Product Description

The Sixth Edition of this acclaimed differential equations book remains the same classic volume it's always been, but has been polished and sharpened to serve readers even more effectively. Offers  precise and clear-cut statements of fundamental existence and uniqueness theorems to allow understanding of their role in this subject. Features a strong numerical approach that emphasizes that the effective and reliable use of numerical methods often requires preliminary analysis using standard elementary techniques. Inserts new graphics and text where needed for improved accessibility.A useful reference for readers who need to brush up on differential equations.

Customer Reviews (3)

Solutions are a bit brief.
Just like the title says, but this is a good book to own with the text.

Barely Adequate
I found this text to be more of an outline of topics regarding differential equations.In point of fact I used two other texts (Schaum's and Boyce/DiPrima's) to actually learn the material and this book as an ordered list of topics which is pathetic when you feel you've spent $100 for a table of contents.

The explanations of example solutions seemed incomplete or jumbled in which inferential leaps were made leaving the reader lost.For example, when learning to verify functions as solutions to a give differential equation, the first example doesn't even speak of the verification process and example two states: "The verification is routine; we omit it here."The example problems here are back-to-back with no intermediate text involving any explanation.

The two stars I have given this book are for one thing only: this text does an excellent job of covering a very wide range of applications.As a rocket scientist, I enjoy seeing dedicated sections on rocket propulsion, which is included along with sections on mechanical vibrations, electrical circuits, typical physics, oscillations, and ecological and population models.

Overall, this text is too expensive for the material provided and, I believe, poorly written.However, for students, if it is available in your school library, the application problems presented are well worth checking out.

EXPENSIVE YET OUTSTANDING DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS BOOK
With the sixth edition of this textbook, Edwards and Penney have made significant strides with interesting examples and chapter problems that can challenge one not only from a mathematical standpoint but also from concepts regarding physics, fluid mechanics, population growth, radioactive decay, etc.

As a teacher, I say that this is a very user-friendly book for an instructor who teaches differential equations as a three-hour college course. The introductory sections are a very good refresher for those who need to brush up on their calculus, especially in working with integrals and derivatives concerning natural logarithms. In each chapter, the range of the problems seems apt. Too often in so many publications are there relatively easy problems only to be followed immediately by exercises that are at an astronomical degree of difficulty for the student and many a professor.

Perhaps the main weaknesses are underscored by the amount of self-discipline an undergraduate might need to read and understand the theory thus application of the topics if he or she is not receiving added guidance from a tutor or quality instructor. This is not entirely a self-explanatory reference, but differential equations is not exactly an introductory level course; and I believe that Edwards and Penney did assimilate a great set of examples and exercises such that even if the material is difficult to grasp, the challenges posed are so relevant to daily life that one who cares to become a specialist in the sciences will be prone to try overriding any difficulties to at least gain a better understanding of the physical phenomena surrounding him or her.

As added kudos, with this volume, Edwards and Penney have helped me to gain a level of appreciation and joy in encountering engineering problems. Though it is pricey for its size, "Elementary Differential Equations" does provide adequate frames of reference without being bogged down with graphs or numerical tables that are not well displayed or explained. All in all, this is an excellent cross-training reference for those who want to enhance their mathematical skills while still developing their technical skills in engineering and various physical sciences. ... Read more

Product Description
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS WITH BOUNDARY-VALUE PROBLEMS, 7th Edition strikes a balance between the analytical, qualitative, and quantitative approaches to the study of differential equations. This proven and accessible text speaks to beginning engineering and math students through a wealth of pedagogical aids, including an abundance of examples, explanations, "Remarks" boxes, definitions, and group projects. Using a straightforward, readable, and helpful style, this book provides a thorough treatment of boundary-value problems and partial differential equations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Good Book
It is a very good book. However I didn't even use mine, sent this one back to amazon and the only gave me half of what I paid for it because I opened the packaging. A little harsh I think.

Great Book for Learning DE
Though some of the reviews mention the examples in the book are hard to follow, I found the examples made learning DE really simple if your classes/profs follow the book closely. Perhaps it is just personal learning/study styles, but since I fall asleep in class often, I rely heavily on the examples in the book and learn by myself a few days before the exams.

