This book is chalk full of errors, for one thing, which is really confusing for someone learning or reviewing calculus. The language of the author trying to be funny is really distracting, and so are his jokes about how horrible math is. I can understand some comic relief being nice so that a textbook isn't so dry, but this goes beyond that. There's only one practice problem per subject, and the problems are all way easier than any problems you will encounter in a calculus class, most likely. Nothing is explained in-depth, so you're left with a bunch of memorized formulas without knowing what it means, which is really not good in Calculus. You have to understand what you're doing and why you're doing it if you want to succeed. If you actually want to get to where calculus is easy, and you have a good grasp of it, don't buy this book. If you're willing to struggle and just memorize stuff without knowing what it means, and you want to spend more time for a class because you can't do the problems because you don't understand them, then this book might be for you.

The thing to do before starting calculus is to be sure you are GREAT at algebra and trig. That is job #1. Job # 2 is to then buy this book, spend a couple hours a night with it, do ALL the problems---you should be through it all in a few weeks. THEN take Calculus and get a great grade.
Better yet, go through the "Humongous" Calculus Book just prior to taking Calculus officially.

The thing to do before starting calculus is to be sure you are GREAT at algebra and trig. That is job #1. Job # 2 is to then buy this book, spend a couple hours a night with it, do ALL the problems---you should be through it all in a few weeks. THEN take Calculus and get a great grade.

Excellent book. I like much i can refresh all my knowledge in quick but secure way. This book include since the history of begin of calculus,trigonometry,limits derivate and finally integrals. If you look for remember old theorems,rules,derivate,integrals of calculus course this is a good book. If never before take a course is also a good book to understand the hard math rules in easy way but remember you will need additional workbook to practice it. This is a excellent guide book not a workbook. Recommended !!

This book is handy when you need a little more explaination to some concepts in calculus, however the only thing I didn't like about the book was that it only gave a two page, vague description on almost all of the concepts it covered. A little more indebth explainations would have been more helpful, but as a secondary resource, it was a very nice aid for studying.

I used this book to help both my high school junior and college freshman understand the basic concepts of Calculus, and in that respect it was way better than the dense textbooks that they have. Highly recommended!

I purchased this book given the title "idiot's guide" thinking it would simplify the teachers lecture and show step by step how to work out problems. Boy was I wrong! It did help explain a few things, but not enough to really help. I also bought the HUMONGOUS BOOK of CALCULUS. That book claimed to have 100's of problems worked out. None of them were worked out with step by step instructions. Spend your money elsewhere.

Calculus totally flattened me 30 years ago. Now, I have a son taking the course, and I bought this so I could help him over the rough spots. This book totally demystifies everything that seemed (and still seems) so impenetrable in the textbook. The author uses regular, readable English, and lays out the simple steps that are actually involved in solving calculus problems. It's not just lists of mechanical steps, though: He also includes the "what's the point?" and "why are we doing this?" information that's completely lacking from the textbook.

I can't praise this book highly enough.

As a college math teacher, I am always on the lookout for supplementary material that I can recommend to my students. Like all other people in the profession, I regularly encounter students struggling with the topic, so I often hear a question equivalent to the following. "Is there any other book that you can recommend that I examine to help me understand calculus?"
From this point forward, I will recommend this book. It is not deep by any means, but it does provide a more relaxed and occasionally humorous view of the principles of calculus. The coverage is fairly broad, differential and integral calculus are covered and in some internal breadth. Differential equations, power series and convergence tests are all examined, so all of the topics normally covered in a two-course sequence are at least mentioned. Problems are also interspersed within the text and solutions are given in an appendix.
By itself, this book will not teach you first year calculus; there is not enough depth for that. However, if your goal is to learn the basics or your need is a supplement to your calculus text, then it is an excellent choice to satisfy your requirements.

i do not see that it will halp it will make you more dam in calculus because he dose not explaine the move he do or tell you why -- which will make you the idiot --i suggest calculus for dummies it s the best

Great book for help with Calculus. It introduces the basics in plain English. Don't expect proofs or rigorous problems here. Buy this and the 1000 problems solved by the same author. It's all you will probably need to pass Calculus if you study.

Definitely worth it if you're having trouble with the basics of calculus, or need a reminder about algebra/trigonometry/pre-calc.

Easy to read.

Definitely worth it if you're having trouble with the basics of calculus, or need a reminder about algebra/trigonometry/pre-calc.

Easy to read.

HOWEVER, be aware that since this book and others like it have been publicized a lot of college textbooks are ripping off the ideas and formats of these "idiot" and "dummy" books and using them as their own in the required textbooks. The Calculus class I took used the most recent edition of Calculus and its Applications by Marvin Bittinger and the way this textbook was written and styled was very similar to the Idiot's Guide to Calculus...so much so that I really didn't need the Idiot's Guide at all. The Idiot's Guide makes it easier to understand, but check your textbook first before buying it to see if you really need it. Also by no means should this be used as a replacement for expensive textbooks, this is simply a guide to help you with your course.

