Product Description
Skillfully organized introductory text examines origin of differential equations, then defines basic terms and outlines general solution of a differential equation. Subsequent sections deal with integrating factors; dilution and accretion problems; linearization of first order systems; Laplace Transforms; Newton’s Interpolation Formulas, more.
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Customer Reviews (39)

Fundamental text on differential equations field
I used this text on my Differential Equations class. It was extremely usefull. It is extremely clear and exact when it defines and explains first and second order ODE's. Its major advantages are the wide varitey of problems and exercices in this topic. It contains at least two chapters that deal with problems of all complexity, including the field of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. The topic of systems of ODE's is not treated with Linear Algebra fundamentals which is an important disadvantage at the moment of trying to generalize the case to greater systems and to give a formal explanation.

Another book that I used in my class was Elementary Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems. It contains the clearness of the text commented but digs deeper on systems of ODE's and an introduction to Partial Differential Equations. Excelent text. Hope you make a good purchase!

Overall not bad
This product was here much earlier than expected.It's an ok text, not the best I have ever seen.It' not too complicated to follow but I find the biggest problem is keeping my page whileam trying to do questions.It is very thick but has a small cover and its hard to keep open and work in at the same time.Yet there are lots of examples to look at for guidance and if you into this kinda thing- answers so you can check yours, unlike "An Introduction to Ordinary Differential Equations" by Robinson.

Ordinary Differential Equations
This is a great reference book covers a wide range of the basics of differential equations and techniques in solving them and lots of examples and problems.

My own little opinion on this great book
I took ODE this semester, and I was liking the subject until I got to read the textbooks assigned to it. It is impressive how the world is filled with giant text books that are absolutely dull and useless and extremely expensive. Luckly I have always been fond of Amazon, so I searched "Ordinary Differential Equations" and came upon this book, which at first glance looks tiny and unpromising, but trust me, this little beast doesn't only talk about ODE, it takes the subject, makes it its own, and in the most elegant of fashions transmits the knowledge so well that it even if I live in Ecuador and English is only my second language, I could grasp all what was necessary to, not only pass ODE, but to take my knowledge and apply it to computer programming right away.

Trust me, if a book teaches so well that you can go ahead and apply it just like that, it is something special.

Now strictly speaking on it's qualities:

First, the book is a breeze to read, you will not find yourself reading back again through the text because of the lack of good pedagogy, but be aware, the writer does not bother to make you laugheither (a quality most serious books should not have, but I like what Stephen Prata did on C++ Primer Plus). Secondly, Ordinary Differential Equations has all that you will probably need for the subject. Check the MIT Open Course Ware, I downloaded the exams on the web page and did them singlehandedly, only with what this book taught me. Actually, you'll see lots of other topics that MIT doesn't even cover, for example it has a very interesting section on numerical methods.

Something that has to be mentioned is that this book covers a great amount of material in a excellent order and pace. The writer never assumes that you are a genius on calculus, so he always makes sure to guide you, holding your hand on each topic, repeating theorems already mentioned to refresh your head, not skipping too many steps when solving examples. This feature is seen at it's best in the Series Methods section of the book. Also, the amount of problems is wonderful, they all have solutions and are right next to the problems, unlike the convention, which gives solutions only to the odd number problems and has them written at the very end of the book, something that I hate, for the constant page turning greatly damages the book. Don't you worry, the writer solves many examples and each subject, explaining everything so you can work on the problem set rather easily.

The only setbacks that I noticed on this book are that, when teaching the prerequisites to a subject, it doesn't bother to demonstrate the theorems (which is fine by me, because you should already know that stuff in the fist place), and it doesn't have all the fancy graphics that the outrageously expensive ODE books have (for this I use Matlab or Mathematica, so I also don't care about his). You also have to consider that his books is quite old, and the numerical methods are a bit dated, still, any good teacher will fill you in with the little updates made to the subject.

All in all this book is nothing short of amazing, I give it all my fingers up to anyone who is taking ODE or wants an awesome reference book. I found it easy to read, precise, and vast. This book will probably do you more justice than anything worth >$100.

worth the low dover price with the following warnings...
I have had this book in my collection for over 20 years and it is a very good book on
ODE's. The authors really do go out of their way to define every term, provide a number of good examples, not skip too may steps in their derivations, and try to hold the hand of the reader as much as possible.

So why do I not automatically give this book 5 stars like most everyone else ?

The main reason is that this book was originally written in the 1960's and the content is very old fashioned.
The chapter on numerical methods is very out of date. I feel this is the most important topic as most ODE's arising in practice have no closed form solutions and must be solved numerically.
The presentation also takes too much time to get going as much background/pre-req material is covered. Modern
qualitative techniques (e.g. see the book by Strogatz) are not covered and this is a very important topic in practice to gain
insights into nonlinear systems.
Laplace transforms should
be covered sooner in the book - engineers use Laplace Transfroms to solve linear constant coefficient ODE's and this is probably
the most important analytical technique in practice.Instead the book dwells on the D-operator approach which is
an ad-hoc way of performing calculations that should be performed using the Laplace Transformation.
A first course in ODE's should cover numerical methods in place of series solutions and this book spends alot of time
discussing series solutions.If you
have to deal with special functions such as Bessel take up the study of series solutions then.

I am not surprised that most students really like this book. The older books in calculus and ODE's really
do blow away all the full color, 4.5lb, glossy coloring-book style texts that are mass produced today.If you
like this book check out a solid old calculus book(e.g., 2nd edition of Schwartz, the 2 volume set by
Fobes, the 3rd alternate edition of Thomas, or the excellent book by Moise)

Another issue I have is that
I do not see how a student would come away from this book seeing the "beauty" of ODE's. Perhaps this is too much to ask for, but other books such as the ones by Martin Braun and George Simmons really did motivate me to become an engineer and take further courses in dynamical systems. I cannot say the same for this text.

In summary, this book is well worth the low dover price. It covers the basics well and is written for the student.
It is a blue collar math text (not outto impress but to teach) and is surely a good stand alone text or supplement to another text.
However I cannot say this is the best book on the subject as it does not provide a modern treatment of numerical methods
and does not, in my opinion at least, do a great job of fostering love and appreciation for the subject matter.

Overall rating = 3.75 stars ... Read more

Product Description
Highly useful text for students, professionals working in the applied sciences shows how to formulate and solve partial differential equations. Realistic, practical coverage of diffusion-type problems, hyperbolic-type problems, elliptic-type problems and numerical and approximate methods. Problems and solutions. Suggestions for further reading. 1982 edition.
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Customer Reviews (51)

PDEs for Scientists and Engineers by S. Farlow
This is one of the best books on PDEs that I have come across - the lessons are short but to the point. They provide all useful information in highly compact but effective doses.

