Reviews (84)

Simply the best ...
If you didn't use this classic in your first pass at elementary
Analysis 101
Principles of Mathematical Analysis by Walter Rudin can rightly be called "the Bible of classical analysis".I have seen it cited in more books than I can count.And after a full year of working through the book in graduate school, I can see why.As many other reviewers here have pointed out, this book requires more than a little of that magical quality called "mathematical maturity".Simply defined, "mathematical maturity" is the ability to read between the lines and fill in the gaps in a given mathematical text.
Pretty Good
I want to start by listing some of my complaints. First of all, I do not think it is entirely appropriate for a student's first exposure to analysis. The majority of students would be better off taking a an honors calculus or advanced calculus course first, so they can learn how to prove things about the continuity of specific functions or convergence of series before they start proving things and functions and series in general (a look at, say, Bartle's book over summer break would probably work just as well, but my point remains the same). Second of all, the exercises are, for the most part, extremely challenging. While this is not a bad thing by any means, the book would probably benefit by having a few extra, easier problems. Third, it could use some pictures, not that many, but they would certainly help illustrate some of the ideas. Fourth, a few of the proofs are very difficult to understand because they are perhaps too concise (for example, the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality in the first Chapter). Finally, $140 is prohibitively expensive.
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Subjects:  1. Advanced    2. Mathematical Analysis    3. Mathematics    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Calculus & mathematical analysis    6. Mathematics / Advanced   

Reviews (18)

Be careful, know the EXACT ISBN.
There are two types of electronic suppliments that come with this book.One is MyMathLab and the other is MathXL.The geniuses at Pearson decided to make them completely incompatible.So, if you get one code, it won't work with the other system.
Excellent reference text; Poor choice for neophytes
As mentioned, this book is amazingly compact, cramming three semesters of calculus and a bit of ordinary differential equations into just 800 pages. That conciseness also implies that much explanatory material and many illustrative examples are missing.
Vision and Perspective lacking in general; An average Student.
I agree that this book stinks,
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Subjects:  1. Analytical Geometry    2. Calculus    3. Geometry - Analytic    4. Mathematics    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Calculus & mathematical analysis    7. Mathematics / Calculus   

Reviews (57)

Excellent Math Textbook
This is one of the best math textbooks I have come across. I used this book for two graduate level courses in Linear Algebra and found it wonderful. Strang divides Linear Algebra into 2 halves - the first half revolves around the solutions to the equation Ax=B and includes vector spaces and orthogonality. The second half is about eigenvalues and positive definiteness. The two halves are connected together by determinants. The book is very informally written and the author places emphasis on intuitive understanding rather than just proofs and equations. Highly recommended along with Strang's video lectures.

Excellent Linear Algebra book to supplement Prof Strang's Video lectures
Well, this book has a peculiar feature. It seems to be a good book when read alone. But if one reads this book along with Prof. Strang's video lectures from OCW MIT, it becomes the best book for linear algebra. The best way to learn a new subject is to learn from an authentic source. I strongly believe in the complete authenticity of this book to enrich Linear Algebra knowledge in the reader. This book is an exceptional resource for any engineering student irrespective of the discipline. I wish Prof. Strang writes more books on related areas and supplements them with his thoughtful video lectures.

This book is worth the Wronskian of two linearly dependentfunctions
I am sure he is an amazing mathematician, but I found this book to be the most horrible linear book I have ever seen. The text that was bolded and italicized was inconsistent and therefore very confusing especially in a book which employs bold face to denote specific mathematical qualities. Furthermore, the conversational style and lack of fluidity had a synergy that would drive even the craziest mathematician crazier. I would reco Lay's or Pooles or Bronson's (this might be my favorite because it is proof intensive). Again, he is a better mathematician than I will ever be, even if he was wasted, but I would not reco this book to any first semester linear student, go for one of the aforementioned authors. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Algebra - Linear    2. Algebras, Linear    3. Calculus    4. General    5. Mathematics    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Textbooks    8. Linear algebra    9. Mathematics / General   

Reviews (4)

Not good.
I used the James Stewart 5e for the first quarter for calculus.But I switched schools and this school used the Hughes Hallett book.
Simply awful!
Let me start by saying that many will think this review is "not helpful" and I don't care.
Falls short where it counts
(Commentary below refers to soft cover Third Edition.)
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Subjects:  1. Calculus    2. Mathematics    3. Science/Mathematics    4. Textbooks    5. Calculus & mathematical analysis    6. Mathematics / Calculus   

Reviews (18)

Beautiful Scaffolding
Linear algebra is the Babel language of sciences, this book helps you to get proficient in speaking it. Clear-cut presentation, mathematical rigor and historical gossip is in such an unison, that you'll crave for a sequel. This is the 18-th 5-star rating, you shouldn't hesitate any more!

