Calculus for Dummies
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The mere thought of having to take a required calculus course is enough to make legions of students break out in a cold sweat. Others who have no intention of ever studying the subject have this notion that calculus is impossibly difficult unless you happen to be a direct descendant of Einstein.
Well, the good news is that you can master calculus. It's not nearly as tough as its mystique would lead you to think. Much of calculus is really just very advanced algebra, geometry, and trig. It builds upon and is a logical extension of those subjects. If you can do algebra, geometry, and trig, you can do calculus. Calculus For Dummies is intended for three groups of readers:
This is a user-friendly math book. Whenever possible, the author explains the calculus concepts by showing you connections between the calculus ideas and easier ideas from algebra and geometry. Then, you'll see how the calculus concepts work in concrete examples. All explanations are in plain English, not math-speak. Calculus For Dummies covers the following topics and more:
Don't buy the misconception. Sure calculus is difficult – but it's manageable, doable. You made it through algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. Well, calculus just picks up where they leave off – it's simply the next step in a logical progression. |
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| 07-23-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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This is as good as the other "Dummies" books. A good resource or instructional book. Either way, a winner.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-27 03:34:09 EST)
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| 07-06-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I feel like I owe a lot to this book and Mark Ryan. I originally purchased this book two years ago when I ended my enlistment in the Marines. Needless to say, after being out of school for almost six years I had some trepidation about starting college, and especially my math courses (because, let's face it...as much as I love my fellow-Belleau woodsman, Marines don't typically have a reputation for their intellectual prowess). This book, along with it's accompanied workbook, became invaluable to me as a supplement to my calculus textbooks in college. The biggest benefit is that Ryan can explain the concepts in clear, everyday language, unlike most math texts. I ended my Calculus I course with one of the highest grades in the class. I am now a junior in college on my way to finishing my engineering degree, and this book definately helped establish a solid mathematical foundation and gave me a needed academic confidence boost.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-23 02:37:30 EST)
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| 06-29-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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I taught my first calculus class over a quarter of a century ago. As always seems to be the case, the thought of having to take calculus had the members of the class nervous. To most it is a daunting task, yet the fundamentals of what is covered in differential and integral calculus are intuitive. Concepts such as continuity, limits, differentiability as the slope of the tangent line and integration as the limit of a sum are all ideas well within the grasp of nearly everyone.
The devil and fear is of course in the details, how to take these principles and apply them to problems. There have been many times when I have had a student tell me, " I understand the fundamental concept, that is easy to follow." However, when it comes time to do something like an epsilon-delta proof of continuity or understand the proof of the fundamental theorem of calculus, the student will say, "I don't know what to do." In my opinion, that is what will happen to most of the people with no calculus background who read this book. They will understand the fundamental principles and hit a wall when they try to apply them. Knowledge of the fundamentals of precalculus is a necessity, without that, it is unlikely that even the intuitive concepts will make sense. To paraphrase Euclid, "There is no easy road to calculus." It requires a great deal of thought, study and the acquisition of mathematical skill. Many people, myself included, believe that you really don't begin to understand it until a year after you complete the calculus courses. Therefore, in my opinion, very few beginners will be able to acquire a great deal of calculus knowledge from this book. Even though I concede that the coverage is broad and the approach is at an understandable level. Learning calculus is a mind-broadening experience, yet it is no simple task. Memorization is pointless; the light bulbs must eventually go off in your mind. I don't see how reading any book without exercises can make that happen. I consider it superb as a supplemental book, but nearly worthless as a primary text. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-06 23:54:38 EST)
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| 05-27-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I've always had issues truly retaining mathematical concepts. So naturally, when faced with having to take college calculus, I had mild reservations.