Too Brief With Few Examples
Having gotten the dover books on ODE and Advanced Calc, I was expecting the same quality of presentation here... I was disappointed.The book offers very little explanation about each sections use or simply how to use the equations.Each section was basically a derivation, but fails to give an example of how to use it.This makes it pretty much worthless, or at least a substantial waste of time, since you cannot be sure if you are doing it right.This book may be cheap, but its really not worth it.

Grad student review
I particularly like this book as a secondary resource to help with a more detailed/in-depth graduate course in applied mathematics that I'm currently taking. Equations are explained by appealing to ones physical intuition (ie. linear conservation equations are described well by drawing connections between the equation and phenomenon we're familiar with in the physical world).

If you're looking for a high-level PDE solving text this might not be it. For $10 however, I think it's a fantastic resourse for the price.

Textbook
This book is relatively easier than others and it illustrate partial differential equation in a clear way.

A Great Introductory Text for PDEs
This text was used in my first undergraduate course in PDEs, I found it be exceedingly clear with just enough application. However, as previous reviewers have noted, the examples are far too simple and finding problems elsewhere is necessary. I was lucky enough to have a professor who also realized the shortcomings, but I digress. What is most excellent about this text though is the price, rarely do you come across such a good text at this price (well, it is a Dover). As such, the price alone makes up for problem sets.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has an interest, but no experience, in PDEs. ... Read more

Product Description
The fun and easy way to understand and solve complex equations

Many of the fundamental laws of physics, chemistry, biology, and economics can be formulated as differential equations. This plain-English guide explores the many applications of this mathematical tool and shows how differential equations can help us understand the world around us. Differential Equations For Dummies is the perfect companion for a college differential equations course and is an ideal supplemental resource for other calculus classes as well as science and engineering courses. It offers step-by-step techniques, practical tips, numerous exercises, and clear, concise examples to help readers improve their differential equation-solving skills and boost their test scores. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Utter disappointment
I bought this book last night. Now having skimmed through it, I horribly regret it. I don't have all that extensive back ground in diff. eq. but the errors were so terribly obvious to me. The main portion that really upset me was when the author was showing how a laplace transform diverges. His conclution is correct, but his solution to arrive at that conclusion is incorrect. The author gets the answer te^(-s). The answer should be e^[t(1-s)]/(1-s). Yes these have the same limit at infinity, but only when s<1. It is because of this property that the author is actually horribly incorrect. There are three possible choises for s, and thus three different conclutions. So to even say that the authors conclution is correct is partially wrong. He only gives 1/3 of the answer. From what I have seen from other sources on diff. eq. this is on of the most fundamental discussions in the subject. So the authors over site of this fundamental solution is unforgivable. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!!!

Great Book from this author like Physics for dummies
As i supposed this book is great like Physics for dummies.

The author knows how to teach the subject.

Don't Waste Your Money
Don't waste your money on this book.

The 'For Dummies' series is supposedly designed to teach you something about which you don't already know.
Granted, you should have a background in Calculus before you attempt DE (which, by the way, I do)

This book presupposed you already know everything there is to know about DE. (then why For Dummies???)

Don't waste your money on it, you'll never learn anything from it.

Very helpful!
This book, written in an entertaining style, was just what I needed. The author covers complicated topics in a way that makes them easier to understand. Very helpful if you're taking a course or want a refresher.

Great book
This is an excellent book. Many helpful examples and clear explanations. I enjoyed it a great deal. ... Read more

Product Description

Confusing Textbooks? Missed Lectures? Not Enough Time?

Fortunately for you, there's Schaum's Outlines. More than 40 million students have trusted Schaum's to help them succeed in the classroom and on exams. Schaum's is the key to faster learning and higher grades in every subject. Each Outline presents all the essential course information in an easy-to-follow, topic-by-topic format. You also get hundreds of examples, solved problems, and practice exercises to test your skills.

This Schaum's Outline gives you

• Practice problems with full explanations that reinforce knowledge
• Coverage of the most up-to-date developments in your course field
• In-depth review of practices and applications

Fully compatible with your classroom text, Schaum's highlights all the important facts you need to know. Use Schaum's to shorten your study time-and get your best test scores!

Schaum's Outlines-Problem Solved.

Customer Reviews (16)

no surprises
I received the book as stated and in the good conditions. I liked their service.

Schaum's is always Great
Lets you learn how to really do the problems that the text books just skim over.

Really Nice
This book is quite useful at times. I am taking a Differential Equations course and so far it as helped me out in this sometimes tricky subject. Although it has left out a few things that are in my textbook, I would recommend it for anyone that needs a little help with the process of solving problems.

Practice, Practice , Practice Problems
If you need a helpful outline with lots of solved practice problems to learn Differential Equations, this is your book!

Good Review Outline
This is a well-written and concise review of ODEs.As a review, it's awesome, and I would highly recommend this for a refresher or a reference for improving your skill level.However, I am not entirely sure it's a sure thing for introductory-level students.In other words, if you want to just pick it up and learn, be aware; it does not derive results in detail as some textbooks do.Nonetheless, it is one of the better Schaum's Outlines.

... Read more

Product Description
Written from the perspective of the applied mathematician, the latest edition of this bestselling book focuses on the theory and practical applications of Differential Equations to engineering and the sciences. Emphasis is placed on the methods of solution, analysis, and approximation. Use of technology, illustrations, and problem sets help readers develop an intuitive understanding of the material. Historical footnotes trace the development of the discipline and identify outstanding individual contributions. This book builds the foundation for anyone who needs to learn differential equations and then progress to more advanced studies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (92)

Can you call this a textbook??
This book is probably the most horrible textbook I've seen in my life. There are several reasons:

1.They introduce new concept in the example, instead of putting them in a box label Definition or Theorem.
2.And some consecutive theorems are too trivial to be called theorems, they are more like lemma
3.Lacks mathematical rigorousness, most of the time, they just do things without explaining it. (They talk about linear independence and the determinant matrix without introducing some concept from linear algebra. And use operators without going over what they really are)
4.The structure of each chapter is sloppy and illogical.

Don't buy this book unless it's required for your class

As described - required book at college
I have not used anything from this book since I graduated. Needed the book to complete homework problems.

