Precalculus: Mathematics for Calculus (with CD-ROM, BCA Tutorial, vMentor, and InfoTrac) [Hardcover]

James Stewart (Author), Lothar Redlin (Author), Saleem Watson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0534434215 | ISBN-13: 978-0534434212 | Publication Date: December 10, 2001 | Edition: 4

In this best selling Precalculus text, the authors explain concepts simply and clearly, without glossing over difficult points. This comprehensive, evenly-paced book provides complete coverage of the function concept and integrates substantial graphing calculator materials that help students develop insight into mathematical ideas. This author team invests the same attention to detail and clarity as Jim Stewart does in his market-leading Calculus text.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

James Stewart received his M.S. from Stanford University and his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. He did research at the University of London and was influenced by the famous mathematician George Polya at Stanford University. Stewart is currently a Professor of Mathematics at McMaster University. His research field is harmonic analysis. James Stewart is the author of a best-selling calculus textbook series published by Brooks/Cole, including CALCULUS, 5th Edition, CALCULUS: EARLY TRANSCENDENTALS, 5th Edition, and CALCULUS: CONCEPTS AND CONTEXTS, 3rd Edition, as well as a series of precalculus texts.

Lothar Redlin grew up on Vancouver Island, received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Victoria, and a Ph.D. from McMaster University in 1978. He subsequently did research and taught at the University of Washington, the University of Waterloo, and California State University, Long Beach. He is currently Professor of Mathematics at The Pennsylvania State University, Abington College. His research field is topology.

Saleem Watson received his Bachelor of Science degree from Andrews University in Michigan. He did graduate studies at Dalhousie University and McMaster University, where he received his Ph.D. in 1978. He subsequently did research at the Mathematics Institute of the University of Warsaw in Poland. He also taught at The Pennsylvania State University. He is currently Professor of Mathematics at California State University, Long Beach. His research field is functional analysis.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1072 pages
• Publisher: Brooks Cole; 4 edition (December 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0534434215
• ISBN-13: 978-0534434212
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #443,303 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the top two precalculus texts available, March 14, 2005

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Precalculus: Mathematics for Calculus (with CD-ROM, BCA Tutorial, vMentor, and InfoTrac) (Hardcover)

There is a mind-numbing sameness to precalculus and calculus textbooks, and this book is more of the same. The coverage starts with real numbers, exponents, expressions and solving equations. The basic principles of functions, polynomial, exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric functions, solving systems of equations, sequences, series, counting and probability, analytic geometry and limits follow this. I personally can do without the chapter on limits, when I teach precalculus, I am hard pressed to cover the other material. There is plenty of time to cover limits in calculus and it provides a better context. There are a large number of exercises at the end of each section and solutions to the odd-numbered ones are included in an appendix. As appears to be the case with many books, some of the exercises could have been left out with no decline in quality. At times I suspect there is the mathematical equivalent of an "arms race" to see how many exercises can be included at the end of a chapter.
The previous paragraph could be used to describe nearly every precalculus text on the planet, so it fits into the category of obvious, but necessary. Therefore, the key point is what makes this book different from the competition. The answer is not much. The approach is the standard statement of the new material followed by a series of worked examples, which is also the fundamental strategy used in all lower level math books. Short biographical asides of some of the major historical figures in mathematics are interjected on a regular basis. I like that, but wonder how often the students read them. What is different about this book is that the quality of the writing is somewhat better than most. In a field where there is very little to differentiate the texts, that is enough to make me rank this book in the top two precalculus books that are available.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good book for someone not having done math for 40 years, August 19, 2010

By 

James Robert Deluze (Honolulu, Hawaii) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Precalculus: Mathematics for Calculus, Fifth Edition (Hardcover)

I'm in my 60's and have not studied math in school for over 40 years. This was my first math book for college since the 60's. I found it easy to read, clear, and too the point. I was able to understand it. That says a lot. Math has always been hard for me, so this book is well done if I can learn from it.

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very understandable and interesting, a rarity in math texts., June 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Precalculus: Mathematics for Calculus (Hardcover)

The book is easy to read and interesting. I am able to teach high school students out of this book, but it has enough depth to still be useful to a first year university student. It has good write-ups on the predominant mathematicians. It's the best pre-calc book I've come across.