Thomas' Calculus (Alternate 9th Edition)

This was my second attempt to learn Calculus - I failed so miserably the first time, I stopped trying and waited 12 years. This book is complex, but combined with lecture, it is learnable. As with all textbooks, when it comes to the exercises vs. the examples, you're left wondering how they could come up with that!? So, I had to supplement this text with the Pre-calc and Calc Schaum's Outlines (totally separate learning material) - basically for more detailed/solved problems. It was not available when I bought this text, but I would certainly buy the student solutions manual with it...the university I attend follows this book from Calc 1 to Calc 3, so it's really nice in the respect that I don't have to buy another book.

The one thing that this book does right is that it provides plenty of problems at varying levels of difficulties which is great for reviewing, unfortunately the first time through is rough because of the incompetent manner in which the lessons are written in. My greatest complaint is that the example problems are too simplistic. They do not cover the material the lesson goes over but I'm still responsible for it anyways. This wouldn't be too bad if the lessons were written in a purposeful matter yet Thomas even screws that up. Let's spend the text on an elaborate proof. While great for a theoretical mathematician, its not for everyone else. Another problem are the way the lessons are put together. Some are overly simple and could be bunched together such as 8.1 Limits of Sequences of Numbers and 8.2 Theorems for Calculating Limits of Sequences. Other needed lessons are missing. Parametric's anyone? The text just jumps right into it. I cannot recommend this book to any serious student. This is nine editions down the road and it's still badly written. I would recommend finding another class that does not use this textbook. If that is not possible get another text to study from and use do the problems assigned in the text. I would recommend Calculus With Analytic Geometry, Alternate -- by Ron Larson, et al

This textbook is by far one of those actually worth buying. I struggled through that awful, miserable excuse for a calculus text by Edwards and Penney, and was a little more impressed with Stewart and Anton. But I pulled out of my calculus courses and decided to get a bit more preparation in before taking them again.I started out with Calculus Made Easy by Silvanus P. Thompson and Martin Gardner, then went back to by old high school texts and made sure I understood everything. You don't need those huge, expensive Elementary and Intermediate Algebra texts; you can get away with Introductory Mathematics by Petocz, Petocz and Wood, published by Nelson/Thomson Learning ([...] What you need to understand calculus is a good intuitive feel for algebra and to know *why*, not just *how*. There's a big difference.Once you've spent a couple of months sweating over your algebra, geometry and trigonometry texts, it's then time to reap the rewards and learn calculus.Thomas and Finney's Calculus and Analytic Geometry is extremely well written, with the right balance between applied mathematics for scientists and engineers and pure mathematics (proofs and stuff like that). If you're a math major, or intending to become a math major, then you'll want to use this book along with Apostol's Calculus and Spivak's Calculus.One thing I learned the hard way was that putting off mathematics has the effect of slamming the doors in your face. Interesting and useful university courses are out of reach, career options are out of reach, and you're left in the dark when it comes to science and technology. The good news is that with a bit of hard work it will all suddenly fall in place. Mathematics is the foundation of all science and technology, and, of course, the foundation of the exciting new mathematics which will be the basis of technology 30 years from now! Do yourself a favour and pick up Thomas and Finney's Calculus and Analytic Geometry.If you've ever struggled with awful calculus texts, you'll be pleasantly surprised by this one. (Remember, make sure you've got your high school algebra under your thumb).