What's the best book for learning calculas?

[hedgehog]

Did anyone have a textbook they liked?

[4morewars]

1. calcul-U-s

spell check is your friend !

[hedgehog]

3. Sorry

multitasking - bad

[Stargazer99]

2. I have a computer disk called Teach Yourself Calculus

The make is Softkey SKU#TYC3544AE or ISBN#0-7630-0185-6. It assumes you know Algebra.

[Gman]

4. The best way to learn calculus

is learn algebra inside and out first. If you don't have algebra down pat, you'll struggle with calculus from the beginning.

And, there's no one book that can teach calculus because you don't study calculus or any math like you study history or geography. You practice it. Over and over and over. Very common misperception.

I wish teachers would start using the term "practice" rather than "study" when it comes to math.

[mike_c]

5. an excellent point that bears repeating....

Quantitative skills are a way of looking at the world, in essence a descriptive language. You don't learn any language from reading a book, or even from years of study-- you learn it through long use, and lots of practice.

Still, you need an introduction if you've never had one before. I liked Swokowski's text when I was in college. Looks like it's still in print: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0534936245/sr=8-2/qid=1156714226/ref=pd_bbs_2/103-3005777-9915846?ie=UTF8

[Gman]

8. When I went back to grad school

and I took a required algebra/calculus business course, I had a teacher that told us if you have small children, give them lots and lots of puzzles to work. Working puzzles builds the same skills you use in solving Math problems. I actually had never thought about it like that. But it was obvious that she was right. Case in point, my son, who I always knew had ability coasted through high school algebra without much effort. He scored horribly on the math SAT portion. I went with him to his college counselor and she said he needed the lowest of the three non-credit refresher courses in math. He said, "No, I can at least do the middle course." She said, "OK." His first test, he scored a 19 because he was still in over his head. I sat him down at the kitchen table and over about 3 hours, I taught him how to solve the puzzle using things he knew to find things he didn't know (e.g. solving for x). I explained it as working a puzzle. Long story short, although he's a semi-professional student, last semester he took advanced calculus and made a B. He has also taken calculus based physics and made a good grade. I taught him something his public school teachers should have taught him long before. Once he understood you don't study math, you practice solving the puzzle, he had no problem. Only problem is now he calls me when he gets out of class wanting to discuss the intricacies of some arcane calculus theory. He explains some of the basics to me and I have enough of a calculus background to kinda semi-understand what he's talking about. But for the most part my part of the conversation is along the lines of "Uh huh, ummm, OK, I didn't know that..." But he's still excited about it which is the main thing. He's working on a degree in electrical engineering.

I took the same approach early on with my step-daughter who is a sophomore in high school and she is doing well in math.

[GOPBasher]

7. You're right, but it's good to have a textbook from which to practice

problems. If people don't have a shitload of problems to solve -- with answers and/or solutions to check afterward -- they can't practice math.

On edit: It doesn't have to be a textbook; perhaps there are some computer programs or internet applets from which they can do the same thing.

I totally agree with what you said about "practicing" math. I always told my students that, when I actually had a job.

[hedgehog]

9. I agree about the practicing part

I just wanted to review what I learned 30 years ago and haven't used since then. I know I never had a gut understanding because many times I knew the outline of the next step but really had no idea if a factor should be added or subtracted or some such. Too many of the books I've seen explain what's going on by talking around in circles. It's like having a dictionary that defines a word by using the word.

[tbyg52]

6. Has anybody tried any of the Learning Company stuff?

(The college lectures on DVD.) I noticed they had the Calculus one on sale, and I was thinking about ordering it.

[hedgehog]

10. Thank you, that's the answer I was looking for.

It seems that every professor writes his/her own book. I wanted some feedback from someone who had a book they liked.

[CrispyQ]

11. My husband refuses to buy any of the Dummies books,

but I've found most of them very helpful. ADO for Dummies sits on my desk for quick reference. Calculus for Dummies has a 5 star rating with 32 reviews. Check it out!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764524984/102-9099002-9198527?v=glance&n=283155