I can't disagree that the book does skip steps in the example from time to time (but maybe it is because those are considered trivial calculus knowledge? and DE is normally taken after finishing calculus). One thing I really like about the book is that once it gives a concept/theorem it is followed by an example that demonstrates how to solve a problem of that type.

As for the problems given at the end of section, I never really sat down and went over each problem, so I am not too familiar in reviewing how the problems are. For the problems I did go over, they are fairly straight forward.

Not a bad book
I bought the book for my differential equations class. It seems that I bought an earlier edition since one of the chapters is missing. That's my fault not the seller's though.

Good instruction on differential equations
I used this book for an "online course" where we never met the instructor.Fortunately the book makes it easy to learn the material without having an expert by your side to guide you.

worthless
In calc I and II i relied on the solutions manual to help get through homework, which were very helpful. This book, however, does nothing of the sort. It only shows answers to randomly-numbered problems (i.e. #3,6,9,12,15,16,20) some problems just show the answer without any work toward the solution.

Absolutely worthless ... 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.

Customer Reviews (8)

Student Solutions Manual to accompany Boyce Elemen...
This solutions manual does not show solutions to all problems.It skips around randomly.The solutions are not formatted in a math font so answers are hard to read and follow.I found [...] much more helpful and easier to use.

Horrible
Adds virtually NO value whatsoever beyond what you can get for free on [...].I feel like a moron for wasting my money.If I had bought this in a bricks and mortar store I would have taken it back immediately.In no way worth the price.

bought with textbook
came on time and is a good price.only helpful if you actually try the real problems lol.

worst solutions manual EVER!DO NOT BUY.
Like other reviewers have said, the manual does not have solutions for every problem.I'm not so bothered by that as I am by the fact that MANY times, the solutions and the problems don't even match up!Also, when you actually have a problem and solution that does match up, the solution is impossible to understand.I've done pages and pages of math homework from the text book already, and was unable to get anything useful from this book.I think it's fair to call this manual an OUTRAGE!I can't believe it's still in circulation.

Terrible explanations
Instead of a full solution to the problem like most solutions guides, this guide may provide only one part of the solution and leave you from there. Many problems i need help with are not even in the guide whether the problem is odd or even. It seems as though they picked random questions. ... Read more

Product Description
Utilizing MATLAB's computational and graphical tools right from the start, this analysis of differential equations helps users probe a variety of mathematical models, encouraging them to develop problem-solving skills and independent judgment as they derive mathematical models, select approaches to their analysis, and find answers to the original physical questions. Providing immediate graphic and numeric support, it demonstrates how physical problems motivate the central ideas and techniques of differential equations, showing how they model physical phenomena by examining ideas from four perspectives: geometric, analytic, numeric, and physical.Introduces qualitative analysis and numerical methods for scalar equations and systems early on, without sacrificing coverage of the most important traditional analytical methods. Fully integrates MATLAB into the text and exercises, and uses mathematical models of physical problems throughout to emphasize the interplay between the physical problem and the analytic, graphical, and numeric information available from the differential equation model. Seamlessly integrates over 1,400 exercises, open-ended chapter projects, and motivational 'Thought Questions'.For scientists and engineers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A very good ODE textbook for modeling, good problem solving
This is a very good book for differential equations, with good modeling examples, good problem sets.

You do not have to use Matlab if you do not want to have that part.

No MATLAB syntax
If you're looking for a book to learn how to model differential equations with MATLAB, don't buy this book. No examples in MATLAB are given, only references to what commands in 'DELAB' (The author's MATLABinterface) can be used to solve problems. I purchased and returned thisbook. ... Read more

Product Description
If you want top grades and thorough understanding of partial differential equations, this powerful study tool is the best tutor you can have! It takes you step-by-step through the subject and gives you 290 accompanying related problems with fully worked solutions. You also get plenty of practice problems to do on your own, working at your own speed. (Answers at the back show you how you're doing.) Famous for their clarity, wealth of illustrations and examples, and lack of dreary minutiae, SchaumOs Outlines have sold more than 30 million copies worldwideNand this guide will show you why! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

new book

I am satisfy with the new book which I received from my collegue who is going to San Jose for training last month.

