I'm taking first year calc this coming fall and I'm trying to learn as much as i can now so I'm more prepared this coming fall. Does anyone know of a book that puts topics in plain english (not in math mubojumbo) but is comprehensive at the same time . Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
Well, I can say one thing: Avoid the Itunes courses and the "dummy" or "idiot" series on calculus. While some of it might be right, it can be more damaging than helpful.
Hope you find the right book
If you need science books, I know some amazig titles, but I'm not so strong on Math textbook titles, ha ha.
If you know your section, you might try contacting your university bookstore to see which textbook your class is using and pick up a copy early. Then you could start reading through it while doing the exercises.
If you'd like something good that's free and online, MIT has one from 1991 that's good:
If you think that math is mumbo-jumbo, then you might consider a review of pre-calculus. Identify the areas where you are having trouble and then study it so that you understand it. My son tutored calculus for over four years and he said that the biggest problem that calculus students had as algebra preparation (trig and logs were a problem too but to a lesser extent). If you don't have the prerequisites down, then you'll get killed unless you're taking a really watered-down course.
YES!!! Calculus the Easy Way, published by Barrons. It is in the study guides section of the bookstore. It's SOO COOL! It's a cross between an adventure story (fairly lame) and a calculus book, where the king's entourage wanders around the kingdom inventing the calculus they need to solve the problems they find. Algebra the Easy Way and Trigonometry the Easy Way are also in this series.
It's also possible to read it for concepts and reasons before you do the math, so you'll understand the point of it all.
MUS also has calculus and I believe Chalkdust does too. I noticed Teach12 also has a calculus dvd set. I have not tried any of these. I did purchase the MUS calculus but had to return it when it was decided that the older kids will remain in public school this next year. (my youngers home school still though).
As someone who just recently went through the lower-division curriculum of math, I find that Calculus by Ron Larson & Bruce Edwards is the best by far for HS to college sophomore level. I'd especially recommend it to someone who is going to try and teach themselves the material. It's not full of proofs but there are proofs you can do if you want. And there are many "applied" problems.
Someone already mentioned it but supplementing with either Khan Academy or MIT is a great way to learn. However, there is a Calculus lecture series done by UCLA that I've used to review this past summer. As for someone seeing the material for the first time, I'd say it's pretty great. Not really otherwise 'cause after two more semesters of Calculus you're like "Yadda yadda yadda. I know, guess I didn't need to review".
It is easy to understand and has the right amount of examples.
I bought the Dummies books before I ever took Calculus and I'd say they were more confusing than anything else I've read. I didn't really like the Calculus the Easy Way when I was in high school just trying to get an idea of what "Calculus" was about. Idk, different strokes for different folks.
