Reviews (2)

Perfect Reminder
I took Algebra in college after taking classes like Calculus 3 and Probability and Statistics. It may seem strange, but it was one the smartest things I ever did. Out of high school it seems like there are a lot of rules involved with algebra, but after reviewing those rules with this book, I realized that there were only a few rules that are responsible for all the intricacies of algebra. Having this new grasp on algebra really made classes like Modern Algebra and many computer books seem very intuitive. I no longer struggling figuring out how to simplify, factor or deal with irrationals. I also have a great reference whenever I forget how to deal with inequalities or anything else for that matter. This book is great for someone trying to remaster algebra again of just as a course textbook. Be careful not to buy the extra workbook that comes with this - it isn't really that useful, as the book provides amples of exercises and solutions. If you think you are too "good" to relearn some algebra, I guaruntee that recovering the basics will improve your abilities to do math 10 fold - it worked for me!

Great! A+++
took some time for shipping delivery, used usps and I thought it was going to be UPS but love the book! thanks! i would buy again ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Algebra    2. Algebra - Intermediate    3. Mathematics    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Textbooks    6. Mathematics / Algebra / General   

Editorial Review

This book is a rigorous exposition of formal languages and models of computation, with an introduction to computational complexity. The authors present the theory in a concise and straightforward manner, with an eye out for the practical applications. Exercises at the end of each chapter, including some that have been solved, help readers confirm and enhance their understanding of the material. This book is appropriate for upper-level computer science undergraduates who are comfortable with mathematical arguments. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Need some challenge? Come here!
I started to learn this course at the beginning of this semester and I just brought this book from Amazon in August.
first edition is a classic, the second one unremarkable
The first edition is one of the best book in its field. A classic. A reference for many advanced courses in computer theory. Excellent introductory text, but has several weaknesses
This was my textbook for an introductory course on Finite Automata and Languages - I enjoyed it a lot and I think that the chapters until the Turing Machines are covered very well, along with good examples. As one previous reviewer has already mentioned, the exercises can get very hard as compared to what's actually presented - this I found not too good.Read more

Subjects:  1. Computational complexity    2. Computer Science    3. Formal languages    4. Logic    5. Machine theory    6. Mathematics    7. Number Theory    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Artificial intelligence    10. Computers / Computer Science    11. General Theory of Computing    12. Programming languages   

Reviews (1)

Decent at best.
The book is decent.But is not a great text book.It's highlihgted formulas, etc... are very helpful, but it doesn't seem to explain a lot of things in a way to make them easily understandable.I have used manydifferent math books, and I would not use this one unless you are teaachingextremely bright students. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Algebra    2. Algebra - General    3. Mathematics    4. Pre-Calculus    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Trigonometry    7. Elementary geometry & trigonometry    8. Mathematics / Pre-Calculus   

Subjects:  1. Algebra    2. Algebra - Elementary    3. Algebra - General    4. Algebra - Intermediate    5. Mathematics    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Mathematics / General   

Reviews (66)

this is THE calculus book
in a word, this book is awesome. if i were omnipotent, i would make it required reading for all beginning math majors. it is used in the honors calc course at my university, which i did not have the fortune of taking--but i have worked through the book in combination with ross's elementary analysis, all by way of preparation for tackling the wonderful baby rudin. and in that task i feel it has prepared me exceedingly well. i love just sitting down and reading this book on a rainy day, like spivak is right there talking to me. i love his quotes at the beginning of sections, and his suggested reading could easily provide years if not a lifetime of enjoyment and discovery. absolutely the best textbook i have ever read.
are you a maths major?
If you are a frosh or sophomore who is facile in maths, and wants to major in maths or the physical sciences or engineering, you might want to choose a maths course that has this book as its text.
Mathematics with emotion
There are hundreds, even thousands, of books on Calculus. The good thing is that you can always find one that is best suited for your way of learning, and teachers always know which are best for their courses. The bad thing is that there are so many to choose that one ocasionally doesn't know how to start. I will not say that Spivak's book is the greatest or the worst (as many reviews do), because this is mostly a matter of taste. I will, instead, say what is different in Spivak's book from the other many calculus books that I know. Spivak's book reads as a romance. Indeed, you can be completely taken by his prose, and see the battle for arriving at the concepts in a rigorous, yet flexible, manner. Spivak sees calculus as the evolution of one idea - as he says in the preface to the first edition. And everyone who reads this book with attention understand what is this idea - I will not tell, not say who is the murderer of this romance. Will you finish this book and be a master of calculus? Will the exercises help? This depends mostly on you, as mathematics is, for the most, only understood when you create it in your mind, when you retrace every important step of this human endeavour inside of you. There are easier books, that's true. For those who want just to be able to use calculus, perhaps there are better ways. But Spivak succeeds to do one very difficult thing, that is, to explain mathematics, all its beauty and all its harmony, to a reader that possibly never really understood it. For one thing is to make calculations, learn how to solve equations and the like, but another thing very different is to understand what is mathematics about. To my knowledge, only Courant wrote in such passionately manner - and Spivak is clearly a follower of Courant's way of thinking. The difference between Courant and Spivak is that Courant is more worried about the applications of calculus, and Spivak is more worried about the essence of it (it doesn't make too big a difference, as both are, in a sense, the same thing told in two different ways). There is something that is really fantastic in this book: Spivak usually discuss with a lot of care the evolution of one idea since scratch up to its refined description in mathematical language - see how he arrives at the rigorous definition of a function. He also criticises the notations, and this is pretty useful to understand the concept behind the notation. If you are able to love mathematics (many people aren't), you will with the greatest probability appreciate this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Calculus    2. Mathematics   

