Math Is Fun Forum

PatternMan

Member

Registered: 2014-03-08

Posts: 199

How difficult is calculus by spivak supposed to be?

When I was reading this book I thought this isn't so hard. Most of this seems straight forward since I'm familiar with maths. That was until I tried to do the problems. I have never done proofs before except for a few in serge lang's algebra book. It took me a very long time just to do the first 2 proofs in chapter one. I don't even know if they're right. In the 3rd chapter I don't even know how to approach the proofs. It wil take me over a year to finish this book at this rate because I'll have other responsibilities. Is it supposed to be this hard and do you know of any resources that give you practice with proof?

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"School conditions you to reject your own judgement and experiences. The facts are in the textbook. Memorize and follow the rules. What they don't tell you is the people that discovered the facts and wrote the textbooks are people like you and me."

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: How difficult is calculus by spivak supposed to be?

Caine: Master, will all this take me a very long time to learn?

Master Po: Only a lifetime, perhaps a little longer.

I would be very happy to be able to go through a math book by myself in about a year. Most, took a lot longer and I am still not through them. This ain't a race. The idea is to educate yourself. Math is big, we are very small. Expect to learn in small doses.

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In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.