Calculus Simplified

An Accessible, Streamlined, and User-Friendly Approach to Calculus

“A brilliant, mind-easing, mind-straightening, and mind-empowering companion guide for all those currently working―and struggling―to discover and understand the meaning and story of calculus.”―James Tanton, Mathematical Association of America and Global Math Project

“This reader-friendly book is specifically designed for first-year calculus students. Fernandez writes in a welcoming style and the text is neither repetitive nor jargon-laden. With a strong presentation, well-chosen examples, and useful exercises, he does a marvelous job distilling the subject down to the essentials.”―David R. Dorman, Middlebury College

“Calculus Simplified contains just the right amount of content and depth of insight for students who need neither the rigor of a calculus class for mathematicians nor the detail of a calculus class for engineers and physicists. This book balances intuition with theory to present the appropriate level for readers working outside of those subject areas.”―John A. Adam, author of A Mathematical Nature Walk

What's Inside

Book Description

An accessible, streamlined, and user-friendly approach to calculus

Calculus is a beautiful subject that most of us learn from calculus professors, textbooks, or supplementary texts. Each of these resources has strengths but also weaknesses. In Calculus Simplified, Oscar Fernandez combines the strengths and omits the weaknesses, resulting in a “Goldilocks approach” to learning calculus: just the right level of detail, the right depth of insights, and the flexibility to customize your calculus adventure.

In the first chapter, Fernandez offers an intuitive introduction to the three key ideas in calculus—limits, derivatives, and integrals. The mathematical details of each of these pillars of calculus are then covered in subsequent chapters, which are organized into mini-lessons on topics found in a college-level calculus course. Each mini-lesson focuses first on developing the intuition behind calculus and then on conceptual and computational mastery. Nearly 200 solved examples and more than 300 exercises (all with answers provided) allow for ample opportunities to practice calculus. And additional resources—including interactive graphs and practice tests—are available on the book’s website.

Calculus Simplified also gives you the option of personalizing your calculus journey. For example, you can learn all of calculus with zero knowledge of exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions—these are discussed at the end of each mini-lesson. You can also opt for a more in-depth understanding of topics—chapter appendixes provide additional insights and detail. Finally, an additional appendix explores more in-depth real-world applications of calculus.

Learning calculus should be an exciting voyage, not a daunting task. Calculus Simplified gives you the freedom to choose your calculus experience, and the right support to help you conquer the subject with confidence.

Reviews

“This reader-friendly book is specifically designed for first-year calculus students. Fernandez writes in a welcoming style and the text is neither repetitive nor jargon-laden. With a strong presentation, well-chosen examples, and useful exercises, he does a marvelous job distilling the subject down to the essentials.”―David R. Dorman, Middlebury College

“A brilliant, mind-easing, mind-straightening, and mind-empowering companion guide for all those currently working―and struggling―to discover and understand the meaning and story of calculus.”―James Tanton, Mathematical Association of America and Global Math Project

“Calculus Simplified contains just the right amount of content and depth of insight for students who need neither the rigor of a calculus class for mathematicians nor the detail of a calculus class for engineers and physicists. This book balances intuition with theory to present the appropriate level for readers working outside of those subject areas.”―John A. Adam, author of A Mathematical Nature Walk

“Calculus Simplified provides an ideal mix of conceptual development of the big ideas and formal treatment of the process. It answers, ‘What is calculus?’ and ‘How do I use it?’ without getting bogged down in the muck that often inhibits the joy and productivity for so many students using other materials. This excellent new resource will fill an important niche.”―Brent A. Ferguson, Lawrenceville School

Reader Reviews

"I felt cheated by my education, and decided I can learn this better and retain it, this is my favorite book so far." ―David Weiseth

"I cannot thank this author enough. Fernandez deserves a Nobel, why not 2 Nobels. I have a room full of dud [ stuffy, unhelpful, & or full of errors ] Calculus books. THIS book is the one that breaks a person across from word-based explanations, into working the math, and having a clue what is going on, doing Calculus. Calculus!!! Mr Fernandez the author even included appendices for people who need to refresh before beginning." ―Person

"As someone who has neither practiced nor approached Calculus since my last two years in high school, I found 'Calculus Simplified' by Oscar E. Fernandez a surprisingly effective return to the subject. The book does an excellent job presenting the fundamentals of Calculus in a manner I found accessible, approachable, and more empathetic than I experienced as a student. Dr. Fernandez is a superior teacher, and his compassion for his readers is ever-present in his text. `Calculus is a mindset,' Fernandez writes, and I applaud him for instilling such a positive one in this book." ―Jacopo della Quercia