Pleased with Equations
This product is very comprehensive in what it covers.Though it has much relationship with a calculus 2 course, that is covered in only the first few chapters.Personally, I have yet to find a use for the disk.Otherwise, good math text to add to the collection!

thank u AMAZON a lot
great service from the customer service rep.... i just called to find out why i didnot get the conformation email on my email about the student offer to get delivery fast and quick the customer service rep solved my problem.... hoping to get the book on the estimated date... thanks a lok u guys r GREAT

international edition warning
okay, this is strike two according to my patience.

the 9th international edition (the paperback version) of this text does not match the 9th domestic edition in problem set ordering.

everyone knows why this is, i don't need to rant about it.just be forewarned.if you need this for a class, you'll be SOL unless you can use a friend's book or cramster to make sure you're on the right problem.

should i pretend to make this a review of the book, i'd be wasting my time.everyone else with complaints has already done my job.it's a difficult and confusing text with a lot of obscured operations in examples and a lot of numeric solutions that don't illustrate anything about what the answer represents.(it's a bit difficult to recognize 0.54406157 as 1-e^(-pi/4)).the SSM is terse and covers only a handful of the problems at that. ...oh wait, my bad, this isn't a review of the book.

this is a review of getting taken for a ride again by a publisher that feels the need to drag its market back into the sandbox by force of sheer aggravation. for that, i give it one star.i was more forgiving last time this happened, but maybe i'm a bit miffed by having to deal with the university's follett bookstore and have a little lower tolerance for this kind of tired old game.

cheers.(he says with a scowl) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

student solution manual (Differential Equations)
This book has definatly helped out on understanding the process but for it being a solution manual it wouldn't hurt to show more steps on how they gey there answers.I would say that it is ok, but has room for improvement.

NOT very good at explaining solutions
It's always nice to have a solutions manual, but this one (4th edition) is almost the same as the online downloadable 3rd edition one that included odd answers. And in general, whoever made the solutions manual for this textbook is not very detailed. They always skip steps. I've used solution manuals for other math classes like multivariable (thomas calculus) and linear algebra, and those solutions manuals were awesome, explaining how to do every step of the problem. But I mean, this textbook is also the worst of all the math classes I've taken, in terms of explaining things. So it's expected i guess. ... Read more

Product Description

This practical book reflects the new technological emphasis that permeates differential equations, including the wide availability of scientific computing environments like Maple, Mathematica, and MATLAB; it does not concentrate on traditional manual methods but rather on new computer-based methods that lead to a wider range of more realistic applications. The book starts and ends with discussions of mathematical modeling of real-world phenomena, evident in figures, examples, problems, and applications throughout the book. For mathematicians and those in the field of computer science and engineering. 

Customer Reviews (31)

Very pleased
I was very satisfied by the quality of the book and the promptness in which it was delivered

Great book
I love this textbook. It is short, contains exactly what you need it to and doesn't try to dazzle readers with flashy and unnecessary pictures (only two colors used in the text, really readable). Another plus, it is chock full of example code for differential equations (Maple, Mathematica, MATLAB, etc). ALSO get the solution manual

Excellent Condition
Got what I wanted in a short amount of time.There were no torn pages or marks of any kind.Very Pleased!

it's good. more than what i was expected
the cover still in good shape. there's no highlighting or whatsoever. the shipping arrived within a week which is really good

Horrible book -- avoid at all costs, if possible
The introductory chapter is relatively well written, however the book quickly devolves. The authors seem more bent on showing the reader how great they are at math, and less at teaching. Examples are convoluted and incomplete given the problem sets that follow; important theory is left as homework problems in the individual sections (such as reduction of order), and then the reader is left to wonder if he/she actually performed this exercise correctly; there are numerous textual and factual errors within the book; and, the student solutions companion book is of little help, as the authors routinely skip important steps, and reduce the manual to little more than a list of answers (sans explanation). ... Read more

Product Description
Essentials of partial differential equations applied to common problems in engineering and the physical sciences. Text briefly reviews calculus and ordinary differential equations, explores integral curves an surfaces of vector fields, the Cauchy-Kovalevsky theory and more. Problems and answers.
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Customer Reviews (6)

Not what I expected
poorly organized complicated explanation where it can be written in easier way. I would look for something else to learn PDEs

Intermediate level.
I use it as a reference for a Boundary Value Problems course at the college level. Not a beginner level text, you need a background in DEs and linear algebra.

Inexpensive and a classic.

Shows mathematic viewpoint and then applications
This book is a good book from the mathematical point of view and a good overview of the overall mathematical framework. For example, looking at a PDE, what can one say about the solution? Does it exist?Is it unique?What properties does the solution have? The book's emphasis is on presenting the various types of PDE's and then using physics to illustrate its usefulness. For example, the section of the book on quasi-linear and linear equations of the first order first looks at all of the mathematical underpinnings of this kind of equation. Only afterwards does the book look at the applications of such PDEs for solving problems in traffic flow and gas dynamics. In contrast "Partial Differential Equations for Scientists and Engineers" by Farlow assumes you have a specific physics problem you are attempting to solve and then goes about showing you how PDE can help.
Thus, my advice for someone who wants to study PDE and learn the practical applications is that they should first read and study this book for the theory and some of the applications. Then, buy and read Farlow's book. See if you can determine how to solve each physics problem presented in that book with PDEs. If you can, you are on your way to saying you know Partial Differential Equations from both a theoretical and practical standpoint.

Nice textbook
I am a sophomore student in computer engineering, and my professor used this book as a supplement to his notes (http://www.aei.mpg.de/~horst/math4999-2pdf.pdf) while doing a course on introductory differential equations, and it came in quite handy

Understandable, Excellent Reference
From just basic usage of the book, and with almost no introduction to PDEs, I found the book to be very helpful.This book starts out the way any PDE book should, a review of ODEs and then a careful, systematic approach to PDEs with very helpful illustrations.After the PDE is introduced, many different examples of PDE application are shown (such as the heat equation, Laplace's equation, and the wave equation), and with very careful demonstration of the use of the PDEs.I would have to say that any math or physics (especially in mechanics) person would benefit greatly to have either read or own this book. ... Read more

Product Description

Combining traditional material with a modern systems approach, this handbook provides a thorough introduction to differential equations, tempering its classic "pure math" approach with more practical applied aspects. Features up-to-date coverage of key topics such as first order equations, matrix algebra, systems, and phase plane portraits. Illustrates complex concepts through extensive detailed figures. Focuses on interpreting and solving problems through optional technology projects. For anyone interested in learning more about differential equations.

Customer Reviews (19)

Definitely not a two-star book.
This book isn't really a five-star book, but it definitely isn't a two-star book. As another reviewer said, it'll give you a mechanical understanding of differential equations. It's not a hard book, which can be good or bad depending on what you're looking for. The chapters have more of the technical side of things, but the exercises are mostly on the easier side of things. If you have the algebra and calculus down pat, then using this textbook shouldn't give you any troubles.

