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Anonymous
Possible to self-learn Calculus? 2017-02-13 06:32:31 Post No.
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Possible to self-learn Calculus? 2017-02-13 06:32:31 Post No.
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So, as it turns out I'm returning to school for engineering. The problem is that I have never taken Calculus and am expected to start with Calculus 1 for my first year in college. I have a fairly strong foundation in Algebra and Trig, so I'm not starting from the bottom necessarily, but am still fairly behind.
My question is, how hard would it be for me to effectively learn up to (and maybe even past) Calculus 1 by next school term? If you have done it, any advice and resources are appreciated.
Sorry for the noob question, and thanks all.
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>>8671200
Definitely yes. Just learn the general formulas, where to apply them, and what they mean.
Once it clicks, calculus is basically plug and check.
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>>8671200
Easily. Try Kline.
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>>8671200
You need a RIGOROUS but yet EASY book.
I you don't understand something, go back at the basics.
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>>8671200
You can learn it in two weeks if you put your mind and time into it
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>>8671207
Do you have any suggestions?
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>I have a fairly strong foundation in Algebra and Trig
This is what matters.
As a proffesor once told me , "The hardest part of Calculus is algebra".
Calculus is easy as shit, but the algebra involved is tedious and sometimes frustrating. I'd focus on being able to answer any and every single math question at an SAT level or a bit above.
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>>8671209
M O R R I S
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K L I N E
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>>8671200
>>Single Variable Calculus
>Intro/primer
"Calculus Made Easy" by Silvanus Thompson and Martin Gardner
"The Manga Guide to Calculus" by Hiroyuki Kojima and Shin Togami
>Weak Students
"Calculus: An Intuitive and Physical Approach" (Dover) by Morris Kline (Very hand hold'y)
"Calculus With Analytic Geometry" by George Simmons (Lots of history)
"Elementary Calculus: An Infinitesimal Approach" by Jerome Keisler (Uses infinitesimals, http://www.math.wisc.edu/~keisler/calc.html)
"A First Course in Calculus" by Serge Lang
>Strong Students
"Calculus" by Spivak (Good mathematical exposition, poor motivation, no applications)
"Calculus, Vol. 1: One-Variable Calculus, with an Introduction to Linear Algebra" by Apostol (Good motivation and problems)
"Introduction to Calculus and Analysis, Volume I" by Richard Courant and Fritz John (Good motivation and applications, very difficult problems)
Differential and Integral Calculus by the Russian mathematician N.S. Piskunov
>Classic References
"A Course of Pure Mathematics" by G. H. Hardy
"Introduction to Analysis of the Infinite", "Foundations of Differential Calculus", "Foundations of Integral Calculus" by Leonhard Euler
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>>8671200
>I have a fairly strong foundation in Algebra and Trig
You've already got most of precalc down, then. You could probably go right to calc with nothing and do fine, but you should probably learn some basic linear algebra. Nothing too advanced, almost any precalculus book would do.
As for calculus, go with Kline.
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>>8671200
I taught myself Calculus 1 and 2, so yes. Quite possible. It will take time and work though.
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