One of the best introductory (modern) books I know.
If you need to learn Linear Algebra and Matrix Theory, your best starting point is this book.
a must buy...
Although titled as Matrix Analysis and Applied Linear Algebra, this book is one of the clearest treatments of pure linear algebra in general. Most of the theorems are proved and the proofs are very well motivated. There are no hand-waving arguments yet it is very easy to follow all the material contained. I also noticed that this book provides a smooth transition to introductory functional analysis for those who already possess the adequate real analysis background.
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Subjects:  1. Algebra - General    2. Algebra - Linear    3. Algebras, Linear    4. Linear Algebra    5. Mathematics    6. Matrices    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Calculus & mathematical analysis    9. Mathematics / Algebra / General    10. Mathematics for scientists & engineers   

Reviews (10)

Horrible book not enough examples
If you buy the book alone without the solutions manuals and you are taking calculus 1 2 or 3 you will have the hardest time in your life.Its ridicoulus how the examples in the book are general and when the problems arrive in the section they are mostly special cases where you have do to something absolutly different. For a student this book is a nightmare, maybe for somebody that has taken the class before or knowledgeble this book might be useful to practice hard problems. In my opinion, books like these should not be published for the purposes of teaching their content in universities.

Excelent condition. Great price. Fast delivery.
I could not have asked to receive this book in a better condition. The book is in perfect condition.
Poorly Organized
This book does a decent job with defining theories and concepts, which anyone can do; however, when trying to provide or explain examples and solutions to problems it leaves you very short of how it is done. The solutions manual is highly recommended for this book (ISBN 0-201-66211-6). Throughout the semester my professor used selected problems throughout the chapters to practice on but lectured and provided examples from his own problems. Without a lecture, this book is very hard to work with. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Calculus    2. English as a Second Language    3. Foreign Language Study    4. Geometry, Analytic    5. Language    6. Mathematics    7. Textbooks    8. Calculus & mathematical analysis    9. English    10. Mathematics / Calculus   

Reviews (18)

Great Supplement
This outline will work best for those looking for a concise supplement to their course text.The strength of this outline is in the solved problems.The weakness is in the explanation of concepts.As advertised, the book contains over 1100 fully worked problems.These problems are indeed fully worked and looking over them can be of tremendous value if you are struggling with solving particular problems in your class.If you are having a tough time with the concepts rather than the problems of calculus I would not recommend this book.The explanations are kept to a bare minimum and tough topics like delta-epsilon proofs and Reimann Integrals are not explained in detail.For instance, this book will not try to justify why you can set delta equal to epsilon to complete your limit proof, it just tells you to do it (which is exactly what you need to do to solve the problem).In other words, this book will help you solve the problems you need to solve in order to pass your exams, but it will not necessarily help you understand why those solutions work.So please do not buy this thinking it will have fuller conceptual explanations.Its strength is in its fully solved problems.

Everything you need
This book will show you everything there is in calculus.It is not organized perfect, but the information is great.I am taking Cal 1, 2, and 3 so I use the book a lot.It has been a great buy, and I recomend it.

Great Resource
This book is a great resource for those out there who want to enhance their knowledge of calculus and supplement the instruction of a professor. It can also be used to a limited extent as a replacement. This book is invaluable to me, as I suffer from sub-standard education conditions and the schaums method breaks things down easily and clearly. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Calculus    2. Education    3. Mathematical Analysis    4. Mathematics    5. Outlines, syllabi, etc    6. Problems, exercises, etc    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Study Guides    9. Calculus & mathematical analysis    10. Mathematics / Calculus   

Reviews (11)

Great text on discrete mathematics especially for non-math majors
I used an earlier edition of this textbook in a discrete mathematics class that was required for those of us with a non-CS background enrolled in a MSCS program at Virginia Tech, and I found this to be an excellent and complete book on the subject. If you find yourself enrolled in a class using this book, you can be sure of two things - your instructor knows how to select good textbooks and also it won't matter if your instructor is a good teacher since this book does all of the work for him/her.
Great Introductory Book
For a subject which has so much potential to be conveyed in complicated and esoteric ways, this book actually manages to present every single chapter in a clear and accessible way, even for those unfamiliar with formal logic.
Great Book for Discrete Maths Beginners
The author of the book explained the concepts from ground up. The most interesting chapters I have gone through so far are Chapter 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 10. Those chapters definitely build up my mathematical foundation and understanding for Computer Science subjects.
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Subjects:  1. Calculus    2. Computer Science    3. Computers    4. Discrete Mathematics    5. Discrete Mathematics (Computer Science)    6. Mathematics    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Mathematical theory of computation    9. Mathematics / General   

Reviews (2)

Came in a good condition and very timely shipping
Came in a good condition and very timely shipping