An Elementary Approach
I recently used this textbook in a sophomore-level Differential Equations course at UCLA, where I am majoring in Mathematics.

If you are looking for a relatively breezy introduction to Differential Equations, or are taking a course in the subject merely to fulfill a requirement or prerequisite at your school, this text is probably about as good as it gets.Contrary to many of the reviewers on this site, I found the book to be user-friendly almost to a fault; more so even than Stewart's Calculus.Topics in this book are treated cursorily, and emphasis is primarily on algorithmic problem solving.

On the other hand, were I studying this topic on my own, I would not choose this book.For one, exercises are relegated nearly entirely to the application of a procedure outlined in a given chapter, and it was only very rarely that I came across one which was challenging even after taking a glance back through the preceding section (and I did a lot of exercises).Though I feel that the chapters themselves are a bit elementary, I can't fault the authors too much for that; the book is after all an introduction.

After thoroughly studying this book, I do feel that I have a mechanical competency in the basic forms of differential equations treated in the text.That is, I am comfortable with the techniques covered, and I am familiar with a few new ideas.I suppose I can't ask for much more in an introduction, but I somehow feel that my time would have been better spent struggling with a text that was slightly beyond my grasp than mastering one that is well within it.

Forget those whinners! Clear introduction, great for self-study
Pace the negative reviews, I found the first edition of Polking, Boggess & Arnold (2001, ISBN Differential Equations) well-organized, clear and amply illustrated with examples and diagrams. Not sure why some hate it: my guess - they're simply not ready for "Diffy Q". Requires less math maturity than the classic Tenenbaum Ordinary Differential Equations, which I have and also really like.In comparison, Tenenbaum, being a 60s book, has that old-style mathematics flavor, plus very small font typical of Dover but given the price and quality of the content, Tenenbaum is also great buy.

But overall, for one's very first exposure to ordinary differential equations, I think Polking is a better choice than Tenenbaum. Polking is nicely produced and has nice graphics, making it a pleasure to read.

It's a fine for self-study.The 2nd ed might be even better but since I don't have it, I wouldn't know.

Differential Equations Textbook
The book came more used than I was expecting - writing on several pages, slightly worn cover/edges. However, the book was by no means unusable and has done its job so far.

Good book but not enough example problems
First of I am a junior studying electrical engineering and vehicle engineering at Western Washington University. This book was the required text for WWU's math 321 course, it is called math for engineering majors or something similar but it is basically just a class were engineering majors learn diff EQ without going through all the other math classes required to take the normal diff EQ class.

Right from the get go this book was nice simply due to price; $20 compared to $150 is kind of a no brainer. Once using the book though it does not disappoint in quality. The chapters are well laid out and fairly thorough and seemed to compliment my professors lectures very well. I was able to take minimal notes in lecture and use those note combined with the explanations in the book to make it through chapters. Obviously a 300 level math class is not going to be easy and neither the book alone or the lecture alone is going to be enough to get you through diff EQ. Hopefully by the time you reach the 300 level you realize that classes aren't really optional and the subjects are so complex you can't expect a book to do all of the explaining for you.

The only major complaint(s) I have with this book are about the example problems in the chapters. Most importantly there aren't very many of them. In most sections, each section consisting of 7 or 8 pages, there are only 3 or 4 example problems. I feel that even just 2 more problems per section would go a long way in helping explain this subject. Also the explanations that go with the sample problems aren't the best in the world. Don't get more wrong you can definitely follow the example it just might take 5 or 6 time of reading though the text portion, whereas in most textbooks it only takes me 2 or 3 times to understand what is happening in the example problem.

Overall this is a decent book packaged with an excellent price, and those two factors combined make for a good book/value. If you are fortunate enough to take a diff EQ class good luck, it is interesting and applicable while being moderately challenging and if you're like me nothing is fun unless it presents challenges!
... Read more

Product Description
Our understanding of the fundamental processes of the natural world is based to a large extent on partial differential equations (PDEs). The second edition of Partial Differential Equations provides an introduction to the basic properties of PDEs and the ideas and techniques that have proven useful in analyzing them. It provides the student a broad perspective on the subject, illustrates the incredibly rich variety of phenomena encompassed by it, and imparts a working knowledge of the most important techniques of analysis of the solutions of the equations.

In this book mathematical jargon is minimized. Our focus is on the three most classical PDEs, the wave, heat and Lapace equations. Advanced concepts are introduced frequently but with the least possible technicalities. The book is flexibly designed for juniors, seniors or beginning graduate students in science, engineering or mathematics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (35)

Delivered on time & in good condition
The book arrived on time as promised. I used expedited shipping as I needed to study over the weekend for a quiz on Monday. Book was new as promised.

Read Bleecker and Csordas
If you have any say in the matter read Bleecker and Csordas. Strauss is not a bad book, but it glosses over some relevant details in it's concision. You will find Bleecker and Csordas more comprehensive. Bleecker and Csordas is comparable to John MLee's text in smooth manifolds in terms of readability.

About the worst PDE book I've seen.
First: This is a very small book!!! Only about 450 pages and pages are very small. Not much materials inside.

I have five other text books on PDE include books by Nakhle Asmar, Bleecher, Haberman, Pinsky and Powers. This got to be the worst worst one. I finished studying PDE and work out a lot of problems in both Asmar and Bleecker books already and I still have a hard time following this book. I was just studying extras on PDE and looking at this book hoping to find something useful, I am so annoyed with this book I have to stop and come here to write this review!!!

This is a very difficult subject, you want to have as much explainations and examples as possible. You want detail derivation of formulas. This is what this books is particularly weak. The preface actually said it does not want to put in a lot of derivation!!!! Great!!!

If your school use it as a text book, either you have to have a very good instructor that provide very good notes or you better get another book like Asmar for supplimental reading material.

Not So Deep
This book is not so great. I found it more to be a presentation of material and formulas as opposed to a detailed description of how solutions to PDEs are obtained without a formula a priori.

I guess Evans is supposed to be better.

pretty good
It took 4 days to arrive, so it was fast enough for me. Delivery was not the best as the book had one of its ends deformed a bit, but it doesn't affect using it; it is just an appearance thing. In general it was a good deal. ... Read more

Product Description

Few books on Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs) have the elegant geometric insight of this one, which puts emphasis on the qualitative and geometric properties of ODEs and their solutions, rather than on routine presentation of algorithms.

From the reviews:

"Professor Arnold has expanded his classic book to include new material on exponential growth, predator-prey, the pendulum, impulse response, symmetry groups and group actions, perturbation and bifurcation." --SIAM REVIEW

Customer Reviews (11)

changed my life
Well differential equaitons are all about change, and this book changed my life. I read this more than 30 years ago, and all the mathematics I know, I mean really know, I learned from this book. Along with Aristotle's ethics, it is probably the most important book in my life.