Good book, easy to understand
This series is very famous , and i like the methods and way they interprete.

Partial Differential Equations review
I have found it helpful and inciteful with the more difficult differential equations that can be attempted.

Good if you've forgotten
This book contains mostly routine exercises of the subject. If you want to dig a bit further and sharpen your skills: try Krasnov's A Book of Problems in Ordinary Differential Equations. Language: English
ISBN: 5030009493

Not up to par with other Schaum's outlines on mathematics
This is one of the more poorly written Schaum's outlines I have encountered. The theory is very murky and the author gives no clear direction as to where he is going with this material and what it all means. PDE is a hard enough subject without working a bunch of meaningless problems that leave you wondering what it is you are supposed to have learned. Instead, I suggest you read "Introduction to Partial Differential Equations with Applications" by Zachmanoglou and Thoe in order to understand the mathematical underpinnings of PDE. Then read "Partial Differential Equations for Scientists and Engineers" to get a thorough feel for how PDE is used to solve real-world problems. Both books usually sell used for under $10 each, making them cost-effective alternatives to this Schaum's outline. ... Read more

Product Description
Superb introduction devotes almost half its pages to numerical methods for solving partial differential equations, while the heart of the book focuses on boundary-value and initial-boundary-value problems on spatially bounded and on unbounded domains; integral transforms; uniqueness and continuous dependence on data, first-order equations, and more. Numerous exercises included, with solutions for many at end of book. For students with little background in linear algebra, a useful appendix covers that subject briefly.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great Book
This book is very well written and is worth every penny I paid for it. The authors are very clear,concise and understand the reader. The only drawback is that their Schaum's
Outline has the Finite Element Method, but this book, as detailed as it is, has for some reason omitted it. With that said, I still think the book is very well priced.

Mad props
Everybody out there thinking of writing an Applied PDE textbook should just forget it, you're wasting your time... we already have a perfectly good one: it's here, and it's under $20. Comprehensive, understandable and way ahead of its time in appreciating the importance of numerical methods. With copious examples and stacks of problems, it's good as both a learning and a reference text. The only bad things I can find are a few typos in the finite difference chapters. Outstanding job.

right mix of mathematics, physics, and numerics
Not very special book, but a beautiful price. Down the
line the goal is FEM, but it review different types of
equations with some mathematical rigor and physical
insight.

It's about time this book is back in print.
Kudos to Dover for bringing this book back in print.We used
this book in a partial differential equations course at the
University of Pittsburgh a year ago.Unfortunately, the book
was out-of print then, and we had to use photocopies of the
original Harper & Row edition. (and the school bookstore charged
us about twice the $$ as the Dover edition costs.)The text
begins with the heat equation, and then progresses to more
complicated PDEs.The nice thing is that discrete methods are

introduced right from the start.I remember having a lot of fun
plugging discrete solutions of PDEs into Microsoft Excel and
seeing what the solutions looked like.The chapter on Fourier
Series is good, generalized Fourier series are covered, and
you will learn concepts such as pointwise and uniform convergen-
ce.Following that, there is a chapter on boundary-value
problems which covers Dirichlet, Neumann and Sturm-Liouville
problems.For both Cartesian and curvilinear coordinates.I
can't tell you what is in the later chapters, but if the rest
of the book is like the first three chapters, then it is a great
book, well worth the money. ... Read more

Product Description
Here's the perfect self-teaching guide to help anyone master differential equations, a common stumbling block for students looking to progress to advanced topics in both science and math.

Covers First Order Equations, Second Order Equations and Higher, Properties, Solutions, Series Solutions, Fourier Series and Orthogonal Systems, Partial Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems, Numerical Techniques, and more.

