Customer Reviews

Quick Calculus: A Self-Teaching Guide, 2nd Edition

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I picked up this book as a supplement for getting a better understanding of the math for a computer algorithms analysis course. The course relys heavily on an understanding of calculus to analyze growth rates of functions and function derivitives but it didn't go into a lot of depth of why the math works giving derivations, etc. It mostly assumed that the reader had already been exposed to calculus and was only offering a refresher. I've already read through half of the book and while there are some errors in the text, there isn't anything that can't be reconciled.

The book uses programmed learning so you can systematically skip in depth explainations of practice problems if you don't need them. The two main branches of calculus are covered: differential and integral. The material is initially introduced informally and uses graphical explanations (when possible) that really help the material sink in faster. After the main themes are explained, the material is formally defined and offers derivations in the appendices for those who are interested in them. I've found this method helps to distill the purpose of the calculus from the complexity of the equations and terminology.

There is a refresher for graphing linear equations, essential trigonometry, and exponentials/logarithms. The material is given adequate explaination in order "make the jump" to the key concepts of calculus. I've found the text easy to read both in terms of the author's teaching style as well as having crisp text with a large font. A full chapter, designed as an in depth review of both branches of calculus, is included to solidify your understanding of the material as well as offer a context of applying calculus to real world problems. The appendix also has an introduction on some advanced topics of calculus (that I havn't gotten to yet). A caveat is that when you start to work out the practice problems, if you are rusty with algebra you'll probably need a reference for reviewing the basics of factoring, racicals, and manipulating negative/fractional exponents, etc. The algebra is a little light in this respect when equations are solved step by step. The book assumes you have a good working knowledge of algebra and solving/manipulating equations. I found myself having to quickly review how to manipulate radicals and review the eponentation rules.

All in all I am extremely pleased with the text. It's very concise, well thought-out, with an incremental learning slope that is not too steep, offers meaningful exercises that reinforce an understanding of the material, and uncovers the mystique of calculus with intuitive explainations and repetition of key concepts (in key places) to help you retain the material faster.

Unfortunately, I found this book (2nd edition) to be full of errors, which is quite frustrating when you are learning (or re-learning) the subject matter. It appears as if the book was not edited thoroughly. As an example, the formula for the quotient rule of differention given on page 102 is distinctly different from the same rule given just five pages later on page 107. Many other examples exist.

Calculus is hard enough as it is--I can't recommend this book to others until the multiple mistakes are corrected.

I used the 1st edition of this book to prepare myself to take courses in chemical thermodynamics, kinetics and electrochemistry in 1979 after I began my Ph.D. program in Geology at Michigan State University. I had taken one college course in calculus eight years prior and did not perform well. The book is well named, I was "quickly" up to a level where I had no problem with the math in physical chemistry, and I did quite well in these courses. I found myself wondering why calculus had been so "hard" as an undergraduate as it certainly was not presented in a difficult manner in "Quick Calculus". Now, many years later with 6 years in industry and more than 17 years experience teaching at the university level, I am of the opinion that most math faculty in universities simply are very poor teachers of mathematics. It is significant that the authors of this fine book are both physicists (one a Noble Prize winner). This is as it should be because the calculus was invented, more than 300 years ago, specifically to solve very applied problems in the physical sciences. I would not expect such a book as "Quick Calculus" from a pure mathematician. I have recommended the book to numerous students who needed a review of calculus, or who, like me, failed to learn it the first time in their university courses. In fact I just recommended it to a student today and was checking to see if the book was available at Amazon, and decided to write this review.

This book is great for reviewing fundamentals before you get to the hard stuff. IT explains this in an easy maner in several different ways. I recommend it.

This book is written in a style to speed you past what you recall, while offering you further instruction on what you don't. It provided great preparation for my Calculus class.

This book is for anyone who is both "mystified and terrified" of the very word calculus like I was. I'm still working through it, but already I'm starting to feel that calculus is a beast that can be slain. I particulary like the way the questions are set up, so you can reveiw and go at your own pace without feeling overwhelmed. So for all of you who have finally learned to do fractions and want to continue to the next realm, this book is for you.

The book is ideal for student or professional preparation or as a refresher course. It uses a smart system of quick explanations and do-as-you-need exercise panels that the reader defines according to his/her needs. If used in conjuction with a good textbook as a preparation/fixation tool, it provides invaluable benefit insight and understanding of Calculus.

This is, arguably, the best self-teaching primer for differential and integral calculus. This well-designed book allows readers to progress at their own pace without the need for classroom instruction. This work, written by two award winning physicists, one a nobel prize winner, is none-the-less applicable to non-scientists as well.

If your schedule only allows time for one book, this is it. Its really what its name implies.

The only caution is that earlier printings of the second edition contain a larger number of errors than expected. I counted well over 50 in my fourth printing of this edition.

I recently purchased a new copy of this work from Amazon. Fortunately, this later printing, the 21st, has corrected many of the errors present in my earlier copy.

In light of this, and the relatively low price for a new copy, a new rather than used copy is possibly the best choice. However, even in those printings where more errors than expected exist, this is perhaps the best introduction to calculus basics available.

I used this book to prepare for some graduate work in geosciences. I found that it was an excellent text for getting up to speed and comfortable with single variable calculus. However, the coverage of multivariable calculus is very basic. There is no vector calculus, grad, curl, etc. So this will get you started, but for most applications you will still have a long way to go.

This book has helped me review my calculus that has long been forgotten. It starts with review of algebra, trigonometry, and pre-calc material. Then dives into single variable derivatives and integrals. I don't think there is any multi-variable calculus.