Partial Differential Equations: Analytical and Numerical Methods [ILLUSTRATED] (Hardcover)

by Mark S. Gockenbach (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
‘I love this book and look forward to using it as a text in the future. … It's the first truly modern approach that I've seen in a PDE text.’ Maeve L. McCarthy, MAA Online Book Review

‘The introduction of FEM to an undergraduate PDE text is wonderful. It's the first truly modern approach that I've seen in a PDE text.’ Maeve L. McCarthy, MAA Online Book Review

Product Description
This introductory text on partial differential equations is the first to integrate modern and classical techniques for solving PDEs at a level suitable for undergraduates. The author successfully complements the classical topic of Fourier series with modern finite element methods. The result is an up-to-date, powerful, and flexible approach to solving PDEs, which both faculty and students will find refreshing, challenging, and rewarding.

Linear algebra is a key component of the text, providing a framework both for computing solutions and for understanding the theoretical basis of the methods. Although techniques are emphasized over theory, the methods are presented in a mathematically sound fashion to develop a strong foundation for further study. Numerous exercises and examples involve meaningful experiments with realistic physical parameters, allowing students to use physical intuition to understand the qualitative features of the solutions.

A modern course in PDEs at this level calls for the use of powerful software. Although the text is independent of any particular software package, the accompanying CD-ROM includes thorough tutorials on using Matlab, Mathematica, and Maple to compute and graph solutions.

The subject of partial differential equations is among the most difficult subjects to teach. Partial Differential Equations: Analytical and Numerical Methods has many features to ease the student into the subject:
- thorough expositions of the background material from linear algebra and ordinary differential equations;
- an emphasis on connecting mathematical results with physical understanding;
- some of the best tutorial material available for Matlab, Mathematica, and Maple;
- solutions to odd-numbered exercises, including, in many cases, a complete outline of the solution process.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 636 pages
• Publisher: SIAM: Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (October 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898715180
• ISBN-13: 978-0898715187
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #183,862 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fine introduction to PDE's, October 31, 2005

By	anonymous - See all my reviews

This book will appeal to undergraduate math majors interested in both pure and applied math. Gockenbach covers the theoretical background at a level accessible to an undergrad student with basic engineering math (though a semester of advanced calculus and may help), and then extends into the numerical analysis approach. The book is very thorough and would be a nice text book or reference for those interested in the subject.

5.0 out of 5 stars Undergraduate PDE textbook, March 12, 2009

By	Marina Chugunova (Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It seems to be a very good PDE textbook for undergraduate math. students.
It has enough details and examples to take a student smoothly through the
PDE course material and would definitely use this textbook for an introduction
to PDE undergraduate course.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good text but a little dense, September 13, 2003

By A Customer

Gockenbach guides the readers through the fundamental concepts in a rigorous and pleasing manner. However, sometimes he gets so deep into a derivation that the reader forgets the purpose of even doing it in the first place. The connection to linear algebra as a framework is very good, but you almost feel that the natural progression of material is interrupted time and again by the author's soujourns into tangential topics.