Perfect for a student going on to advanced analytical work in mathematics, engineering, and other fields of mathematical science. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

If you can understand this book, you probably don't need to read it in the first place.
I gave this book such a low rating because it falls way short of the expectations of its intended audience. This book is terrible choice for someone who knows nothing about differential equations and wants to teach themself. The examples and explanations and derivations are difficult to follow and not really any different from what you would find in a typical college textbook. I was hoping to find a book that explained differential equations in plain, simple English and avoided using jargon and confusing symbols. I was disappointed. The author also skips a lot of steps in the examples. The answers in the back of the book are not very well explained. The book is full of problems titled "Now you try" but the answers are not given. How am I supposed to know if I did it right? I feel that the author's mathematical formalism and usage of symbols was out of place. I see nothing wrong with explaining things using language like "now you take this thing here, and derive it, then multiply by this other over here... etc". If you can follow the author, you probably don't need this book in the first place. This book is no more user friendly than a typical 800 page textbook, just shorter and soft cover.

Greatly Underwhelmed
Except for the interesting treatment of Kepler's equations in chapter 2, there is not much to reccommend this version over others. This is a greatly stripped-down rehash of the standard fare: problems, exams and all. I was greatly underwhelmed. Demystification requires at the very least minimal discussions of some of the applications and the nature and utility of differential equations to other areas of mathematics. I found none of that here and thus expected a lot more. Instead of Demystification, it should just be called a "rehashed summary of differential equations."

Great book for review/introduction
I read some of the other reviews before writing this, and -- with all due respect, etc. etc. -- I think some of the other reviewers are missing the point of the entire series (Demystified) books.

The book is intended as a short, pithy, introduction to the topic.It makes no pretense of providing in-depth coverage, either of theory, or of all possible topics.This series of books is intended to provide a survey of many, but not all, commonly used techniques in a field;and it is intended to provide relatively simple examples and exercises so that the self-teaching student can get his/her feet wet.

I've just finished two chapters (and skimmed the rest), and so far I'm very pleased with the level of the treatment.You do need some prior calculus background, but if you have that, the book should be easy to follow.My own background was undergraduate physics, and, years later, I've decided to brush up.The book provides excellent review, as well as introducing me to topics I never quite "got" back in college.

If you want in-depth theory, or more comprehensive coverage of various techniques, or more advanced and challenging examples/home work problems, *or* conditions for solubility, go buy a standard, $100 college textbook on DiffEQs.However, if you want an accessible, inexpensive, brief but not overly-brief treatment of the fundamental techniques of solving differential equations, this book is very good.(By the way, the book includes the basics for at least some partial differential equations, as well as ordinary differential equations.)

Is it perfect?No.There is one subsection, for example, on using DiffEQs to make the connection between Newton's laws and Kepler's laws, and that particular subsection is not entirely clear.But I can forgive an occasional rough spot in a book that is overall clearly written, and well-designed for the self-study student.

Avoid if you're a math student
Avoid this book if you are a math student and need a more rigorous approach that deals with the Lipschitz condition etc. This book doesn't cover the necessary conditions under which one can find a solution, Picard's iteration, or the method of Frobenius, all of which are needed in most math-major type of ODE classes.

If you need a quick reference, Schaum's provides more bang for your buck.

Adequate
This book is a good preliminary intro into ODE's.It does not cover a majority of the higher order solution systems covered in a basic engineering diffy Q class, so beware if that is what youre looking for. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Based on a one-year course taught by the author to graduates at the University of Missouri, this book provides a student-friendly account of some of the standard topics encountered in an introductory course of ordinary differential equations. In a second semester, these ideas can be expanded by introducing more advanced concepts and applications. A central theme in the book is the use of Implicit Function Theorem, while the latter sections of the book introduce the basic ideas of perturbation theory as applications of this Theorem. The book also contains material differing from standard treatments, for example, the Fiber Contraction Principle is used to prove the smoothness of functions that are obtained as fixed points of contractions. The ideas introduced in this section can be extended to infinite dimensions. ... Read more

Product Description
This book introduces finite difference methods for both ordinary differential equations (ODEs) and partial differential equations (PDEs) and discusses the similarities and differences between algorithm design and stability analysis for different types of equations. A unified view of stability theory for ODEs and PDEs is presented, and the interplay between ODE and PDE analysis is stressed. The text emphasizes standard classical methods, but several newer approaches also are introduced and are described in the context of simple motivating examples.