I purchased this book in January, before the spring semester started, and began tearing through the book, studying everything I could. As the semester progressed, all that my teacher was saying was crystal clear, and coincided perfectly with what this book was teaching. By the end of the semester, I had not only dealt with calculus, but I actually appreciated the usefulness of it in everyday applications. This book is an absolute must for those who are timid when it comes to math. Want proof of it's success? I finished the class with a 97.5% - an A+! (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-30 02:05:35 EST)
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| 05-14-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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I used this book a year ago for my Calculus BC class. I was pretty much clueless and felt hopeless, but Dummies helped me understand basic and fundamental concepts of Calculus. I finally "understood" what limits were and derivatives instead of just calculating them. But this review isn't enough for a BC class because there aren't enough examples, practice questions or sujbect depth. But overall, it's good to understand basics of Calculus. I used this along with another Calculus book and my textbook (which I rarely used) and my Calculus class was more tolerable. I ended up getting a 5 on Calculus BC and a 4 on Calculus AB section. I will give some due, not all, to this book for helping me get a 5 on the BC exam and making my transition to a Calculus class easier.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-28 02:43:47 EST)
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| 05-09-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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Wow, it's been a long time since I've been in a math class, and to say that I am rusty is a gross understatement. So it was with great relief that I discovered that not only can I follow this book, I actually enjoyed it. I even laughed out loud a few times. Mark's humor made all the difference, and when the going got a little tough, the lively writing kept me engaged.
Mark's experience as a teacher is evident throughout-- he knows where the pitfalls are and addresses them before the reader trips. I would describe myself as a slightly above-average math student, and calculus was not an intuitively easy topic for me. There were parts of the book that I had to read several times and then digest. Fortunately, I was being taught by a great teacher. I could well imagine learning calculus from a lessor instructor and getting totally lost. Soon my daughter will be taking calculus in school, and I'm going to make sure that she reads this book. Congratulations Mark on writing the definitive book for "dummies," scholars and everyone in between. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-15 02:50:47 EST)
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| 04-10-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I love this book. When I am completely lost in my class I pull it out and it gives me ideas on how to remember things. To this day I still use their integration by parts box.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-15 02:50:47 EST)
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| 04-04-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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This book is absolutely amazing!!! I refer to it more than I use my Calculus II textbook. The author, Mark Ryan, breaks all the complicated concepts down into such easy terminology that they are so easy to understand. It is an absolute necessity for anyone taking high school or college calculus. Definitely worth every penny I paid for it!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-04-11 02:44:53 EST)
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| 12-24-07 | 1 | 2\4 |
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This book spends the first 8 chapters reviewing basic algebra and geometry. Then it starts with limits, which is a good chapter. After that, the book is out of control. The derivative part makes it more confusing than a textbook and it has minimal examples. It also did not cover many important calculus concepts. Dont buy the Calculus Workbook because those problems are too easy. The only helpful thing was the yellow review card in the front. I would absolutly not recommend this for a college student. It only helps you through 2/3 of the first semester. Just stick with your ol'textbook.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-12 03:17:57 EST)
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| 12-23-07 | 1 | 4\6 |
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This book spends the first 8 chapters reviewing basic algebra and geometry. Then it starts with limits, which is a good chapter. After that, the book is out of control. The derivative part makes it more confusing than a textbook and it has minimal examples. It also did not cover many important calculus concepts. Dont buy the Calculus Workbook because those problems are too easy. The only helpful thing was the yellow review card in the front. I would absolutly not recommend this for a college student. It only helps you through 2/3 of the first semester. Just stick with your ol'textbook.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-28 05:29:19 EST)
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| 12-23-07 | 4 | (NA) |
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A good effort at presenting a difficult subject, but in the end, even though this book helps in understanding the principals involved, the subject matter is still extremely complex and even though I was able to follow all the worked examples, I still find it is difficult to stay on track when working alone.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-28 05:29:19 EST)
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| 12-23-07 | 1 | 3\5 |
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This book spends the first 8 chapters reviewing basic algebra and geometry. Then it starts with limits, which is a good chapter. After that, the book is out of control. The derivative part makes it more confusing than a textbook and it has minimal examples. It also did not cover many important calculus concepts. Dont buy the Calculus Workbook because those problems are too easy. The only helpful thing was the yellow review card in the front. I would absolutly not recommend this for a college student. It only helps you through 2/3 of the first semester. Just stick with your ol'textbook.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-14 02:45:29 EST)