Reviews (3)

Elementary Algebra:Concepts and Applications (7th Edition)
Recieved the book fast and in great condition. Very satisfied w/ order.

Great condition and fast service!
I was very pleased with the condition of the book and how fast I got it! Thank you!You did a great job!
Easy - Simple - Plain
The problems given in this book were very easy to understand. The author shows step by step how to do the given problems and the answers are refferenced in the back. I always used how the book did the problems, not the teacher's way.I am always coming back to this book to refresh my math skills. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Algebra    2. Algebra - Elementary    3. Mathematics    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Mathematics / Algebra / General   

Editorial Review

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Subjects:  1. Computer Graphics - Design    2. Computers - Other Applications    3. General    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Technology    6. Telecommunications    7. Fractals    8. Image processing    9. Mathematics / General   

Reviews (8)

Brief but adequate for understanding the concepts.
This book is pretty nice. It provides you a lot useful concepts with brief explanation. Your job is to study and do the homework to digest that such concepts ( you'd better have a solution book that comes along with it). Don't blame for the book not covering everything as you expected, like other science courses, you should have a fair understanding the basics before go up to higher level.

average textbook
This is your average math textbook.I haven't had any problems with it.It gives pretty good examples and explanations for each section.

My advice - don't do it alone.
This book is good because it give you clear (easy) examples of the material it is explaining. The practice problems are also very good because they start off from the most basic then progress to advanced. This books has a lot of practical real world problems. Some of the material can be difficult at times, that's why I suggest you purchase "3,000 Solved Problems in Calculus (Schaums Solved Problems Series)" in addition to this book. The Solved Problems Series helps when you're studying quick examples just before the test. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Calculus    2. General    3. Mathematics    4. Science/Mathematics   

Reviews (12)

Excellent in-depth book
I have used the earlier edition of Kaplan's excellent text on Advanced calculus from early 1960's...I have studied and taught this subject and I always like to refer to this book....excellent and solid foundation in advanced caluculs for any student

great didatic
I study this book entirely in a calculus review. The points are:
I recommend James Stewart
From what I noticed, this book comes with few examples, which I need to learn well. However, I learned the same topics originally with Calculus by James Stewart (fifth edition), which comes with very clear explanations, diagrams, and examples. Then the practice problems start off easy and then gradually increase in difficulty. Instead of Kaplan's Advanced Calculus, the James Stewart book is highly resourceful and I would recommend it to any student in calculus, because it can work for practically anyone. ... Read more

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

Reviews (14)

