Calculus with Applications (10th Edition)

Lial has written a really excellent book here. It is somewhat different from the typical calculus books one reads: there is less formalism and greater apeal to your intuition (hence the title). Lial works hard to ground the book to reality, so is it useful and applicable, rather than just an exercise in superficial algebraic regurgitation as so many others teach calculus to be. This is a work that wants you to understand not only how...but why! This is a truly important approach: because if you understand why, then you understand how and you have the flexibility to really use the calculus. Just knowing how means you loose some of the connection and treat it as a process rather than a tool. This books at times feels deep, like the philosophy of calculus in addition to a howto, not just a perfunctry, dry how-to.Lial provides realistic examples and focus attention on scientific and practical uses of calculus: eg motion down a inclined plain, projectiles, etc. There are lots of problems in each section. ONly complaint: the answers are a little sparse at times. Generally the problems are robust and a little tricky know and then (this is good! Makes you interpret and apply...not just apply). The literacy components are quite strong in questions. Kline has an excellent teaching pedagogy!The style of writing is excellent, familiar and warm. Lial write like he is like that smart, cool, friendly lecturer we found once at university and longed for the rest of the time we were there. He clearly loves what he is teaching and wants you to succeed and tries to help you to do so. His language is not so stilted as most mathematics books seem to be; humor creeps in here and there which is cool because it makes you feel welcome inside the book, not just a nobody to whom the author is indifferent.The book is arranged in a typical sequence (you can look inside the book and see that). And is the best value for money calculus book I have EVER seen: it is VERY good. If you want a book of calculus problems buy Schaum's...but if you want to understand calculus...buy this! of course this an introductory calculus book so there is no vector calculus, but it does get multivariate!In all: well worth the 5 stars and the cool price! Shame more books are not like this one.

I have a collection of calculus books and this is my favorite. It explains concepts clearly and the many applications make calculus come alive and more understandable. Calculus concepts in themselves are not difficult to grasp, however a SOLID knowledge of algebra (prealg, alg 1 and alg 2), plus some trig is fundamental in order to succeed at calculus. If you want to pass calculus, make sure you brush up on the alg and trig prerequisites first, and then trust this book by Lial to learn calculus. I found this book to be less abstract than most calculus books out there, and the result is an easier way to truly learn higher mathematics.

calculus is a really difficult subject, and I was unfortunate enough to took the wrong professior, so I had to spend a lot of time on learning by myself and this book helped me through those tough time

As a tutor and teacher who has taught calculus I do not recommend this book. Calculus is not rocket science but this text attempted to take a fairly easy subject and make it more complex than it needed to be. Instead of demonstrating how to do a problem its examples were confusing and poorly explained. There are much better ways to learn mathematical concepts. It appears that the book wants to make everyone feel inferior to the content. If the author would get off of their pedestal and allow for in-depth explanations including why certain functions are applicable this text would be much better suited for high school and college students.

just what the professor needed for a Calculus class. love the amazon rental prices

Great study guide

Exactly the book that I needed for one of my college classes and for a more reasonable price. It came quickly which was great because I do not buy my books until after the semester starts and need them to be shipped fast.

Great condition and saved me a ton of money!