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| 12-23-07 | 4 | (NA) |
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A good effort at presenting a difficult subject, but in the end, even though this book helps in understanding the principals involved, the subject matter is still extremely complex and even though I was able to follow all the worked examples, I still find it is difficult to stay on track when working alone.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-04-05 02:46:55 EST)
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| 11-02-07 | 2 | 1\2 |
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for me there has to be a "calculus for pre-dummies", because "calculus for dummies" is not adequate. i had all the basic math courses in high school and college but could not grasp the concepts as presented in these books. for one thing, symbols are not adequately explicated, and if you don't understand symbols in the various types of math, you are hopelessly lost - or at least i am. the one redeeming feature is the humor injected into the explanations.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-20 11:54:35 EST)
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| 10-11-07 | 4 | 1\1 |
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it helped me alot to understand what is going on or why im doing something for calc. when you understand you can you dont get as confused so you can learn more efficiently.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-13 03:03:30 EST)
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| 09-22-07 | 5 | (NA) |
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Currently enrolled in college Calculus (not liberal arts version) and though this book reads very well and is very informative, it's not nearly as indepth or complex as the content I have in my textbook and am encountering in class.
Would highly recommend the book for high school, as a primer/review, but keep in mind it's not going to provide the direct keys to mastering college mathematics department level Calculus. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-13 03:03:30 EST)
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| 08-24-07 | 5 | 1\1 |
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I took college calculus 30 years ago. Wanting to refresh my memory, I first looked at my original and massive college textbook. Comprehensive but indecipherable. An academic tomb written to prove every theorem in the calculus - nice if you are a math major but not very helpful for those interested in applying calculus to real world problems quickly. I then found Calculus for Dummies which gets right to the key concepts in an accessible and direct fashion. The author's sense of humor is also helpful. With Ryan's book, you'll learn how to do calculus and solve problems. Great book. Highly recommended. While I scored highest in the class a long time ago, I had to study so hard - I only wish we had this book and graphic calculators 30 years ago and math class would have been a bit easier!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-13 03:03:30 EST)
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| 08-14-07 | 5 | 0\1 |
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After having a rough senior year in precalc I needed something to prepare me for my college calculus coursews and this book completely turned it around. The main part that helped me is he makes sure to fully explain all the vocab and what everything means making it all easier to relate to and understand
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-13 03:03:30 EST)
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| 08-10-07 | 3 | (NA) |
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I think Mark does a good job explaining differentiation in the first part of the book. He is entertaining! He lost me in the second section on Integration. He explains the concept, glosses over one example and then he's on to the next concept. I became frustrated on two concepts because I could not follow his examples. Why not have some practice problems, with answers in the back?
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-13 03:03:30 EST)
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| 06-26-07 | 5 | 1\1 |
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I am taking Calculus I after having an 8 year gap in my education. I haven't had math in about 9 years and this book really saves the day. Forget about the explanations in your text book - this explains it in plain English! Plus a handy refresher section for all those algebraic things you may have forgotten. I keep it open during class lecture becuase Mark explains it just that better. I'm getting an A so far!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-10-14 03:58:04 EST)
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| 05-18-07 | 5 | (NA) |
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I just finished my first semester of Calculus, and I'm happy to say I did well. Ryan does an excellent job of presenting the idea of derivative as the tangent line to the slope of a curve, and reinforcement of this idea played an pivotal role in my understanding of the subject as a whole. Where other texts seem distant, and formulaic, (My textbook was terrible, and I didn't appreciate their attempts to hock additional good$ throughout) this book presents ideas in a less formal, approachable and common sense way. I appreciated that it's written from scratch, and not just another overpriced regurgitation of a previous textbook edition.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-07-07 12:44:28 EST)
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| 05-08-07 | 5 | (NA) |
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The year I took AP Calculus (AB), the teacher who normally taught the class left and the new teacher was really bad at teaching. If it weren't for this book, I would never have passed the class. It explains the basic concepts so they are easy to understand and the book is easy and even fun to read, unlike my calculus textbook, which might as well have been written in latin. I highly recommend this to anyone struggling with Calculus. I got a 4 on the AP when a quarter of my class dropped the class before 2nd semester because our teacher was so hard to follow.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-07-07 03:17:28 EST)
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| 04-03-07 | 5 | 1\1 |
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Recently took college-level calculus and forgot most of what I had learned in high school. Bought this along with "Trigonometry for Dummies" and used both to help me survive the course.