Excellently written to get to the nuts and bolts of Calculus. Great book for beginning Calculus teachers to peruse and students taking a Calculus course will love M. Kelley's approach to the topic. His writing style is casual and conversational and he makes you feel like you are being entertained while you read. I wish Mr. Kelley had been my math teacher.

HOWEVER, be aware that since this book and others like it have been publicized a lot of college textbooks are ripping off the ideas and formats of these "idiot" and "dummy" books and using them as their own in the required textbooks. The Calculus class I took used the most recent edition of Calculus and its Applications by Marvin Bittinger and the way this textbook was written and styled was very similar to the Idiot's Guide to Calculus...so much so that I really didn't need the Idiot's Guide at all. The Idiot's Guide makes it easier to understand, but check your textbook first before buying it to see if you really need it. Also by no means should this be used as a replacement for expensive textbooks, this is simply a guide to help you with your course.

I'm a first-year at Yale, and despite a relatively strong math background in high school (I took the AB calculus AP exam), I found college calculus extremely difficult and inaccessible. The lecture format made it really hard to understand anything but the symbolic perspective (in contrast, my high school class emphasized a verbal, symbolic, numerical and visual understanding of all concepts).

The Idiot's Guide to Calculus has been a fantastic supplement. The explanations are very clear, and his little jokes, while corny, help make the material more friendly. The practice problems serve as an on-going assessment of comprehension. The author understands how non-"math minds" think (unlike math professors, in my experience), so his explanations are geared toward the average student/person. I also like that he summarizes the prerequisite math needed to begin calculus--it was helpful to brush up after a while with no math.

My only complaint is that only the last few chapters cover material for second-semester college calculus (calculus of single variables II)... A huge chunk of the book focuses on first semester material: differentiation and integration. There's only a little on series and sequences, even less on parametric equations, and none on polar coordinates/equations. But overall, I've found the book very helpful in times of need (i.e. before exams!). I would definitely recommend this book.

I'm a first-year at Yale, and despite a relatively strong math background in high school (I took the AB calculus AP exam), I found college calculus extremely difficult and inaccessible. The lecture format made it really hard to understand anything but the symbolic perspective (in contrast, my high school class emphasized a verbal, symbolic, numerical and visual understanding of all concepts).

The Idiot's Guide to Calculus has been a fantastic supplement. The explanations are very clear, and his little jokes, while corny, help make the material more friendly. The practice problems serve as an on-going assessment of comprehension. The author understands how non-"math minds" think (unlike math professors, in my experience), so his explanations are geared toward the average student/person. I also like that he summarizes the prerequisite math needed to begin calculus--it was helpful to brush up after a while with no math.

My only complaint is that only the last few chapters cover material for second-semester college calculus (calculus of single variables II)... A huge chunk of the book focuses on first semester material: differentiation and integration. There's only a little on series and sequences, even less on parametric equations, and none on polar coordinates/equations. But overall, I've found the book very helpful in times of need (i.e. before exams!). I would definitely recommend this book.

I won't tell how many years I have 'been out of school', but I finally decided to catch up on my science education. When I started to read magazine articles I found out that I couldn't. It was as though I was trying to read a foreigh language-I felt (feel) like a dinasaur.

So, back to basics. And I shall relate that without this book I would still be figuring out how to count to 10 on my fingers! Now I actually look forward to my daily learning time.

I am too old for the Olympics, but should I stop coveting a Nobel?

Thanks Mike

This simple and easy to read guide literally saved me from failing Calc I and helped me pass proudly. Calc I is what consists mostly of the first half of the book. As far as I can tell, the second half of the book is for Caclulus II and only lightly touches on Calculus III.

Being out of school for nearly ten years and deciding to make a comeback I had to begin at the precalculus level. I was at that time, one year ago and before this Calc course, completely terrified of Calculus. I never expected to pass this course... let alone pass it the first time through! I sincerely owe it to this book as the required text was just a mouthful and too deep. This guide is as succinct and concise in one book as you can get on this subject. If you're struggling with the course and the course's required tough text as I did, do yourself a favor and pick up this small book.

I must reinforce that while the course text may be a difficult read, as it was for me, this Idiot's book is simply a supplement. In my opinion, you cannot read this book by itself and expect to pass Calc. What it will do for you is make the required text and homeworks(and therefore exams) much easier having read this first through and referencing it as you go throughout the course.

Excellent resource for review of calculus. Written in language everyone can understand.