Wonderful precalculus deep inside the functions and modeling
I really have difficulties to understand some reviewers given one star for such a wonderfull book. If you read this book before Uni, you will have a stable ground for calculus.
Incomplete, discouraging, Unhelpfull book that only hinders the learning process
This is probably the most incoplete, inarticulate book I've ever used so far in my 3 years in college. It fails to COMPLETELY explain ALL THE MANY concepts you will ,sort-of ummmm, need to pass the class,tests or even complete the problems within the book. Expect to buy at least one other pre-calc text to clearly explain EVERYTHING this book consistently DOESN'T. This book is not a student-friendly one, its more of an EXPERT MATHEMETICIAN-FRIENDLY text book, written for people who already have lots of experience with pre-calculous. First time precalculous students should not actually expect to learn from this book or be able to count on this book as a reliable source to turn to during homework assignments or study sessions... As this book consistently fails to articulate even the most simple of precalculous concepts. If you don't beleive mine along with most other negative ratings of this book, go ahead and compare this book to almost any other precalc text book for yourself. You'll quickly see that EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE PAID A GENEROUS AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR THIS BOOK TO TEACH YOU, this book FAILS TO PERFORM EVERY SINGLE STEP OF THE WAY, PARTICULARLY when you need it to CLEARLY EXPLAIN SOMETHING TO YOU most. REALLY THIS BOOK ONLY MAKES IT HARDER TO UNDERSTAND ANYTHING IT ATTEMPTS TO EXPLAIN. My recommendation is that you buy "THE COMPLETE IDIOTS GUIDE TO PRECALCULOUS" by W. Michael Kelly, an author who thouroughly prooves his TEACHING SKILLS, COMPETENCE and ABILITY TO SUCCESFULLY ARTICULATE concepts so students can actually get some learning out of the time they spend reading his CLEAR, HELPFULL EXPLENATIONS that will actually help you in precalculous.

A travesty for the money
The only reason I give it two stars is that the word problems and models are interesting and realistic.The student solutions manual is a rip-off because it does not model each type of problem, nor does it lend itself to greater understanding and clarification.I usually get straight "A's" in math courses because I pour all effort necessary into homework and understanding.I just find myself being frustrated every time I open this book.The examples in each chapter just give me a headache.It is assuming and poorly written.Colleges that require this book for courses in pre-calc and trig should think twice. ... Read more

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

Reviews (12)

A classic, richness in knowledge few books attempt anymore.
I used these books (Vols. 1&2) in my last two years of high school back in South America. I remember long nights of bad coffee and cigarettes locked in my room reading it over and over. The book is full of really cool knowledge (even for a non-mathematician). Most of today's students learn like little parrots, (without thinking or understanding) just repeating things mindlessly. This will make this book unpopular among these people because having to read a sentence and stop to figure things out on their own is too hard a challenge for them. I guess that like the high standard of the education of old when teachers loved teaching and their subject this book is also going the way of the dinosaurs. I'll get my copy before that if I were you though ;-)

A righteous calculus text
This one of the more righteous books in the author's oeuvre and that is saying something!The subject matter is closely akin to a course I took in Freshman year however it excludes manifolds and operatoins on them.In this respect, the book is not as good as some others out there for an integrated view that even a frosh can grasp.However, overlooking this shortcoming, the text is definitely righteous, being one of the few out there with this integrated approach and being a classic of sorts.

Very thorough, but very dense
I'm currently taking an honors calculus sequence at the U of WI, and have used this book and the first volume for the past three semesters.Needless to say, you have to take Apostol with a grain of salt.Although the no-frills style and lack of worked examples is upsetting to many students who are used to pictures, thorough examples, and color, these volumes cover a lot of material in a small space.And also beware; my professor and others in the math department have found errors in definitions and theorems, and the archaic notation is off-setting at times.Basically, if you're looking for straighforward information (written by a mathematician, for a mathematician), you've found the perfect book.If you're looking for an easy-to-read and understand book, keep searching. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Calculus    2. Mathematical analysis    3. Mathematics    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Calculus of variations    6. Linear algebra    7. Mathematics / Calculus   

Reviews (7)

Image Analysis Book Review
I found the book to be very informative and I acquired several ideas from reading it. But, I repeatedly found myself searching the book for definitions of some of the terms it uses throughout its text. Practical Algorithms for Image Analysis will introduce new terms without any hint of their meaning, assuming that the reader already knows all they need to know about the subject matter (which would negate the need to buy the book!). This book sorely needs a glossary.

It's just great
The book is just great! I used the source code from the CD-ROM for various image processing projects. The algorithms are also very practical if you have to deal with images. The code is neat and ready to compile and run. Luis J Gutierrez
Excelente libro.hace un tiempo que he estado estudiando y desarrollando estrategias para la implementaci�n de sistemas de vision computarizada. Este libro es de una gran claridad pr�ctica sin abandonar la necesaria base teorica. Muy buenos ejemplo, informaci�n adicional, ejemplos y aplicaciones.Para cualquier investigador en el �rea debe ser considerado como un recurso indispensable. (if you want my comments in english please send me an e-mail to innovacl@vtr.net) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Algorithms    2. Algorithms (Computer Programming)    3. Computer Books: Database    4. Computers    5. Data Transmission Systems - General    6. Data processing    7. Digital Image Processing    8. Digital techniques    9. Discrete Mathematics    10. General    11. Image analysis    12. Image processing    13. Imaging Systems    14. Mathematics    15. Applied optics    16. Image processing--Digital techniques    17. Science / History   

