused than when I started. New concepts are thrown out with no explanation and examples are obscure at best. To make things worse, the silly cartoon-like attitude of the book is insulting to anyone who's looking for a serious solution to their dilemma. The implication is that the material is as easy to understand as a child's book, but there is no help for those who don't immediately grasp the concepts. After completing a Calculus class (and feeling quite comfortable with the subject) I revisited the book and confirmed that it is a terrible presentation for those who are in fact "Utterly Confused". I have sent it unceremoniously to the local landfill.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Idea-less than perfect execution, September 26, 2002

By 

Billy Joyner (Flat Rock, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Calculus for the Utterly Confused (Paperback)

This little book is a terrific idea. However, it needed a careful editing before printing. The diagram on page 33 was not labeled. The answer on page 51 is wrong. The answer on page 55 contains an answer (t=533) that not only is wrong, but should have rung a bell with the authors when they got it. (The correct answer is 53.3, which can easily be verified.) This proves that using a hand calculator without thinking about what size the answer ought to be leads to embarassing errors. This actually is a very instructive example, but the conclusion that 27 years is the most appropriate time to harvest the forest has no supporting theory. At this frequency of errors, I expect to find more as I progress.