This book is definitely not comprehensive, but I still have to give it five stars for its great plain-english descriptions of some difficult concepts. I wouldn't buy this book as my only source to learn calculus, but as an accompaniment to a good class or as an assistant to help with homework, it does a great job. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-07-07 03:17:28 EST)
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| 03-30-07 | 5 | 1\1 |
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I checked out several books from the library after reading "The Calculus Gallery." Newton made comments about terms in an infinite series that intrigued me. C4D explains & illustrates examples such that broader application is quickly made possible. Ryan has really cool visuals on pg. 25 -- for the non-mathematician to "zoom in." If u like koans, read the 1st paragraph on pg 210 -- it applies equally well from engineering to Buddhist meditation. This book may target the "dummy" audience but it is written by a true teacher -- inspired. Oh, and BTW Ryan makes the actual math of calc accessible. After browsing several, this is the book i bought for pleasurable dabbling.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-06-29 02:55:09 EST)
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| 03-29-07 | 5 | (NA) |
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I checked out several books from the library after reading "The Calculus Gallery." Newton made comments about terms in an infinite series that intrigued me. C4D explains & illustrates examples such that broader application is quickly made possible. Ryan has really cool visuals on pg. 25 -- for the non-mathematician to "zoom in." If u like koans, read the 1st paragraph on pg 210 -- it applies equally well from engineering to Buddhist meditation. This book may target the "dummy" audience but it is written by a true teacher -- inspired. Oh, and BTW Ryan makes the actual math of calc accessible. After browsing several, this is the book i bought for pleasurable dabbling.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-04-06 03:11:04 EST)
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| 02-23-07 | 5 | 3\3 |
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This text is an excellent resource if you are going to be taking any calculus courses in school (high school or college). I used this book and the accompanying workbook (ISBN: 978-0764587825) to prepare for Calculus I and Calculus II courses I would be taking in an upcoming semester. These texts not only assisted me in obtaining an A in both courses but also allowed me to maintain a good pace within the courses and retain much of the knowledge.
I highly recommend you purchase the accompanying workbook with this text so that you can study and do problems on Calculus at your own pace. It really helps with Calculus courses especially if you have not been exposed to math recently. To me the text was a great supplement between pre-calculus course and calculus courses. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-06-29 02:46:56 EST)
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| 02-22-07 | 5 | 2\2 |
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This text is an excellent resource if you are going to be taking any calculus courses in school (high school or college). I used this book and the accompanying workbook (ISBN: 978-0764587825) to prepare for Calculus I and Calculus II courses I would be taking in an upcoming semester. These texts not only assisted me in obtaining an A in both courses but also allowed me to maintain a good pace within the courses and retain much of the knowledge.
I highly recommend you purchase the accompanying workbook with this text so that you can study and do problems on Calculus at your own pace. It really helps with Calculus courses especially if you have not been exposed to math recently. To me the text was a great supplement between pre-calculus course and calculus courses. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-04-06 03:11:04 EST)
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| 01-26-07 | 4 | 1\1 |
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I find the book helpful but not quite enough to cover all incuding preparation for calculus. It serves as a good textbook supplement.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-04-06 03:11:04 EST)
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| 01-23-07 | 5 | 2\2 |
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After a 13 year hiatus from school, I found "Calculus for Dummies" indispensable for re-learning calculus 1 and carrying me through calculus 2. My official text was Stewart's "Early Transcendentals," but I used Dummies as my primary text with great success, referring to Stewart only for homework problems.