The book is organized into two main sections and a set of appendices. Part I addresses steady-state boundary value problems, starting with two-point boundary value problems in one dimension, followed by coverage of elliptic problems in two and three dimensions. It concludes with a chapter on iterative methods for large sparse linear systems that emphasizes systems arising from difference approximations. Part II addresses time-dependent problems, starting with the initial value problem for ODEs, moving on to initial boundary value problems for parabolic and hyperbolic PDEs, and concluding with a chapter on mixed equations combining features of ODEs, parabolic equations, and hyperbolic equations. The appendices cover concepts pertinent to Parts I and II. Exercises and student projects, developed in conjunction with this book, are available on the book s webpage along with numerous MATLAB m-files.

Readers will gain an understanding of the essential ideas that underlie the development, analysis, and practical use of finite difference methods as well as the key concepts of stability theory, their relation to one another, and their practical implications. The author provides a foundation from which students can approach more advanced topics and further explore the theory and/or use of finite difference methods according to their interests and needs.

Audience: This book is designed as an introductory graduate-level textbook on finite difference methods and their analysis. It is also appropriate for researchers who desire an introduction to the use of these methods.

Contents: Preface; Part I: Boundary Value Problems and Iterative Methods. Chapter 1: Finite Difference Approximations; Chapter 2: Steady States and Boundary Value Problems; Chapter 3: Elliptic Equations; Chapter 4: Iterative Methods for Sparse Linear Systems; Part II: Initial Value Problems. Chapter 5: The Initial Value Problem for Ordinary Differential Equations; Chapter 6: Zero-Stability and Convergence for Initial Value Problems; Chapter 7: Absolute Stability for Ordinary Differential Equations; Chapter 8: Stiff Ordinary Differential Equations; Chapter 9: Diffusion Equations and Parabolic Problems; Chapter 10: Advection Equations and Hyperbolic Systems; Chapter 11: Mixed Equations; Appendix A: Measuring Errors; Appendix B: Polynomial Interpolation and Orthogonal Polynomials; Appendix C: Eigenvalues and Inner-Product Norms; Appendix D: Matrix Powers and Exponentials; Appendix E: Partial Differential Equations; Bibliography; Index. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good book
This is a great book for numerical analysis and finite differences. The author makes it simple to understand(well mostly) without sacrificing rigor.
... Read more

Product Description

This example-rich reference fosters a smooth transition from elementary ordinary differential equations to more advanced concepts. Asmar's relaxed style and emphasis on applications make the material accessible even to readers with limited exposure to topics beyond calculus. Encourages computer for illustrating results and applications, but is also suitable for use without computer access. Contains more engineering and physics applications, and more mathematical proofs and theory of partial differential equations, than the first edition. Offers a large number of exercises per section. Provides marginal comments and remarks throughout with insightful remarks, keys to following the material, and formulas recalled for the reader's convenience. Offers Mathematica files available for download from the author's website. A useful reference for engineers or anyone who needs to brush up on partial differential equations.

Customer Reviews (5)

Great book
This book talks basically about everything an undergraduate needs to know about partial differential equations.
It explains Fourier series and Fourier transformation very clearly and understandable for people new to it & for somebody wants a little more deep understanding of Fourier theory.
I suggest this book to any math major student and an interested engineering student in PDE.
What this book mess is proofing wave, heat equations from a physics point of view & Finite Fourier sine and cosine transformation method, hopefully that will be covered in the 3rd edition.
In general this book is really a fantastic choice and a book every math student should have.

From a student
I just finished a PDE course using this book, in fact I attend the University where the author teaches and took the course below his office everyday.I would like to agree with the above praise of the book and the author

Partial Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems
I think this book is Possibly the best Mathematic book for Engineer I've ever read. This is due to the fact that the material is so much clear and the examples are so easy to follow. The book's explanation is precise and accurate. The exercises on every chapter are helpful. I practise almost most of the exercise problems. In fact, I score an "A" on the first Test. I will recommend it to everyone without hesitation.

