Customer Reviews

Just-In-Time Math for Engineers

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If ever there was a math book that was entertaining, this is it! The authors manage to cram an amazing amount of mathematics into a book that is modest in size compared to the typical engineering math text, yet keep it easy to read. Each section starts with a clear exposition of the relevent concepts then the usefulness of the topic is illustrated with real life practical applications ranging from simple (falling cannon ball) to complex (fluid flow). The accompanying CD provides example problems for the reader to solve.

This book strikes a nice balance - it is a useful reference book, while remaining interesting and entertaining. It takes a practical and innovative approach to addressing the usually stiff topic of math. I can't recall another math book I would characterize as "fun" - and you know how engineers could use more fun in our lives!!! It is an excellent refresher on math topics, and an enjoyable read. The included CD-ROM is a nice bonus.

Noting all four previous reviewers, in the years since their 2003/4 postings have only reviewed Fripp books, by way of full disclosure let me say I have no family, professional, or personal relationship with the authors. [Smile.]

This is a good refresher or review book for engineering math, targeting engineers rather than mathematicians. The book provides concepts, rules, and examples but no theorems or proofs. The authors clearly have an affection for mathematics and this comes through in the text. They speak to readers in an easy-going conversational, rather than theoretical, tone.

Upon completion readers should feel reasonably "at ease" with the use of key techniques in engineering mathematics, including trigonometry, calculus (differential, integral, and vector), differential equations, and probability and statistic. The text also discusses, very briefly: matrices, finite difference methods, concepts from operations research (e.g., Monte Carlo simulation, gradient descent optimization), finite element techniques, and chaos. Although the latter methods are discussed more for recognition than use.

The book has some minor issues. For example, occasionally less common mathematical representations are used, as when complex numbers are written as a+ib rather than the more common a+bi. The book starts at a level, i.e., basic arithmetic, that the majority of the target audience should probably already be comfortable with. Had this introductory section been dropped, the extra pages could have more appropriately been devoted to expanded coverage of any one or more additional topics from linear algebra, Laplace and Fourier transforms, or hyperbolic functions.

Because of its relatively smaller size and weight, compared to most engineering mathematics texts, the book is easier to hold and use. The smaller size also means the authors had to select those topics they felt most important and leave out many others, as a consequence the book contains less mathematics than found in a full-size text. However, by leaving out proofs, theorems, lemmas etc. there was room to include most of engineering mathematics' core concepts and techniques.

The book is printed on acid-free paper and so can serve as a reference for many years, without the paper degradation (browning) often found in other paperbacks. Overall, this is a solid introduction to the core mathematical skills necessary to solve basic engineering problems. Coverage stops short of topics normally found in advanced engineering mathematics, but the material presented here should allow readers to comfortably continue into advanced topics if desired.

This book gives a well-selected precis of the basic math needed for the first two years of enginnering but with enough explanations, examples, and short derivations that the reader can actually make some sense of the results. This should be a much better overview that standard references. Its clearly written and very readable. I defnitely plan to recommend it to my students in engineering physics.

Finally, someone broke math down to enlish not math. This book goes a long way to break a barrier that for me was hard to come down. Just In Time for Engineers is a must for the new or struggling engineer. The examples and methods of teaching is worth every penny.

With the Kindle edition you do not get the CD-ROM, which has most of the practice problems for the end of each chapter. For me the exercises include in the Kindle text are not enough to fully re-learn the material. Also, many of the equations have messed up formatting in the Kindle edition, making the examples harder to follow. Otherwise I really like the book, so I'm ordering the print version in spite of already having paid for the Kindle edition.

I would have given this book more stars but there are numerous typos in the equations which definitely challenges one to figure out what the author is talking about. For example, in chapter 3, page 41, the author attempts to show us how to add polynomials with the following example:

(3x(3) + 5x - 4) + (2x(4) + 7x(2) + 9) = 5x(3) + 7x(2) + 5x + 5.

(The single numbers in parentheses are exponents)

Now, 3x(3) cannot be added to 2x(4) with the result of 5x(3). Clearly the author means 2x(3) and not 2x(4), but I have not been able to find an errata sheet or list of corrections for the book online. If this was an isolated typo I wouldn't complain but I am only on chapter 3 and I have found at least 3 such errors in equations. For someone trying to learn the material it is disconcerting to say the least. Again, I do like the book as it speaks in normal language and is a good primer. Its just a shame it has so many non-trivial equation errors.