Reviews (16)

Lots of description... a bit too much
The book is excellent for self-study with its in-depth descriptions.The reader should look out for the occasional misprint (even in definitions, which makes it a bit more difficult), but if the book is read carefully these errors expose themselves.The reader should highlight definitions for later reference (since they are sometimes within the text).
Very lucid and ideal material for learning real analysis
Most books on mathematics simply dump concepts,equations and examples and let you figure out what to do. Not this one. The book is written in a passionate manner where the author takes pains to explain why we are going in a particular direction and the goals. The style is extremely lucid and informal, something unusual for a subject that is steeped in formal mathematics. Yet the author presents, explains and covers all the formal theorems, concepts etc . The book also has excellent exercises. A truly noteworthy achievement. I would highly recommend this to anyone (especially self-study) trying to learn this subject.

The best to understand and do Analysis
This is the best Analysis book I ever read, you can learn not only the subject, but how to do Math, the introductive paragraph in each chapter gives the motivation of the topic, for example the introduction to the Lebesgue integral is memorable, many people "learn" the Lebesgue theory passively, some think it is a play to integrate strange functions, instead Prof. Strichartz treats estensively the PRACTICAL weaknesses of the Riemann theory.Read more

Subjects:  1. Calculus    2. Computer Science    3. Mathematical Analysis    4. Mathematics    5. Science/Mathematics   

Reviews (1)

A great reference source for advanced matrix analysis
Horn and Johnson's MATRIX ANALYSIS AND TOPICS IN MATRIX ANALYSIS are trueclassics (like Knuth's Art of Computer Programming). You will find classictheorems and lemmas in matrix theory and linear algebra here along withtheir proofs (some of these are not found elsewhere).Read more

Subjects:  1. Algebra    2. Mathematical Analysis    3. Mathematics    4. Matrices    5. Probability & Statistics - General    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Linear algebra    8. Mathematics / Algebra / General   

Reviews (8)

Symbolic Progress
This book is a history of algebra for the mathematically inclined.For the rest of us, it is an amusing collection of the personalities of the algebraists who have graced our world.Though I have an undergraduate degree in mathematics, and have had an interest in mathematics ever since, I found some of this kind of heavy going.Naturally I just skipped some of the more arcane stuff to get to the good parts.
Entertaining and Educating
This was a great read. I found that the history portion was entertaining enough to keep me reading even when some of the math slowed me down. It seems the perfect combination of Math and History. I think that while the mathematical topics covered are given a brief introduction before entering each new section, I found them to be a challenge to follow in the areas of study that I have little expreience in. (I have only a Mathematics Minor) I would recommend this book to any mathematics enthusiast especially undergraduate students in Math or Computer Science. Very informative.

A Chatty History of Algebra
"Unknown Quantity" is a history of algebra presented in Derbyshire's chatty, sometimes quirky style.It is compulsively readable.I kept stopping to remind myself I was reading a HISTORY OF ALGEBRA--and enjoying it!The math is kept at a decently low level.If you can get the idea of a polynomial (Derbyshire explains it up front), that will get you through most of the book.The explanation of groups is painstaking and pretty good, and I am fairly sure I got the main idea about rings and fields, too--though I'm afraid he lost me with "p-adic numbers."There is a strongly geometric angle in the later part of the book.This gives you some attractive diagrams--look at 13-2, the "ampersand curve," or 13-3, which beautifully illustrates the meaning of "variety"--but I found myself wondering whether the author was falling back on geometry because the algebra was just getting too hard to present to his chosen audience ("the curious nonmathematician").When Derbyshire gets to the 20th century he pretty much gives up on trying to explain what the algebraists are doing, and concentrates on the personalities and the historical background.From the little he does tell us about 20th-century algebra, it's hard to see that he had much choice.I still have no idea what Alexander Grothendieck did in his day job, but he sure sounds like a fascinating character.Best chapter:"The Leap into the Fourth Dimension."I now understand what multi-dimensional spaces are all about and why people started thinking about them.Best chapter title:"Lady of the Rings" (that's Emmy Noether, another fascinating character).Best photograph:Hypatia--is this the first algebra book to include a picture of a naked woman?Best footnote:No. 142.(As with "Prime Obsession," the footnotes are wonderfully readable.)Still, "Unknown Quantity" shows even more clearly than "Prime Obsession" did that Derbyshire is at heart a novelist.I wish he'd give us another novel.Anyone who can make the history of algebra interesting is a born story-teller! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Algebra    2. Algebra - General    3. Algebra, Universal    4. Equations    5. General    6. History    7. History & Philosophy    8. Mathematics    9. Science/Mathematics    10. History of mathematics   