Initial impressions
Nakhle:Just a quick note to thank you for your book! It arrived Thursday, and I've been reading it and doing the exercises both on paper and in Mathematica 3.0. After a quick review of the whole book and a thorough reading of the first 70 pages so far, I can say I just love it! IfI'd only had a book like this in college and graduate school I'd havebecome a much better electrical engineer. Yours is one of the bestexpositions of both Fourier series and partial differential equations I'veused. Although I haven't gotten very far into the boundary value problemsand the orthogonal functions areas of the book yet, my initial reviewindicates they will be excellent also. I am enjoying your book immensely,and I thank you very much for it. I'll update this with a more thoroughreview when I have a chance to finish the book, but I wanted to share myinitial impressions so others might weigh them into their own decisions toget this excellent book.

A clear introduction to PDEs, Fourier series
This text not only provides a simple and easy-to- read-the-first-time guide to solving PDEs with Fourier series, it also is chock-full with all the necessary details and includes many interesting problems.I took acourse out of this book as a sophomore in college and found it veryinteresting and useful.The style and difficulty is very similar to atypical undergraduate ordinary differential equations book, except this isbetter organized.

The subjects include a small bit on characteristics forfirst-order equations, a chapter on trigonometric series, PDEs inrectangular, polar, and spherical systems and associated eigenfunctionexpansions, Sturm-Liouville theory, the fourier transform, Laplace/Hankeltransforms for PDEs, grid-type numerical methods, sampling & discreteFourier analysis, and quantum mechanics (the Schrödinger equation).

Thisbook is definitely great for applied mathematicians, physicists, orengineers whoreally need a solid introduction to the topic, written bysomeone who knows all the details.Any treatment in "mathematicalphysics" courses on PDEs will fall short of this book's content.

Ofparticular importance are the inclusion of special sections for Besselfunctions, Legendre polynomials, associated Legendre functions, sphericalharmonics, etc.All the details of solution and many exercises areincluded.

The most interesting parts of the book are towards the end,with the Sampling Theorem and discrete Fourier transform; and the proof ofHeisenberg's uncertainty principle.

This book is also useful for moretheoretical mathematicians or mathematical physicists who need anintroduction to PDEs before taking a more difficult course on generaltheory.

In short, I think that even though this book is of great utilityto non-mathematicians, it is proper to learn these concepts and techniquesin a proper math setting where care is taken.This text is a solidfoundation for confident application and a springboard towards moreadvanced subjects. ... Read more

Product Description
Emphasizing the physical interpretation of mathematical solutions, this book introduces applied mathematics while presenting partial differential equations.Topics addressed include heat equation, method of separation of variables, Fourier series, Sturm-Liouville eigenvalue problems, finite difference numerical methods for partial differential equations, nonhomogeneous problems, Green's functions for time-independent problems, infinite domain problems, Green's functions for wave and heat equations, the method of characteristics for linear and quasi-linearwave equations and a brief introduction to Laplace transform solution ofpartial differential equations.For scientists and engineers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Terrible book.Does not properly explain even the most basic topics
Unless you happen to already be a math PhD or child prodigy, do not listen to the 4 and 5 star reviews.For us mere mortals, this is a terrible textbook.Instead of laying out proofs as formulas, almost everything is in paragraph form.In addition, the author has a terrible habit of saying "Given premise A, one can easily come to conclusion Z" with no mention of steps B through Y.This is not for the problems marked difficult at the end of the chapter.This is the first thing that he will say at the introduction of a topic.Do yourself a favor and look at Springer's undergraduate math series books in partial differential equations.Also, you can google "Paul's Math Notes".This will at least give you the basic introduction you need to understand the heat, lagrange, and wave equations.

Applied Partial Differential Equations - Review
The book was in very good condition when it arrived. It was a used book, but well kept. It seems that some kind of liquid was either accidentally poured over it, or most likely, the book feel into some kind of puddle of water. Nonetheless, everything is clearly visible and A OK!

Overall understandable.
Decent textbook. Explains when mathematical constraints are imposed for the sake of physical phenomena, and generally makes no tricky leaps when explaining things. Conveys relatively clearly and isn't afraid to resort to less-than-rigorous language at all times.

