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Hi! Does anyone out there have any good books on college mathematics? The clep book is good, but doesn’t teach the work. Please respond if you own one and can lend it, or if you know of a good one for me to buy. Thanx!!!
What subjects?
Generally speaking I’d recommend Schaums Outline.
Look it up on Amazon.com.
I found them to be better than the textbooks and about %10 of the price.
I used the Schaum’s way back when I was in college in the 1970s. They were very helpful. I eventually earned bachelors and masters degrees in applied mathematics and a doctorate in biostatistics.
Good luck!
instancert.com… you pay i think 20 dollars per month it automatically bills to your account till you discontinue it. i used it for college math this past summer and it helped me a lot! i think its also guarenteed so if (chas visholom lol) u dont pass u shud get your money back. it basically uses flashcards online with examples to make things clear. also whenever there was a topic that i wasnt clear on i googled it…there were some random sites out there that had lists of rules and stuff that helped me.
Good luck! Trust me: if i passed the clep, you can too 😀
Schaum’s outlines are great! I used it for Diff Eq & would never have learned Fourier Transforms without it.
anon for this:
Serious question for you: How does knowledge of Fourier Transforms help your life today?
Ben Torah-
I can’t answer for “anon for this” since I know very little about her (although I think she’s an engineer).
What I could tell you is that when I took Differential Equations I used the outline for extra help with Laplace Transforms. Have I used it since then? Probably not.
What is the purpose of learning all these things?
There are a couple of answers:
1. It was part of a course that I was required to take to graduate, and there’s now way I could have gotten the job that I have without a college degree. The hiring manager who made me the offer said he wouldn’t consider a candidate without a college education since they can bluff their way through an interview but the only way to know for sure if they are capable of performing the tedious calculations is to see how they performed in these upper level math courses.
2. As was mentioned in a different thread last year- equations for a mathematician are like tools for a plumber. A plumber will buy some tools that he’ll never use just in case he ever needs it. There was a riddle that Squeak posted in “The Riddle Thread…” which I solved using a function that I only used in one other time.
3. Many courses are more for the discipline than for the material. These upper level math courses teach students more how to look at the equation and know how to tackle it than how to solve a specific problem.
So to answer your question- she probably doesn’t use Fourier Transforms but the learning it and understanding it is what actually helps her today.
Ben Torah,
Dr. Pepper is correct that I’m an engineer, though I’m not working outside the home now.
I barely used Fourier Transforms after I learned them. I think I used them a few times for grad courses but never on the job. However, I needed to understand them to do well in Diff Eq, which was a prerequisite for various undergrad and grad courses.
Having a good GPA helped me qualify for a scholarship from the National Science Foundation that supported me through grad school. And all that helped me when I was applying for jobs too.
And of course, the ability to acquire new skills through independent study is essential no matter what you do.
new2thescene-
If you have any questions feel free to post them here, some of us should be able to help you.
Also if you’re a former student of mine keep in mind that I offer free unlimited tutoring for life.
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