I'm now tutoring calculus students and recommend that they first approach new concepts by reading Dummies, then follow up by reading through the examples in their primary textbook. For calculus 1 students, the benefit is the review of algebra/trigonometry and gentle introduction to the concepts of limits and continuity. Calculus 2 students will benefit greatly from the author's strategy for trigonometric substitution and clear treatment of infinite series (two common trouble areas for calculus 2 students). I highly recommend this book to anyone taking, preparing for, or reviewing calculus 1 and 2. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-04-06 03:11:04 EST)
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| 01-09-07 | 5 | 3\3 |
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This book atually fills in the gabs that the text books leave. I found the book easy to read and understand. When I bought it, I had not done any calculus or anything else in years. It took the rust right off.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-04-06 03:11:04 EST)
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| 11-03-06 | 5 | 2\2 |
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In the world of engineering it's essential to know basic mathematics and calculus. For those of us just starting out in technical math, I can recommend three outstanding references. You cannot do better than this matched set; "Calculus For Dummies" and "The Idiots Guide To Calculus". Both are wonderfully lucid and yet cover the essentials. They should be bought as a set since they approach many concepts in ways that differ yet in a cooperative fashion. If your just starting out with calculus or just feel shaky on the basics I also very strongly recommend "Effortless Algebra" by Maran Publications. I call these books The Three Kings. The problem with math books generally, is that they are either trivial and aimed at children or are so daunting that they intimidate the math-impaired. These books strike that magic median. Thorough but accessible.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-01-10 03:30:45 EST)
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| 10-27-06 | 4 | (NA) |
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After a long break from college math, I recently headed back to get a math degree. I have a fairly good handle on College Algebra and Trig, but previewing this book helped me quite a bit in my Calc Classes. It's coverage of the essential principles of beginning Calculus is well done and simply explained. Sure some short cuts in explanation were inevitable, but it doesn't hurt the learning, and Ryan generally explains when he is doing this. The only shortfall is a slight lack of sample problems to work, but the _Calculus Workbook for Dummies_ helps in this regard. I also tend to believe that this work would make a good self-study introduction to Calculus if one were so inclined.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-11-04 03:40:38 EST)
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| 10-08-06 | 2 | (NA) |
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It is okay, if your teacher is terrible this will help A LITTLE. Honestly, this book tries so hard to make calculus interesting that it ends up making it worse. The examples are useless. The explanation of limits is so confusion. It barely spent 2 pages on continuity. I don't recommend it, its not "user friendly". I am going to buy another book because this one failed to meet my satisfaction.
I am an AP Calculus student (Review Data Last Updated: 2006-10-28 03:22:22 EST)
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| 09-23-06 | 4 | 0\1 |
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...but I strongly advise reviewing your trig first. This book has one of the better sections on implicit differentiation and for that alone, it's worth buying.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-10-17 03:38:55 EST)
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| 07-13-06 | 5 | 1\1 |
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For a geezer like me who's been away from math an infinity+ (pun intended), I'd recommend checking out the prereq Dummies book first. But, once you do, Calculus For Dummies and the accompanying workbook are a fun adventure thanks to the author's merciful and witty style. Just don't leave these two volumes lying on your coffee table unless you wish to impress company with your nerdiness !