ARNOLD==The MASTER!!!
No doubt the best book on ODE by a master!! Ecuaciones Diferenciales Ordinarias (Fondos Distribuidos)Kiseliov Krasnov is another great book! Translated in English!! Like Spivak's Calculus on Manifolds, thin but good!!!

MDC
This is a classic in the field.Excellent presentation and geometric perspective of dynamical systems.Most definitely a book to be kept as reference.

wow!differential equations made appealing
I had always hated d.e.'s until this book made me see the geometry.And I have only read a few pages.

I never realized before that the existence and uniqueness theorem defines an equivalence relation on the compact manifold, where two points are equivalent iff they lie on the same flow curve.This instantly renders a d.e. visible, and not just some ugly formulas.

He also made me understand for the first time the proof of Reeb's theorem that a compact manifold with a function having only 2 critical points is a sphere.If they are non degenerate at least, the proof is simple.Each critical point has a nbhd looking like a disc.In between, the lack of critical points means there is a one parameter flow from the boundary circle of one disc to the other, i.e. thus the in between stuff is a cylinder.

Hence gluing a disc into each end of a cylinder gives a sphere!It also makes it clear why the sphere may have a non standard differentiable structure, because the diff. structure depends on how you glue in the discs.

What a book.I bought the cheaper older version, thanks to a reviewer here, and I love it.No other book gives me the geometry this forcefully and quickly. Of course I am a mathematician so the vector field and manifold language are familiar to me.But I guess this is a great place for beginners to learn it.

One tiny remark.He does not mind "deceiving you" in the sense of making plausible statements that are actually deep theorems in mathematics to prove.E.g. the fact that in a rectangle it is impossible to join two pairs of opposite corners by continuous curves that do not intersect, is non trivial to prove.

Hence the staement on page 2 that the problem is "solved" merely by introducing the phase plane, is not strictly true, until you prove the intersection statement above.All the phase plane version does for me is render the problem's solution highly plausible, and show the way to solving it.You still have to do it.But it was huge fun thiunking up a fairly elementary winding number argument for this fact.

Good teachers know how to deceive you instructively by making plausible statements that a beginner is willing to accept.I presume a physicist, e.g., would not quarrel with the statement above about curves intersecting.

This is the best differential, equaitons book I know of if you want to understand what they are, as opposed to learn to calculate canned solution fornmulas for special ones.He even makes clear what it is that is special about the special ones, e.g. linear equations are nice not just because the solutions are familiar exponential functions, but because the flow curves exist for all time,...

Amazing
This is an amazing book. Arnold's style is unique - very intuitive and geometric. This book can be read by non-mathematicians but to really appreciate its beauty, and to understand the proofs that sometimes are just sketched, it takes some mathematical culture. This is the way ordinary differential equations should be taught (but they are not). ... Read more

Product Description
A thorough, systematic first course in elementary differential equations for undergraduates in mathematics and science, requiring only basic calculus for a background, and including many exercises designed to develop students’ technique in solving equations. With problems and answers. Index.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

No doubt, the book is good
and one can learn to go the first steps in ODEs. BUT ... the book is taylored very much to the american market meaning that even bloody beginners can understand it. Hence, it does not go very far and stays elementary throughout. If you really want to take off read the book which the author wrote with Levinson (Theory of Ordinary Differential Equations).

Concise, well written
I think that this book is excellent as a textbook for an Ordinary Differential Equations class. There are plenty of "compute-the-solution" exercises, but there are also a large amount of theoretical exercises. The book is very concise, but it is still legible. It is also very cheap, so students won't mind buying it :)

I think that this book also works well when not used as a textbook. If you are using this to learn ODE's by yourself, you really need to do some of the exercises since they are essential to the book. I do think that it is $11 well spent, since it teaches all of the basics of ODE's.

In terms of the topics covered, here they are:

- Linear, homogeneous, nth-order equations with constant coefficients.
- Linear, homogeneous, 1st and 2nd order equations with non-constant coefficients.
- Linear, non-homogeneous, nth-order equations with constant coefficients.
- Lienar, non-homogeneous, 1st and 2nd order equations with non-constant coefficients.
- Solutions to ODEs with regular singular points.
- Series solutions.
- Existence and uniqueness to linear equations.
- Non-linear first order equations.
- Existence and uniqueness to first order equations.

excellent book
I think this is one of the best books on the subject. If you really want to understand differential equations then you have to read an analysis book like this. The numerical recipes/methods books will teach you only how to program the computer to solve the the equations. This one will teach you WHY it works.

An excellent text ... in 1970, not in 2003
I used this text as a reference over 25 years ago and it was great, for its time.Today, however, there are a number of books available with a more "modern" treatment - ones more likely to provide a more realistic view of the subject matter.

Arguably, ODE is a geometry course in disguise and not a collection of "party tricks" as it is often portrayed in older texts.Analytical methods are clean and easy to convey in the classroom but, frankly, they never appear in the "real world".

If you plan to (or do) encounter ODE's in your chosen field you'd do better to spend lots of time looking at qualitative and numerical techniques, i.e., a more up to date approach.

Coddington did a great job with the subtopics he did address but in the late sixties it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to really provide the reader with a solid feel for the depth and breadth of the subject.

A great Introduction or review.
I took an undergraduate ordinary differential equations class and felt I grasped the subject quite well.I wanted an inexpensive text that I could review the subject with and I decided that I would give Coddington's book a try.I was really pleased with the order in which the text was presented which differed from the course I had taken.The author's seem to put things in a very logical order versus some texts I have seen which really confuse you by the order in which the subjects are presented.Another point that I have to make is the depth that the book has.I learned much more in reviewing this text than I ever did in any diff eq class.It shows the distinctionbetween linear and non-linear diff eq's and covered many other methods which I had not learned previously.This is a great text as a "refresher" or as a course text.I just wish I would have previously used this text to learn ordinary differential equations. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the second edition of the now definitive text on partial differential equations (PDE). It offers a comprehensive survey of modern techniques in the theoretical study of PDE with particular emphasis on nonlinear equations. Its wide scope and clear exposition make it a great text for a graduate course in PDE. For this edition, the author has made numerous changes, including a new chapter on nonlinear wave equations, more than 80 new exercises, several new sections, a significantly expanded bibliography. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Complete book on the subject
Pros: many topics, sound mathematical approach, almost complete book. It definely does the job for most courses on PDEs (in my case, Politecnico di Milano, it covers the topics for both a beginner and advanced course in pde)

Cons: proofs are a bit short, and a good part of the job is left to the reader - in this sense it is an advanced textbook.