Best math textbook I ever used!
After going back into this book more and more I can only revise my opinion upward. Sullivan covers almost every topic before calculus and does it in a very straightforward manner. The text has rigor proving many important statements but this is never used in sacrifice of understanding. The student solution manual is also great and highly recomended. A great text and reference book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Algebra - General    2. Calculus    3. Functional Analysis    4. Functions    5. Graphic calculators    6. Mathematics    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Theory Of Functions    9. Mathematics / Calculus   

Reviews (20)

Decent text but by no means excellent.
This was the book I used in high school, and while it was certainly decent, it would not have been very useful without the aid of my excellent calculus teacher.
The best book of it's kind.
Every concept and example is explained with just the right amount of words and visual aids.The author has talent. The talent is his ability to pass the relevant information straight to the center of your brain, and the ability to bind the whole subject together.
The Best Calculus Book
This is the best Calculus book, or for that matter, one of the best text books I have ever studied. I transfered colleges and have had the opportunity to see other Calc books. This book (with the solution manual) explains the problems thoroghly and each problem section starts with the very easy, and the gradually moves into the challenging. It also works in real world applications to make your study of the subject much more interesting. I give the book an A+. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Calculus    2. General    3. Geometry - Analytic    4. Mathematics    5. Science/Mathematics   

Reviews (15)

ADVANCED MATHMATICS
IT'S A GREAT BOOK FOR MATH LOVERS. YET IN THE EXAMPLES THROUGHOUT THE BOOK THE AUTHOR SKIPS MANY STEPS, SO YOU HAVE TO KNOW ALGEBRA, INTEGRATION, DIRRENTATION, AND SUMS VERY WELL TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE AUTHOR IS DOING.

Dense; Not for Self Study.
VCR directions. Especially how it explains variation of parameters (2.3). If you are a math whiz, this text is for you. If not, try to get a copy of Dr. Kapoor's _Differential Equations: Step by Step E-Z Math Cards_. By the way, Zill's Solutions Manuel simply omits explanations for many odd-numbered problems, so good luck.

Old, but good
This is a good introduction to DE without alot of the unnecessary textual pollution often found in math texts.It's been around awhile (I used this one some years ago) but I found it was among the simplest, clearest, and best-written math texts because its approach assumes no prior knowledge of DE.From basic equations such as the famous Bernoulli to more complicated boundary-value issues, I was able to gain a solid and more complete understanding of the multivariable calculus I had just attended as well as preparation for higher math.Although it's been awhile, I do recall some errors in this book (as another reviewer has mentioned), so be aware.
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Subjects:  1. Boundary value problems    2. Calculus    3. Differential Equations    4. Mathematics    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Textbooks    7. Mathematics / General   

Reviews (5)

You do not NEED this book.
I have had the misfortune of teaching from this book and I have also had to take courses from this authors other more advanced math books.
Absolutely Awful
This is the absolute worst text book I have ever had the misfortune of using, in any subject. Hungerford only provides part of the information you actually need to do the problems, and the answers in the back of the book are not reliable. I was forced to use this book for a class in college. If you have a similar misfortune, GET THE SUPPLEMENT. It is the only thing that will help to keep you sane. Make sure you check out the amazing resources availible online, like purplemath.com. This book sure won't be of any help. My professor is just like the author, so it made for a very difficult class.

Good book, although the images are not to my tastes
This book is different from many others, as the graphing calculator is an integral part of the instruction. A large number of the images are nothing more than what a graphing calculator will present when asked to plot a segment of a particular function. Since the material is standard precalculus, the decision whether to adopt this text will be largely based on your opinion concerning the role of graphing calculators in mathematics education.While there is no question that graphing calculators can be of help, they can also be a hindrance. Graphs are just another tool that enable us to better understand the concepts and are not a complete solution. All mathematicians are aware that diagrams can be inadequate and at times appear to be accurate when they are not.
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Subjects:  1. Functions    2. Mathematics    3. Pre-Calculus    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Calculus & mathematical analysis    6. Mathematics / Pre-Calculus   

Reviews (2)

Professors Should Choose Another Book
This was my undergraduate textbook for Advanced Calculus I and II (as they were called at my school).I am returning to school to start my master's degree this next term and am going through the book to refresh my memory.
Another excellent Real Analysis Text
The style of this book is a bit like Robert Bartle's Introduction to Real Analysis. It is detailed and rigorous. It is an excellent book for those who want to learn Real Analysis. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Advanced    2. Calculus    3. Functions of real variables    4. Mathematical analysis    5. Mathematics    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Mathematics / Advanced    8. Real analysis   

Reviews (17)

A very well book, good explainations
I am currently using this book for AP Calculus AB and I found out that this book has very detailed explanation of examples and all concepts. Well sometimes it is a bit too wordy, lol. Very well for self learners. I bought this book personally and also using the school textbook Calculus graphically, numerically and algebractly by Finney. Personally, I feel this book is better than the school one since it actually have detailed explanations.