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-10-17 03:38:55 EST)
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| 06-16-06 | 4 | 7\7 |
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Calculus for Dummies is a masterfully written exposition that excels in clarity. If you have been out of school for a long time but are looking for a clearly written, quick review, I highly recommend it. I also believe that this book is a must as a companion to the main text for calculus students having a tough time. It does not have many solved examples, but clarifies the concepts in a remarkable way. Covers the standard topics in a first semester course such as limits, derivatives, max-min problems, and integration. I believe they have published a workbook which would be essential to really grasping the subject since this one doesn't have solved problems in abundance.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-10-17 03:38:55 EST)
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| 05-08-06 | 5 | 6\6 |
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I took Calculus I and II in college and managed to get a decent grade without really understanding it. This book rectified that. If my kids take calculus, I'll lend them my copy of Calculus for Dummies.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-10-17 03:38:55 EST)
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| 04-05-06 | 5 | 8\10 |
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I had this sitting on my shelf for 6 months before i used it. I am 2/3 of the through calc 2. I wish I had this book for calc 1. I got a C and this definitely would have helped. I picked it up and pre read the series chapter (which unfortunatly is at the very end). I am understanding the material better and getting through the homework faster because of it. Once again I wish I had read this sooner. Use this as a supplement to your text, not a replacement. This book doesn't cover the very end of cacl 2 though. We are doing power fourier, taylor, and maclauren series and this book doesn't cover those.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-10-17 03:38:55 EST)
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| 03-15-06 | 5 | 2\12 |
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i bought this book for my girlfriend who lives with me - she's loving to study it... so.. for next valentines you might consider this :-)
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-09-22 03:13:09 EST)
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| 03-12-06 | 5 | 10\10 |
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Mark Ryan is the kind of author you wish you'd had as a teacher when you were struggling with this stuff in college. He makes a very difficult subject not only quite accessible, but almost fun.
I know that's a bit of a stretch for some to believe. But even if you're only hoping for an explanation that doesn't put you to sleep, this is your book. I especially appreciated the memory aids he presented and the humor with which he dealt with the Math Police. He gave enough detail on difficult concepts to be thorough without trying to impress you about how smart he is by overdoing it. That is a tough balance to reach, but I feel he succeeded. One caveat: The workbook that goes with this text is pretty much essential to truly learning the subject and it's very reasonably priced. (Review Data Last Updated: 2006-09-22 03:13:09 EST)
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| 02-27-06 | 5 | 4\4 |
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I could always DO calculus, but I never really 'understood' it. The explanations in this book worked, where the many textbooks I have used failed. Hats off to the author for a most excellent approach to simplifying the 'whats and whys' of a challenging and confusing subject.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-07-05 06:54:30 EST)
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| 02-19-06 | 5 | 3\4 |
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I purchased this book for my son, a freshman at a Missouri college. He is an above average student. Due to scheduling problems, he had to dive right in to Calculus without the normal pre-calc course. Calcalus for Dummies helped him keep his head above water. He is pulling an "A" right now & believes working though this book helped him put it all together.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-07-05 06:54:31 EST)
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| 02-12-06 | 3 | 6\7 |
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If you're trying to pass a calculus course, this book is a really good buy because it lays everything out very clearly and the explanations are great. The author gives a clear understanding of why we need to use calculus. For me, a person who's just curious about calculus, this book could have been a lot better by being more in-depth and less "funny". This book gives a decent overview of calculus, but in the end I stopped reading it for two reasons:
First, the book is about one-third silly jokes. Normally, I like a book with a little clever humor, but this book went way too far. I really do want to learn, but it's very distracting when a series of graphs is labeled, "More graphs" (haha) and a paragraph on limits ends with something like, "This sentence is here because my English teacher said every paragraph should have at least two sentences." (haha) The issue was not so much the bad jokes as the distraction. It's annoying when you're trying to grasp a difficult idea and all of a sudden the sentence doesn't make sense because it's "funny." Second, this book is more of a review for getting through a calculus course (study techniques and all) rather than an overview of calculus for real applications. I would have liked more thorough understanding of how the rules worked rather than mostly just explaining the rules. (Review Data Last Updated: 2006-07-05 06:54:31 EST)
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| 01-31-06 | 5 | 4\4 |
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the way the author links integration as the inverse operation of differentiation with definite (or Riemann) integrals is simply brilliant.
That in itself makes this book worthwile ! (Review Data Last Updated: 2006-07-05 06:54:31 EST)
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| 01-20-06 | 5 | 4\4 |
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I would define a calculus dummy as 1) A non-math major that want to get a good introduction to what calculus is about, 2) An individual that had long taken calculus that wants a quick refresher on the subject, perhaps to dig in deeper for more, 3) A student that is too lazy to read the real text book and thinks this book will be enough.