All in all, a really good book!

Very good PDE book
Used this for a two year sequence PDE class, our teacher is fantastic and she was a student from Evans'. Love it.

Clearly not for graduate students. Still very good!
Evans is not really worried about graduate students. However this book is essential for anyone that wants to have real (first) contact with nonlinear PDE. I'm sorry for the beginners but it has to be this way. If you are looking for some engineering do not buy it. Mathematician? What are you waiting for?

A Fine Treatise on the Subject
This is a superb exposition of a difficult, yet enriching subject. This book is intended only as a beginning text (in a relative sense) and is by no means an attempt to give an exhaustive view of many topics discussed therein.

The first few chapters discuss classical solution techniques to frequently encountered PDEs such as the heat and Laplace equation. Methods of solution are discussed including Fourier transform methods and other classical methods to obtain strong solutions and/or representation formulas. The author, from this point, focuses on weak solution techniques for second order PDEs and systems in addition to conservation laws and other nonlinear PDEs. There is also a self-contained chapter on Sobolev spaces that proves to be fairly useful.

There is a necessary mathematical maturity needed to fully benefit from this text. The reader should be relatively comfortable with standard topics from classical analysis. It would help if the reader has seen Lebesgue spaces and is familiar with basic functional analysis and operator theory although many of these topics are reviewed in the apendices.

While this book is dense and difficult at times, it has a prominent place on my bookshelf.

Solid opening, weak ending.
If you are just getting started in learning PDEs and want to see all the classical problems/solutions (Poisson, Laplace, Heat, and Wave Equations), then this book might be a little advanced for you, but it is solid in this content if you have a solid background in analysis (probably best to have at least one high-level analysis class that covers all the multivariable calculus materialas you will find that your ability to identify and use Green's Theorems will make life much easier as you get started). This is considered "Part I" of the book.

Once you have covered all the nice problems that don't exist in practice, you are ready to move onto general linear PDE theory in Part II of the book. I would recommend you complete a course in measure theory before you start in on chapter 5, which covers Sobolev spaces. I would then recommend that you complete a course in functional analysis before starting chapter 6 or 7 (chapters 5-7 are Part II of this book). This is not necessary as you will have access to a fairly complete appendix of functional analysis results in this book, but once you understand functional analysis and measure theory, then you will be able to grasp the idea of an elliptic (or in chapter 7, parabolic or hyperbolic) operator acting on a function space (the function space being a Sobolev space) more easily and these ideas won't seem so abstract. Overall, the second part of this book is great if you have a lot of the prerequisites I just suggested because many of the proofs can easily be made to be three to five times longer as many steps that link ideas in functional analysis are skipped. The proofs on higher regularity will be hard to understand your first time through, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. Read through the chapters and then read through the regularity stuff again. If you just want to get the basic ideas you can skip either the parabolic or hyperbolic section in chapter 7 because the techniques in solving either type of problem are fairly similar.

Once you are done with the linear PDE theory and are ready to start chapter 8, I recommend putting the book down and getting a different one. Evans gets fairly abstract in the nonlinear part of the book (Part III). I would recommend getting "Navier-Stokes Equations: Theory and Numerical Analysis" by Temam as it is a great source for nonlinear PDE theory and has more results and better proofs than Evans on this subject. I just feel like the Evans book is a great book to learn from for your first two semesters of PDEs at a graduate level, but after that it is time to change texts. ... Read more

Product Description
This text is a clearly written and complete introductory study of differential equations and their applications. Suitable for a one- or two-semester course on the subject, the material is fully comprehensible to anyone who has studied college-level calculus. This book distinguishes itslef from other differential equation texts through its application of the subject matter to fascinating events and its incorporation of relatively recent developments in the field. Some applications include:* a proof that the painting, "Disciples of Emmaus," bought by the Rembrandt Society of Belgium was a modern forgery;* a mathematical explanation of the Tacoma Bridge disaster;* a model of the blood glucose regulatory system which leads to a criterion for the diagnosis of diabetes;*an explanation of why the predator portion (sharks, skates, rays, etc. ) of all fish caught in the port of Flume, Italy, rose dramatically during the years of World War I;* a mathematical verification of Darwin's law that "the more similar two species are, the fiercer is the struggle for existence between them. "An introduction to bifurcation theory, computer programs in C, Pascal, and Fortran, and many original and challenging exercises contribute to the quality of this text. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Not for simple equations
So complicated when you know that you can guess what is the percentage by a simple division, this equation is taking you the extra mile to get the result.
Not good for simple maths but fantastic when it comes to variables solving solutions. By the time I read half this book I already have a big pimple on my eye lash because of concentration.

Best undergraduate ODE book
Goes every the mathematical details for the development of solution methods. Includes numerical methods as well. Many applications provided. Far superior to standard undergraduate texts in differential equations.

Exactly what it said it was!
My ONLY complaint- and that would be a small one- is that it's older than I would have expected. But it's in great condition in any case.

A lot of good material
This book is my fourth one on differential equations. One that is better by contrast is:
Modelling with Differential Equations (Mathematics and Its Applications)
I think that the inclusion of computer programs is a good idea, but
they should be updated in current editions to Mathematica and MatLab?
The printing font in my version is difficult to read as well.
The diagrams are probably not as plentiful as they need to be either.
On the other hand the coverage of some of the problems inn differential equations
are covered at better depth in this book.

Excellent book for applications
I like this book for its excellent examples of applications.Later chapters give intro to linear algebra and Laplace transforms and delta function in an easy manner.I learnt these advanced topics from this book.This is not an ordinary class text book, but a good supplementary one....needs wider advertising. ... Read more

Product Description
Our understanding of the fundamental processes of the natural world is based to a large extent on partial differential equations (PDEs). The second edition of Partial Differential Equations provides an introduction to the basic properties of PDEs and the ideas and techniques that have proven useful in analyzing them. It provides the student a broad perspective on the subject, illustrates the incredibly rich variety of phenomena encompassed by it, and imparts a working knowledge of the most important techniques of analysis of the solutions of the equations.