Great book
This is undoubtedly the best calculus book I have seen. Clear explanations with diagrams. I love this book.

The Review on The best Calculus book out there
Let me start by saying that I have tried reading several Calculus books and have found them to be either too vague and/or not analytical enough from a student's point of view.But with Howard Anton's Calculus books, especially if used in conjunction with the Comapnion books, learning calculus becomes very imformative and fun.This book helped me get A's in Calculus 1 and 2.This is indeed, a GREAT book.Unfortunately, I've lost it.Hence, I'm here. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Analytical Geometry    2. Calculus    3. Geometry - Analytic    4. Geometry, Analytic    5. Mathematics    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Calculus & mathematical analysis   

Reviews (31)

Rejoice if your university made you use it!
First of all, what is this book about? It's just your regular multivariable calculus stuff, what some would have as calculus 2 (others as calculus 3).
Agree with K.Green
This is not a math nerd who learned calculus in middle school, nor a professor. This is just a lowly student that learned single variable calculus in 11/12th grade of High School. I found this book to be lacking in explanation and the examples in the text were not very helpful either.

Decent
After a couple of weeks of using this textbook, I am mostly happy with it.It does a good job of explaining the material, however, it is not very concise and takes a long discussion to make a point.It is longer than necessary and contains unnecessary features.Other than that, for the money it is a good deal, and thus the four stars. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Calculus    2. Mathematics    3. Science/Mathematics    4. Vector Analysis    5. Vector & tensor analysis   

Subjects:  1. Calculus    2. Functions    3. Mathematics    4. Pre-Calculus    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Mathematics / Pre-Calculus    7. Mathematics and Science   

Reviews (20)

VERY different from most introductory calculus books--simply amazing!
This book, unlike most Calculus books out there, is meant to be read and understood.The way that Calculus is taught nowadays, people use books that are 90% problems, exercises, and examples, with an emphasis on computation.This book is 90% prose, and the emphasis is on cultivating a deep understanding.In addition, the book does away with the gap between "Calculus" and "Analysis", choosing to begin with a more mathematically mature perspective...but providing ample explanation for students who have not seen the material before.
Great book but only if you want a deep treatment
This is one of the best math books I have ever used; Apostol does a great job of giving you intuition and telling you why the topics are important.The exposition is very clear.
Not for the faint of heart!!
Both this book and the second volume were used in my Honors Calculus classes, and let me tell you, it's not for the faint of heart!!The book is very good, but unless you're willing to get into it and really go at the problems and theorems, it's not going to do you much good.If this is your first calculus textbook, don't expect detailed explanations and pretty summaries of the chapter, since it doesn't have them; do expect lots of theorems and complicated proofs. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Calculus    2. Mathematical analysis    3. Mathematics    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Calculus & mathematical analysis    6. Mathematics / Calculus   

Reviews (1)

Disappointing at best
The book was a major disappointment. I am glad that I did not purchase it for my class, but instead borrowed it. The ordering of topics and emphasis choices never seemed to make sense to me. The layout throughout most of the text is like one long, run-on sentence. The underlying structure of numerical analysis never developed and I was left swimming in meaningless details while the basics were short-changed by an over abundance ofspecialized algorithms. Perhaps the text's curriculum could be saved by a capable professor, but alas my professor was just as scatter-brained as the text. More pictures would also have been helpful. A replacement text I recommend, which covers the first, matrix theory portion of this book, is David S. Watkins' Fundamentals of Matrix Computations. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Mathematical Analysis    2. Mathematics    3. Numerical analysis    4. Probability & Statistics - General    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Calculus & mathematical analysis    7. Mathematics / General   

Reviews (2)

Calculus Workbook for Dummies
I think this book is very informative and provides for a clear understanding of fundamental Calculus that ordinary text books just cannot compete with.

WOW!I never knew how much I forgot!
Trying to make George W. Bush happy with his No Child Left Behind, I decided to seek a highly qualified status in mathmatics.This book was a refresher for me as I have to bone up on all aspects of mathamatics.It is a very simplified and step by step overview of the 'meat' of calculus.I wouldn't reccommend this if you wanted to get a very involved look at the subject material, but for an overview or refresher, this works admirably. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Calculus    2. General    3. Mathematics    4. Reference    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Workbooks    7. Calculus & mathematical analysis    8. Mathematics / Calculus   

Reviews (6)

Improves on the classic
As a previous reviewer has noted, Walter Rudin's Principles of Mathematical Analysis is the standard textbook for a rigorous analysis course. Rudin's book is very good because of the level of rigour and abstraction, the bredth of material covered, the way it forces the reader to fill in the blanks,