That said, I had taken calculus in college (10+ years ago), remembered some, but forgotten most of what I learned. After all, if you don't use it you lose it. As an design engineer turned software engineer I am about to make a life-changing career change back into design of RF electronics. I needed a quick refresher to get started. This was the book. Mark does a very good job introducing the fundamental calculus topics including limits, differentiation, and integration. Among the tools covered are the derivatives, convergent and divergent series, functions, inverse functions, graphs, graph extrema, points of inflection, minima, maxima, mean-value-theorem, chain rule, power rules, product rule, implicit and explicit differentiation, first and second derivatives tests, integration, fundamental rule of calculus, trapezoidal rule, Simpson's rule, and much more. I remembered enough of the subject while reading to make this book an easy read. I could, however, imagine that had I read this book prior to my calculus I course in college, how I would had a head-start advantage. There are several good "step back and a practical look at what these means" explanations that I sure wish my Bob Dylan look-alike graduate student calculus instructor could learn from. Im now ready to move on to James Stewart's "Calculus" book. (Review Data Last Updated: 2006-07-05 06:54:31 EST)
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| 12-15-05 | 5 | 3\3 |
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Very nice, enjoyable calculus book. I love the presentation style -- its like a lecture rather than just boring reading.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-05-28 05:10:43 EST)
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| 10-04-05 | 5 | 5\5 |
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This is, perhaps, the most concise and informative introduction to Calculus that I have ever come across. Mr. Ryan's ability to explain how mathematics works is practically legendary. It might be stretch to say this, but even if you haven't taken or studied pre-calc, and don't remember a whole lot about algebra, you could probably still hang with this book. That being said, you'll enjoy this book the most if you have pre-calc and algebra under belt, and you won't be disappointed! Admittedly, this book stays away from proofs, and theory unless it is absolutely necessary in order to make the subject understandable. What you get is a veritable instruction manual, or "how-to" that will introduce all of the techniques you'll need to succeed in your class (unless you have happlessly stumbled into the classroom of a "proof-happy" professor). If you want to learn the techniques of Calculus and actually understand what is going on in your first and second semester Calc classes, you cannot go wrong with book!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-04-14 04:02:26 EST)
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| 09-19-05 | 5 | 4\4 |
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Even though this book claims it is for dummies, you'd be a dummy not to use this book. Mark Ryan explains Calculus better than any textbook or online resource and adds humor along the way.
Everything in this book is well written. You won't find practice problems here but you'll find explanations written in clear English as to how to proceed with the problems in your $150 textbook that isn't written this nicely. You'll definitely get your money's worth out of this book. This is recommended for anyone who is taking their first semester of Calculus. There's also a great trig chapter that would benefit those in Precalc or Trig, and will help to refresh anyone who hasn't seen it in a while--useful for anyone whose professor sticks trig problems on tests that cover, say, limits. With this book you shouldn't have any test anxiety. (Review Data Last Updated: 2006-03-11 03:47:22 EST)
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| 09-19-05 | 5 | 3\3 |
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I have read or examined most of the calculus books that purport to make learning calculus "easier". This is the book that succeeds. The author has obviously taken the time to think through and identify the areas in basic calculus that cause confusion and consternation. You can't make the subject "easy", but Mr. Ryan makes it understandable for anyone who really cares to learn. Hard to imagine, but I believe he practiced law at one time. Ironically, this may explain why he has succeeded. Math has logical rules and law many times does not. I think maybe the author was on a mission to show the elegance of calculus. Law is often anything but elegant.
Thank you for the book Mr. Ryan. A real pleasure to read. (Review Data Last Updated: 2006-03-24 04:33:32 EST)
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| 06-26-05 | 5 | 1\2 |
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While this book won't help with all of your Calculus problems, it will give you a more comprehensible description of otherwise abstract concepts.
I recommend this book mostly for Calculus I, but there are some concepts that are covered that are of use in Calculus II. Integration techniques, I thought, were described quite well and in a much easier to grasp manner. This should be a great companion text to many Calculus courses, and an easy to pick up book if you're learning on your own. (Review Data Last Updated: 2006-01-31 05:25:12 EST)
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