In this book mathematical jargon is minimized. Our focus is on the three most classical PDEs, the wave, heat and Lapace equations. Advanced concepts are introduced frequently but with the least possible technicalities. The book is flexibly designed for juniors, seniors or beginning graduate students in science, engineering or mathematics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not impressed
I am not impressed with this solutions manual at all.First off, it does not contain all of the problems. Secondly, it states in the text that they tried to include all of the solutions to the difficult problems.This is not true.However I believe having any solutions is better than none, but it would have been nice to know that I was not getting all of them.

my math professor likes this book.. but...
I found this book to be somewhat lacking in explanations.My professor likes a lots of things about it, but being new to the subject I am not really seeing too many of the good aspects.Basically, I found it not very helpful in terms of doing the homework.It does cover good material as far as the subjects, but it doesn't do very many examples of actual problems and thus leaves you at a loss for the homework.There is a solutions guide however, and that did help with the homework and illustrated some good examples of how to actually do problems (not all of the problems are in the solution guide). ... Read more

Product Description
This book gives an introduction to the basic theory of stochastic calculus and its applications. Examples are given throughout the text, in order to motivate and illustrate the theory and show its importance for many applications in e.g. economics, biology and physics. The basic idea of the presentation is to start from some basic results (without proofs) of the easier cases and develop the theory from there, and to concentrate on the proofs of the easier case (which nevertheless are often sufficiently general for many purposes) in order to be able to reach quickly the parts of the theory which is most important for the applications. For the 6th edition the author has added further exercises and, for the first time, solutions to many of the exercises are provided. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Very good book
With this book you'll impress a potential employer how deep your knowledge of stochastic calculus is. The book has proposed problems with some hints for the solutions. Solving the problems will make you an SDE guru.

A bit dense for non-Math Quants...but worth pursuing
If you aren't a bit of a Math wonk, this book can be a bit daunting.But it is worth wading through the Math if you want to understand the "WHY" behind all those formulas and results.If you are looking for a gentler introduction and the "real formulas" Quants use, check out Paul Wilmott's books.

The text generally starts with an intuitive example for the chapter and then starts methodically working through the underlying mathematics to get to the meaty results.The exercises are worth the effort as they reinforce the chapter work and offer additional insights.

The best book for a first grad course on Stochastic Calculus.
Oksendal is not as formal as KS, Karatzas and Shreve (Brownian Motion and Stochastic Calculus), but it is easier to follow. The exercises in the first five chapters are very informative. Exercises in last chapters are more difficult (as they should be). After studying by this book, you may want to go deeper by using KS.

A very good book!
I read this book after I had read Karatzas' and Shreve's book "Stochastic Calculus..." and it is probably better to do it the other way round. The mathematical prerequisites are not high, however a good intuitive understanding of measure theory is probably necessary. The pace of the book is leasurely, the proofs are such, that pencil and paper is rarely needed, however no rigor is lost.
The book quickly moves to interesting applications of the theory, which is motivated very well.
It contains a few typographical errors, mostly in the last chapter, and mostly of a harmless nature.

With the necessary mathematical background, it seems to be an ideal introduction to this highly interesting topic of stochastic differential equations!

Excellent introduction on Stochastic Differential Equations
A well written book in Mathematics
Stochastic Differential Equations is a branch of mathematics. This book is not just for financial derivatives analysis or modeling. Oksendal first introduces the subject by raising a few stochastic problems (population growth; electric charge in RLC circuit; filtering problems, Dirichlet problems; asset management; optimal portfolio and options pricing) in the first chapter. The subsequent chapters develop notions and techniques which are able to solve wide varieties of stochastic problems (not just those mentioned in the first chapters). The arrangement is impressive in particular for readers who have no previous knowledge about the subject. The readers at least know the target for developing the techniques and would not lose the way when manipulating tons of symbols. Hints and answers to selected problems are invaluable to students for self-study.
To achieve a sound background on stochastic equations is extremely important especially in quantitative finance. It is not an easy job however. QF students may consider going through this book before seriously take Shreve's books on Stochastic Calculus for Finance.
... Read more

Product Description

Confusing Textbooks?

Missed Lectures?

Tough Test Questions?

Fortunately for you, there's Schaum's Outlines. More than 40 million students have trusted Schaum's to help them succeed in the classroom and on exams. Schaum's is the key to faster learning and higher grades in every subject. Each Outline presents all the essential course information in an easy-to-follow, topic-by-topic format. You also get hundreds of examples, solved problems, and practice exercises to test your skills.

This Schaum's Outline gives you

• Practice problems with full explanations that reinforce knowledge
• Coverage of the most up-to-date developments in your course field
• In-depth review of practices and applications

Fully compatible with your classroom text, Schaum's highlights all the important facts you need to know. Use Schaum's to shorten your study time-and get your best test scores!

Schaum's Outlines-Problem Solved.

Customer Reviews (10)

Unimpressed
Very helpful if you are looking for a set of worked-out ODE problems; abad idea if you are trying to learn the subject, or refresh your memory.

PS. Holzner's "DE for Dummies" is one nice cheap beginner book - but I would still go for a "regular" textbook.

Essential Reference
Like most of other SCHAUM'S outlines, the book provides the essential and important knowledge about Differential Equations. If you are dealing with math, engineering and science and would like to have a structured reference about ODE, then this book definitely should be placed on your working desk.

Very Helpful
I'm not one to say much so I'll keep this kind of short.It always helps to have another point of view and explanation other than those offered in the classroom, whether one struggles with this material or not.This book was definitely worth purchasing.

Good reference
Got this to be an understandable reference after I couldn't understand the text I had to use for the class.Product did exactly that.

not the best schaum text
First, it must be said that the Schaum Outline series provides an inexpensive way for students to get more practice and check their answers. In general, I recommend these texts. That said, I used this as a supplement to a DE class I taught and it was such a pain. The notation is nonstandard, symbols for Bessel functions are downright wrong and things like this. The application exercises were more focused on converting from English units to SI units than on the variety of application problems. To add to the fun, the cgs system is also thrown into the mix. Granted, engineers and the like need to be able to switch, but that's not the point of a DE class. It is nice to have sections on the Laplace transform and first-order systems and most exercises are ok, if repetitive. Students will have to work hard to keep the notation straight and not confuse themselves. I wouldn't use this in another class. ... Read more

Product Description

Known for its real-world applications that grab readers' interest, this proven reference offers a full treatment of linear algebra. Discusses mathematical modeling of real-world phenomena, with a fresh new computational and qualitative flavor evident throughout in figures, examples, problems, and applications. Integrates scientific computing environments like Maple, Mathematica, and MATLAB. Extensively rewrites key sections with a fresh qualitative approach. Adds approximately 300 new computer-generated figures. Adds approximately 300 new or revised problems, many with a qualitative emphasis. A comprehensive reference for anyone who needs to improve their linear algebra skills.

Customer Reviews (13)

A great text
This book might seem a little bit wordy sometimes, but the author has a great ability to explain complex concepts typically presented in an introductory differential equations course (e.g. Numerical Analysis). It also features an OUTSTANDING coverage of different real-word applications using mathematical software such as Maple.

