Math Textbooks, Yeah, I'm a geek and I know it...

[etgryphon]

Hey all:

So I'm seriously thinking about going back to grad school to get a Masters in Financial Engineering. Pretty excited about it. I have been working in the software industry for about 5 years now and it is lame with little to no math. I love math, but alas I think I'm a little rusty on my higher math. So I'm looking to buy some higher math books.

So my questions are:

1) Does anybody know of a good Calculus textbook?
2) Does anybody know of a good Probablity and Statistics textbook?
3) Does anybody know of a good Linear Algebra textbook?
4) Does any college student wish to sell any or all of these to me?

Thanks all.

-Gryph

[IronDragon1]

Forgotten Calculus (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0764119982/qid=1116945911/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002-6695028-9524019?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) is currently lying on my apartment floor but it seems like a quality review for someone in your (or my similar) situation.

There is another "Forgotten" book for algebra and assuming it covers linear I guess that could work too.

I'm lost as to what's good for stats though so I'll be monitoring this to see if anyone comes up with anything good.

[theredpill5]

Calculus really isn't that high of a level of mathematics. I covered that in high school. Math gets really nasty in college. I don't think you'd like math if you took some of the courses that I took.

[IronDragon1]

[ QUOTE ]
Calculus really isn't that high of a level of mathematics. I covered that in high school. Math gets really nasty in college. I don't think you'd like math if you took some of the courses that I took.

[/ QUOTE ]

He asked for a calculus book I gave him a calculus book recommendation

He asked for a linear algebra I...tired to give a linear algebra book recommendation

what else do you want?

[theredpill5]

I was responding to OP. Sorry.

[etgryphon]

Multivariate Calculus is pretty high brow. Along with partial differential equations. What they teach you in HS isn't the important type of Calculus.

I love math and I had to take all the nasty courses to get my physics degree. I just havent used it in five years.

-Gryph

[mmbt0ne]

My Calculus Book - Calculus: One and Several Variables 8th Edition by Salas/Hille/Etgen

My Prob/Stat Book - Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists 2nd Edition by Anothony Hayter.

My Linear Algebra Book - Discrete Algorithm Mathematics 3rd Edition by Maurer/Ralston.

The Calc book has a new version, the 9th edition out for $160 or so. I have 2 copies of the 8th edition (took my roommates after he left to sell back, but they wouldn't buy them because of the 9th edition) so if you want one it'll be cheap. Like, box and shipping cheap.

I don't have copies of the other 2 books, but they were really good. Especially the Prob/Stat book. There might be better Linear Algebra books out there, but I wouldn't get another P/S book.

[Matt Flynn]

Calculus: Use the book by Deborah Hughes-Hallett. Everything is done both algebraically and geometrically - makes it much easier to understand than traditional textbooks.

Linear algebra- Mine was great, no clue who wrote it. It was beige and small. Concentrate on linear programming if they cover that b/c you might actually use it. KEY point is to read the geometric chapter first: think of linear programming as a multidimensional geodesic dome/jungle gym. All you are doing as you iterate through is "walking" the edges/bars to better and better vertices (joinings) until you get to the topmost or sidemost or wherever you are trying to get. Much easier to contemplate if you picture the geodesic jungle gym.

Multivariate calculus is relatively straightforward if your calculus is good. Lagrange coefficients, Green's theorem - all significantly easier than learning calculus. You won't use much of it. Textbook won't matter as much b/c it is easier.

Matt

[etgryphon]

[ QUOTE ]

Multivariate calculus is relatively straightforward if your calculus is good. Lagrange coefficients, Green's theorem - all significantly easier than learning calculus. You won't use much of it. Textbook won't matter as much b/c it is easier.


[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I just remember doing Fourier Transforms that where 5 pages long in physics.

-Gryph

[edtost]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey all:

So I'm seriously thinking about going back to grad school to get a Masters in Financial Engineering. Pretty excited about it. I have been working in the software industry for about 5 years now and it is lame with little to no math. I love math, but alas I think I'm a little rusty on my higher math. So I'm looking to buy some higher math books.

So my questions are:

1) Does anybody know of a good Calculus textbook?
2) Does anybody know of a good Probablity and Statistics textbook?
3) Does anybody know of a good Linear Algebra textbook?
4) Does any college student wish to sell any or all of these to me?

Thanks all.

-Gryph

[/ QUOTE ]

1) mine was awful.
2)"Introduction to Probability Models" - Sheldon Ross
3)"Linear Algebra" - Hoffman and Kunze

what schools/programs are you looking at?

[fnord_too]

If you love math, check out this series (http://www.sagepub.com/series.aspx?sid=486&sc=2), which I plug at every opportunity because it is so good. I have ~10 of this series, but have only gotten arround to reading a few so far. The ones I have read are just excellent, and assume no prior knowledge. Good stuff.

[tpir90036]

[ QUOTE ]
Calculus really isn't that high of a level of mathematics. I covered that in high school. Math gets really nasty in college. I don't think you'd like math if you took some of the courses that I took.

[/ QUOTE ]
Bragging post says what?

[jdl22]

1. Spivak (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0914098896/qid=1116970485/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-0774015-6924758)
2. Hogg and Craig (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0130085073/qid=1116970523/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-0774015-6924758)
3. Hoffman and Kunze (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0135367972/qid=1116970445/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-0774015-6924758)

edit: you really should read Rudin's "baby analysis" book (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0070856133/qid=1116970691/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/104-0774015-6924758)

[BruceZ]

[ QUOTE ]
2) Does anybody know of a good Probablity and Statistics textbook?

