Vector Calculus
by Jerrold E. Marsden, Anthony Tromba
Our Price: $85.94
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $48.00 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Anthony Tromba, Jerrold E. MarsdenEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-08-01
ISBN: 0716749920
Number of pages: 704
Publisher: W. H. Freeman
Book Reviews of Vector Calculus
Book Review: A Fair Review, a Text Not For Everyone
Summary: 4 Stars
Having read some of the reviews written here, I feel compelled to write some brief comments on Marsden's text. If you're the kind of math student who has always learned through repetition of techniques presented by a teacher or professor in non-mathematical language (I'd say this is the majority of non-math major undergraduates), this textbook is a bad choice. Marsden's approach is relatively simple, providing ample explanations that are concise and clear for any individual well-adjusted to "reading Math"... by that, I mean a student who is fluent in mathematical notations and in comprehending proofs. For example, test yourself (here's an actual quotation from the text, taken from the discussion on limits and continuity):
Definition, Open Sets: "Let U be a subset of R^n, we call U an open set for every point x in U there exists some r > 0 such that D(x) is contained within U." [in that sense, we might imagine the open set U to be the open disk or ball of radius r and center x denoted by D(x)]
Now, this is a simple concept; but if you find yourself struggling to understand this definition in a superficial way, you might have some problems with Marsden's text. This is the kind of language that is used throughout the text--its rather bourgeois when compared to other multivariable calculus texts (another reviewer makes the comment that Marsden's text is the self-proclaimed 'aristocrat' of Calculus III texts--I find such a comment quite fitting). If you are one of those struggling individuals that nevertheless decides to use this text, here's some advice:
(1) First, read the introductory section on prerequisites and notation--put some time into understanding how to read math and believe me, it will pay off in a big way.
(2) You have to think of this text as all or nothing. If you don't use it, fine; if you do, YOU MUST rely on the text throughout the entire course, i.e. read everything (except perhaps for the historical information)... this is critical because by reading all the chapters and sections, you'll find that you'll begin to develop an ability to read the text efficiently, i.e. your math-reading skills will increase dramatically. If instead, you choose to rely on your class notes and turn to this book when you need clarification, you won't find it simply because you won't understand what you're reading.
(3) This is obvious: work all example problems as you read the text. I've found the examples to be easier than those in the exercises (other reviewers have made this observation as well), but with some help from your TA (or novel thinking on your part), you should never feel lost in attempting to solve these problems (given that you've invested the time to really understand those examples).
(4) If you have experience in Linear Algebra, you're in a much stronger position to succeed with the text. Even though Marsden introduces the topics you'll need, obviously, the experience can only help you.
(5) In difference to the common opinion, Calculus III is actually an easy course--only right up until the end (chapters 7 & 8), does the material become much more difficult. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the most poorly written chapters in the text are chapters 7 and 8. So, a word of advice: if you find yourself coasting throughout the course, be aware that the material gets harder--and be prepared for that dramatic change in difficulty. Though Marsden 'gets the job done' in explaining the material, for all students, I'd recommend thinking about a supplement text for these 2 chapters (or very good class notes; one learns chapters 7 & 8 by working through example problem after example problem).
(6) Buy (or better yet go to your college's library and find) the student solutions manual! Assign yourself problems to practice before tests; as with all quantitative and physical science courses, one learns by solving problems, bottom line.
In summary, Marsden is a good text; its simple for the trained math reader (by that, I don't mean only professors!), but very very difficult to inexperienced students. It's not light reading, and it's going to challenge you; but for those that put in the time, you'll find that the book is very logical and well-organized in its presentation of the material.
Mathematics Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Mathematics Books
Learn to Program with Javaby John Smiley
Osborne/McGraw-Hill; Published: 2002-01-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $106.14
HTML: A Beginner's Guideby Wendy Willard
Mcgraw-Hill Osborne Media; Published: 2000-11-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.87
Price in other shops:
Cisco(r) CCIE(tm) Lab Practice Kitby Stephen Hutnik, Michael Satterlee
McGraw-Hill Companies; Published: 2001-02-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.56
Price in other shops:
Schaum's Outline of Mathematical Handbook of Formulas and Tables, 3ed (Schaum's Outline Series)by Murray Spiegel, Seymour Lipschutz, John Liu
McGraw-Hill; Published: 2008-08-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.02
Price in other shops:
How to Solve Word Problems in Calculusby Eugene Don, Benay Don
McGraw-Hill; Published: 2001-07-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.99
Price in other shops:
Fire in the Valley: The Making of The Personal Computer (Second Edition)by Paul Freiberger, Michael Swaine
McGraw-Hill Companies; Published: 2000-11-29; Paperback; Book
Best price: $169.99
Complex Variables and Applicationsby James Ward Brown
Mcgraw Hill Higher Education; Published: 2008-04-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $25.52
Schaum's Outline of Trigonometryby Robert E. Moyer, Frank Ayres
McGraw-Hill; Published: 1998-11-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.91
Price in other shops:
Elementary Statistics: A Brief Versionby Allan Bluman
McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math; Published: 2006-12-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.83
Geekspeak: A Guide to Answering the Unanswerable, Making Sense of the Nonsensical, and Solving the Unsolvableby Graham Tattersall
Harper Perennial; Published: 2010-02-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops:
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
Introduction to Linear Algebra, Fourth Editionby Gilbert Strang
Wellesley Cambridge Press; Published: 2009-02-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $64.74
Price in other shops:
Schaum's Outline of Electromagnetics, Third Edition (Schaum's Outline Series)by Joseph Edminister
McGraw-Hill; Published: 2010-10-26; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.60
Price in other shops:
Engineering Electromagnetics with CD (McGraw-Hill Series in Electrical Engineering)by William Hayt, John Buck
McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math; Published: 2005-01-20; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $128.82
Mathematical Statistics with Applicationsby Dennis Wackerly, William Mendenhall, Richard L. Scheaffer
Duxbury Press; Published: 2007-10-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $120.00
Price in other shops:
Physics for Scientists and Engineers, Volume 2, Chapters 23-46by Raymond A. Serway, John W. Jewett
Brooks Cole; Published: 2010-01-13; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $120.00
Price in other shops:
Organic Chemistryby K. Peter C. Vollhardt, Neil E. Schore
W. H. Freeman; Published: 2010-01-04; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $93.00
Applied Numerical Methods with MATLAB for Engineers and Scientistsby Steven Chapra
McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math; Published: 2006-11-07; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $75.00
Mathematical Proofs: A Transition to Advanced Mathematics (2nd Edition)by Gary Chartrand, Albert D. Polimeni, Ping Zhang
Addison Wesley; Published: 2007-10-13; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $78.00
Price in other shops:
Schaum's Outline of Vector Analysis, 2ed (Schaum's Outline Series)by Murray Spiegel, Seymour Lipschutz
McGraw-Hill; Published: 2009-04-13; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.28
Price in other shops:
Vector Calculus Study Guide & Solutions Manualby Karen Pao, Frederick Soon
W. H. Freeman; Published: 2003-08-22; Paperback; Book
Best price: $36.09