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

Reviews (20)

Not so good. Avoid the combined edition. Brings no understanding.
This is a book mainly geared toward classes, possibly overcrowded, that have students from different disciplines (engineering, chemistry, physics, math, etc). This is the book for the Let's-get-this-over-with-quickly approach. I think that this book will probably disapoint physics or mathematics undergraduates - assuming, of course, they care about physics or maths.
Excellent Calculus Book for "Normal" People
To add a bit more information to the raw data of these reviews, I've mapped the universe of all possible readers of this book onto a set of x-y axes. Let the x-axis run from "non-Math-types" up through "Math-types." Let they y-axis go from "non-geniuses" up through "geniuses:"
Best textbook I've ever had
I thought I was terrible at math until I picked up this book for a college calculus course.In contrast to virtually every other math textbook I'd ever been forced to use, this book explained concepts clearly and simply, providing examples that increased gradually in complexity.I happened to have a good professor that semester, but whenever I didn't understand something in class, I taught myself from this textbook.It was a rare pleasure to feel I could learn such a difficult subject independently.I ended up getting an A in the class - and more importantly, I learned I wasn't bad at math at all. ... Read more

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

Reviews (4)

Decent book, if you can get it cheap
I strongly urge any serious math student to own a copy of both Rudin's Principles ("Baby Rudin") and his Real and Complex Analysis ("Adult Rudin").The former is absolutely essential- without completely mastering continuity and convergence on the basic metric space topology on R^n, higher math is going to be quite a pain.The second is good because it puts the major ideas of basic analysis- Radon measures, L^p spaces, rudiments of Hilbert and Banach Spaces, differentiation and integration, Fourier and Harmonic Analysis, Holomorphic and meromorphic functions, etc. all in one nice volume, although the problems may be too challenging or tangential to master the material by doing them. Modern topics in math.
"Modern analysis" used to be a popular name for the subject of this lovely book. It is as important as ever, but perhaps less "modern". The subject of functional analysis, while fundamental and central in the landscape of mathematics, really started with seminal theorems due to Banach, Hilbert, von Neumann, Herglotz, Hausdorff, Friedrichs, Steinhouse,...and many other of, the perhaps less well known, founding fathers, in Central Europe (at the time), in the period between the two World Wars. In the beginning it generated awe in its ability The Bible on Distributions
No other book covers the elements of distributions and the fourier transform quite like Rudin's Functional Analysis.This is a must for every budding PDE-er! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Advanced    2. Functional Analysis    3. Mathematics    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Mathematics / Functional Analysis   

Reviews (19)

Could be better
I don't think this is a good book for learning from, but if you know the material, it is a good reference.

Differential equation text
The textbook was in good condition and i recieved within a week

Pretty good
Not a bad book at all. Physical applications well explained, theory OK but not as good in my opinion. Unfortunately, contains a fair number of typos, and the book is physically weak (the binding of mine is splitting after only 4 months of use) for a book of this price. Still, pretty good overall. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Advanced    2. Boundary Value Problems    3. Differential Equations    4. Functional Analysis    5. Mathematics    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Mathematics / Advanced   

Reviews (6)

Book needs more explanations and less fluff
Book needs more explanations on problems and less "Study habit reminders" and other fluffy stuff that I just skip over. What student has time to read the "extra optional stuff"?
Sometimes complex
This book covers many problems but lacks descriptive solutions. I could not get a good concept of how to solve the problems because most of the solutions were broken into several sections. This book does give some of the answers but again it does lack descriptive solutions.

I can't wait to get this book!
In my pre-algebra I and II classes, we used Martin-Gay's books.They were wonderful!They're easy to understand and follow with plenty of exercises.I was looking forward to using her books for Intermediate Algebra.I was extremely disappointed to find that the college switched to a different book...one that isn't helpful at all.I'm planning on using Martin-Gay's book along side our college textbook we now have.Hopefully, the lightbulb will be going on much quicker! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Algebra    2. Algebra - General    3. Algebra - Intermediate    4. Graph Theory    5. Graphic Methods    6. Mathematics    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Mathematics / Algebra / General