[/ QUOTE ]

Probability and Statistics by Morris DeGroot is excellent.

[citanul]

[ QUOTE ]
1. Spivak (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0914098896/qid=1116970485/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-0774015-6924758)
2. Hogg and Craig (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0130085073/qid=1116970523/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-0774015-6924758)
3. Hoffman and Kunze (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0135367972/qid=1116970445/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-0774015-6924758)

edit: you really should read Rudin's "baby analysis" book (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0070856133/qid=1116970691/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/104-0774015-6924758)

[/ QUOTE ]

spivak's calculus is a wonderful book. for a possibly more user friendly look at calculus, anton's book is quite good.

i've probably got more to add to this thread, but i've got to run.

wanted to note that the spivak book is very highly recommended though.

citanul

[edtost]

[ QUOTE ]
1. Spivak (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0914098896/qid=1116970485/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-0774015-6924758)
2. Hogg and Craig (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0130085073/qid=1116970523/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-0774015-6924758)
3. Hoffman and Kunze (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0135367972/qid=1116970445/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-0774015-6924758)

edit: you really should read Rudin's "baby analysis" book (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0070856133/qid=1116970691/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/104-0774015-6924758)

[/ QUOTE ]

rudin makes my head hurt....

[Mano]

For a pretty basic introduction to Linear Algebra:
Elementary Linear Algebra (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0471170550/qid=1116978039/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-2554761-4014529) by Howard Anton

[rusty JEDI]

[ QUOTE ]

Linear algebra- Mine was great, no clue who wrote it. It was beige and small. Concentrate on linear programming if they cover that b/c you might actually use it. KEY point is to read the geometric chapter first: think of linear programming as a multidimensional geodesic dome/jungle gym. All you are doing as you iterate through is "walking" the edges/bars to better and better vertices (joinings) until you get to the topmost or sidemost or wherever you are trying to get. Much easier to contemplate if you picture the geodesic jungle gym.

Matt

[/ QUOTE ]


My university (UBC) split up linear algebra and linear programming and from what i remember they have very little in common and are definitely their own course.

That said the smaller beige text same edition has been used at UBC since 1984 because no better book has yet to be written. I cant remember who wrote it, but small and beige sums it up.

rJ

[Tboner7]

I have some Calculus books you can have free plus shipping. They are just taking up space in my closet right now. Cant really tell you how good they are since I basically failed it. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif More due to professor I think. He could barely speak English. Made class very difficult. Might have some other books, but it's late right now and dont' feel like looking. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Isura]

[ QUOTE ]
Does anybody know of a good Calculus textbook?

[/ QUOTE ]

Calculus by Michael Spivak (and it's not even close)

[ QUOTE ]
3) Does anybody know of a good Linear Algebra textbook?

[/ QUOTE ]

Linear Algebra with applications by Keith Nicholson - theoretical and practical. I used it for undergrad.

[poincaraux]

[ QUOTE ]
1. Spivak (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0914098896/qid=1116970485/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-0774015-6924758)


[/ QUOTE ]

I thought you were setting him up at first. To the OP: if you get this, make sure you get the right one. Spivak also wrote a very short, very dense Calculus book. It covers all sorts of interesting things, but it's probably quite far from the somewhat gentle Calc. book you're looking for. Get the long book, not the short book.

Ah .. I found it .. the other Spivak book is Calculus on Manifolds (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0805390219/qid=1117073059/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/104-4030952-7619945?v=glance&s=books). Great book, but probably not what you want.

[scotty34]

[ QUOTE ]
Calculus really isn't that high of a level of mathematics. I covered that in high school. Math gets really nasty in college. I don't think you'd like math if you took some of the courses that I took.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have read in one of my philosophy texts as well as heard one of my professors say that calculus is one of man's greatest inventions (discoveries?) in the last millenium. There is far more to calculus than just "take the derivative" and "integrate." My school offers courses in Calculus at least until fourth year, and quite possibly even beyond that.

[scotty34]

Hey, I'm at UBC too. What year are you in, and are you living on campus?

[rusty JEDI]

I am now in education and doing my practicum in Port Coquitlam. I live in Poco right now, but move back for the rest of the summer semester in the beginning of July where i live off campus.

rJ

[scotty34]

I've been in Totem for the last two years doing Commerce. I'm probably getting a place in Kits next September with a friend of mine. Just curious, are there any other 2+2er's you know of from UBC, or are we the only ones?

[etgryphon]

Right now. My Top Picks are:

1) Carnegie-Mellon. I'm already in the Masters of Software Engineering program so I think it won't be too hard to transfer over to the Computationaly Finance.

2) U of Cal at Berkeley. I really like the looks of their program and they seem to do some good thing. Plus California would be nice.

3) MIT. Looks like their PhD program is better but it is MIT.

4) U of Chicago. I like the program, but Chicago is a bit of a bummer.

5) Stanford. Looks pretty good.

That all I have looked at right now. I'm looking for a 1 to 1.5 year program.

-Gryph

[DiamondDave]

"Probability and Statistics" by Morris DeGroot (an undergraduate text) is useful and easy to read.

[edtost]

[ QUOTE ]
There is another "Forgotten" book for algebra and assuming it covers linear I guess that could work too.

[/ QUOTE ]

"This updated book is a self-teaching brush-up course for students who need more math background before taking calculus"

i highly doubt the forgotten algrebra book coveres anyhting even tangentially related to what the OP needs to review.

[SippinSoma]

YOU POOR GEEK.

ps: DURNK AZ FUK.