Terrible solutions manual, DON'T PURCHASE!
As with most "official" solutions manuals, this one is pretty much junk.It contains "full" solutions to only odd problems, and those "fully" solutions generally skip steps, assume that you've already mastered the concepts (which you obviously haven't at this level), and on occasion, don't even solve problems the way the book recommends.Instead of purchasing a solutions manual for this DiffieEq book, I'd just recommend using Cramster.For free they've got AWESOME solutions to all odds which clearly explain what's going on, and for ten bucks a month they got you covered on all the evens as well.For some reason this site is not as well-known as it should be, but save yourself some money and headaches and check it out before buying crappy solutions manuals.Just Google "Cramster" and you'll be set!!

Very skimpy comments
Besides providing solutions to the problems, this manuel has very few comments.The book is OK for answer check, but not good at all for comments on the problems and solutions.

This solutions manual is only minimally helpful...
A good student solutions manual will go through all of the steps of a problem, and show how to solve it.This book skips steps and key ideas.It's not a very good solutions manual.The textbook which it is the solutions manual for is not a well done book, as the problem sets consist of problems which differ enough from the examples that they are frustrating even if you work through and understand all of the examples.The subject of the text is 'differential equations', not 'tricky advanced algebra'.Yet in one of the more difficult fundamental sections (section 1.6, substitution methods), several of the problems, including the first problem, require some not obvious algebraic manipulation to set up and solve.This is not reflected in any of the examples, and it is not shown in this solutions guide - they skip this step.

Fine explanation, but Bad Quality
The quality of the explanations in the book are fine.You can learn from it.I learned just fine from the book, as a supplement to attending lectures.What I'm not happy about is that I ordered this book new in late August and come December the cover is already coming off.Why?I didn't put any unusual stress on this book.I have had plenty of hard cover books in my life, many of which were used by students for years before I put my hands on it.Sure, some pages were torn on those books, but the cover was always fine.So when I pay for a hard cover book, I want it to last.This will kill my re-sell value.And I would have brought it to the attention of Amazon or Pearson to save them a bad review but I couldn't figure out how to contact either one. ... Read more

Product Description

Fundamentals of Differential Equations presents the basic theory of differential equations and offers a variety of modern applications in science and engineering. Available in two versions, these flexible texts offer the instructor many choices in syllabus design, course emphasis (theory, methodology, applications, and numerical methods), and in using commercially available computer software.

Fundamentals of Differential Equations, Seventh Edition is suitable for a one-semester sophomore- or junior-level course. Fundamentals of Differential Equations with Boundary Value Problems, Fifth Edition, contains enough material for a two-semester course that covers and builds on boundary value problems. The Boundary Value Problems version consists of the main text plus three additional chapters (Eigenvalue Problems and Sturm-Liouville Equations; Stability of Autonomous Systems; and Existence and Uniqueness Theory).

Customer Reviews (16)

Not hard.The examples are usually good or ok.Exposition is awful.
The problems are usually not hard.Some problems require a lot of algebraic manipulation.

The examples usually cover most problems at the end of the chaper.Study the examples carefully and you should be able to do most problems.

The exposition/explanation is poor.You just cannot understand what the authors are trying to say.

Some problems are not explained in the text.For example, in section 1.2 there are a few problems about "one-parameter family of solutions", but the text does not have anything about "one-parameter family of solutions".Then you have to look up the definition online.

If you are a student, you will have to consult online resources and other textbooks.If you are an instructor, please do not use this book.It will not help students learn.

Confusing and Incomplete
This textbook lacks clear examples, explanations, and relevant homework problems. It will bog you down in lines of computations without adequate context. I don't recommend using this book, especially if you are trying to learn the material on your own. If you have to use it for a class, you have my empathy.

Great condition
I got just what I expected in pretty good condition. It was definitely a bargain!

A very good textbook, just not quite right for me
As an instructor at a small college, I am called upon to teach nearly every course in the mathematics curriculum. Therefore, I spend a great deal of time trolling for textbooks, as I never know from one year to the next what I will be teaching. I examined this book for possible adoption as a text for a single semester course in differential equations. My conclusion was that it is acceptable, but since it contains enough material for a two semester sequence, it must be assigned a rank lower than those that cover only a single semester.
However, I do strongly approve of the pedagogical approach taken by the authors. Their use of blue highlighting for the important formulas is eye-catching and effective. As I scanned through the book it was sometimes easier to determine the topic of a section by looking for the equations that were in blue. The exposition made the material easy to follow and the many worked and varied examples make the coverage complete.
I was also pleased to see the occasional theorem with proof. While courses in differential equations are largely, "give the technique(s), here is how to use it", it is still an upper division math course and an occasional proof is certainly reasonable and effective. The authors also include a short set of technical writing exercises at the end of the chapters and there are plenty of exercises with answers to the odd-numbered ones included in an appendix. While I don't think that I would ever make use of the technical writing exercises, I am sure that there are others who would take advantage of the opportunity.
In conclusion, even though I was impressed with this book, I doubt that I would adopt it. The differences between differential equation texts tend to be rather small, so the fact that this book is suitable for a two-semester sequence is enough for me to continue to look elsewhere.

Fundamentals of Differential Equations, Sixth Edition
the book was in perfect condition just like the seller said so. ... Read more

Product Description
This revision of Boyce & DiPrima's market-leading text maintains its classic strengths: a contemporary approach with flexible chapter construction, clear exposition, and outstanding problems. Like previous editions, this revision is written from the viewpoint of the applied mathematician, focusing both on the theory and the practical applications of Differential Equations as they apply to engineering and the sciences.

Student Solutions Manual:

Created as an integral learning aid to Boyce and DiPrima's Elementary Differntial Equations, 8E, this Solutions Manual provides worked out answers to select problems in the text.Using the Solutions Manual as you work your way through the course will ensure that you are doing the work right all along. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Elementary DE and Boundary Problems SSM
Not a complete set of answers like I thought, But it does have many useful problems worked out.

Not What I Expected
The product reads: Students Soluntions Manual to accompany Boyce Elementary Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems (paperback), only to find out there was no book, only a pdf file.Disappointed.

Not thrilled....
This solutions manual hasn't really helped me. A lof of the times the authors just leave the problem unsolved and describe how you would solve it. Whats the point of a solutions manual that doesn't give you the solution?

Differentials
It's better than nothing..

Doesn't show all steps to solving problems.Basically you have to go step by step in figuring out what the book did.

Not all problems are solved like in most solutions manuals, just random problems.

This book sucks.
I'm currently taking ordinary diff EQ and I got this thinking why not...This is the worst solutions manual ever.It solves random problems, and sometimes it will solve a problem with a different method then the book has for that particular section.I have only opened this book up 2x, both times the problems I wanted answers to were not there...Have fun. ... Read more