Guide to a Mathematics Course

[BeuysVonTelekraft]

Hi, next year i'll start my bachelor's degree on mathematics, but i want to study something about it while i'm idle.

 

I've found this:

 

http://webdocs.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/courses/Mathematics.html

 

And this:

 

http://www.ufpe.br/proacad/images/cursos_ufpe/matematica_bacharelado_perfil_4904.pdf

 

They're Syllabi from some mathematics courses, one of them is from the university near me, the other is from Harvard.

 

Can someone suggest a study way? Where should I start and which books I should get?

 

 

 

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

 

 

[ajb]

Hi, next year i'll start my bachelor's degree on mathematics, but i want to study something about it while i'm idle.

 

I wish you good luck with your degree.

 

What I suggest is that you find out what will be on the first year syllabus at the university you will be attending. I am sure you can get advice on what books or other resources are recommended.

[BeuysVonTelekraft]

I wish you good luck with your degree.

 

What I suggest is that you find out what will be on the first year syllabus at the university you will be attending. I am sure you can get advice on what books or other resources are recommended.

 

The course i'll make starts with Linear Algebra.

 

 

 

[DrRocket]

Hi, next year i'll start my bachelor's degree on mathematics, but i want to study something about it while i'm idle.

 

I've found this:

 

http://webdocs.regis...athematics.html

 

And this:

 

http://www.ufpe.br/p...perfil_4904.pdf

 

They're Syllabi from some mathematics courses, one of them is from the university near me, the other is from Harvard.

 

Can someone suggest a study way? Where should I start and which books I should get?

 

 

 

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is no way to address this without knowing what mathematics you already know and what you will be studying during your first year.

 

Generally one would expect that you will start out in some sort of calculus class. I recommend that you wait until you have an instructor to guide your study. Freshman calculus texts are notoriously bad.

 

If you already have a reassonable grasp of elementary calculus, you might try reading Maxwell Rosenlicht's Introduction to Analysis. It is a good book, relatively easy reading, available as an inexpensive Dover reprint, and won't do any harm.

[DJBruce]

As people have previously said, it really depends on what you courses you are taking, and what area of mathematics you plan on studying, and your mathematical maturity. If you are planning on majoring in "pure" maths then at some point you will need to begin taking rigorous proof based courses. If you have little experience to proofs and theoretical mathematics you might want to consider a intro to proofs book such as "How to Prove It" by Daniel Velleman or "Mathematical Proofs" by Gary Chartrand. Although to be honest the best way to learn "how to do proofs" is by doing them yourself.

 

As has been said if you have already taken basic calculus, i.e.: single variable, you may want to consider reading up on introductory real analysis. Personally, I really like Spivak's Calculus or little Rubin for this. However, these books are more expensive than the one Dr. Rocket recommended.

 

The course i'll make starts with Linear Algebra.

 

If you are looking for a good complete Linear Algebra book I would recommend Hoffam and Kunze's Linear Algebra. Although be forewarned that this book is a fairly theoretical approach, and so if you are new to theoretical mathematics you might want to use a book that is a little more concrete.

 

 

 

[DrRocket]

 

If you are looking for a good complete Linear Algebra book I would recommend Hoffam and Kunze's Linear Algebra. Although be forewarned that this book is a fairly theoretical approach, and so if you are new to theoretical mathematics you might want to use a book that is a little more concrete.

 

 

That is a very good book. But it is usually used at the junior/senior level as the text for a second course in linear algebra. It would take a very good freshman to gain much from it.

[BeuysVonTelekraft]

Ok, thanks for the advices. I kinda figured the way it should be done (tried?), Algebra, Calculus, then Analysis. I've got some books and I'm gonna start to read them. Thank you so much.

[BeuysVonTelekraft]

Guys, what you think about:

 

-For dummies books;

 

-DeMYSTiFied books;

 

-Complete idiots guide.

Edited December 26, 2011 by BeuysVonTelekraft

[DrRocket]

Guys, what you think about:

 

-For dummies books;

 

-DeMYSTiFied books;

 

-Complete idiots guide.

 

That depends on what you intend to do with them. They have a place, but are not good substitutes for the standard text books.

 

There is a reason that classic textbooks are classics. Texts writen by real experts, who have deep understanding, tend to be the most clear and insightful.

Edited December 26, 2011 by DrRocket