My Take: I teach from this text
I have taught a graduate level "mathematical methods for engineers" course (or any of the similar name permutations) for many years. My course is essentially a two-semester course in PDEs with associated topics thrown in: it is truly a combination of PDEs with engineering physics problems. I have struggled to find a satisfactory text and have tried many different ones in the process. I find Haberman is ultimately the best choice. Perusing the reviews, I am not surprised to see the criticisms there. This subject matter is sometimes to obscure for engineering/physics students but too superficial (e.g. lacking in proofs and formalism) for purists in mathematics. It's a tough line to walk and nothing is perfect out there. My opinion is that Haberman does a very nice job balancing the physics with an appropriate amount of mathematical detail. Are there topics I'd like to see that aren't? Sure, but that's always going to be true. The all-inclusive text would be multiple volumes and a thousand pages and probably still some would complain important topics are left out.

The closest other text is the PDE text by Nakhle Asmar (I've used that too for a couple of years). It spends more time on special functions and is nice in that regard. However, it definitely falls short in important categories, most notable the whole topic of Greens functions is not introduced.



For my opinion

well organized with good examples
I found this book much more explanatory than another book I had purchased for a different partial differential equations class.This book does just what it says, it is more applied, and I found that much more useful as I am a scientist.They do a fairly good job of explaining why they are doing things, and have appendixes to show more of the gory detail of a derivation than they show in the regular text if you want it. ... Read more

Product Description
"An exceptionally complete overview. There are numerous examples and the emphasis is on applications to almost all areas of science and engineering. There is truly something for everyone here.this reviewer feels that it is a very hard act to follow, and recommends it strongly. [This book] is a jewel."-Applied Mechanics Review

This expanded and enlarged second edition presents a comprehensive and systematic treatment of linear and nonlinear partial differential equations and their varied applications. Building upon the successful material of the first book, this edition contains updated modern examples and applications from areas of fluid dynamics, gas dynamics, plasma physics, nonlinear dynamics, quantum mechanics, nonlinear optics, acoustics, and wave propagation. Methods and properties of solutions, along with their physical significance, help to make the book more useful for a diverse readership.

Topics and Key Features:* Thorough coverage of derivation and methods of solutions for all fundamental nonlinear model equations which include Korteweg-de Vries, Boussinesq, Burgers, Fisher, nonlinear reaction-diffusion, Euler-Lagrange, nonlinear Kleine-Gordon, sine-Gordon, nonlinear Schrödinger, and Whitman equations* Systematic presentation and explanation of conservation laws, weak solutions, and shock waves* Solitions and the Inverse Scattering Transform* Special emphasis on nonlinear instability of dispersive waves with applications to water waves* Over 500 worked examples and end-of-chapter exercises with hints and answers to selected exercises

New features of the Second Edition include:* Improved presentations of results, methods of solutions and proofs * New section on Sturm-Liouville Systems and their fundamental properties * Revised examples, exercises, and updated applications * Several revised nonlinear real-world models that include traffic flow, flood waves, chromatographic models, sediment transport in rivers, glacier flow, and roll waves* Completely updated list of references

Nonlinear Partial Differential Equations for Scientists and Engineers is an exceptionally complete and accessible text/reference for graduate students, researchers, and professionals in mathematics, physics, and engineering. It can be used in graduate-level courses or as a self-study resource. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Nonlinear PDE's
This is a great book! Take it from an average student, this book is good! It really gets the point across in a way that those of us who are average can understand and learn. I love the book! ... Read more

Product Description
Optimal control theory is concerned with finding control functions that minimize cost functions for systems described by differential equations. The methods have found widespread applications in aeronautics, mechanical engineering, the life sciences, and many other disciplines. This book focuses on optimal control problems where the state equation is an elliptic or parabolic partial differential equation. Included are topics such as the existence of optimal solutions, necessary optimality conditions and adjoint equations, second-order sufficient conditions, and main principles of selected numerical techniques. It also contains a survey on the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker theory of nonlinear programming in Banach spaces. The exposition begins with control problems with linear equations, quadratic cost functions and control constraints. To make the book self-contained, basic facts on weak solutions of elliptic and parabolic equations are introduced. Principles of functional analysis are introduced and explained as they are needed. Many simple examples illustrate the theory and its hidden difficulties. This start to the book makes it fairly self-contained and suitable for advanced undergraduates or beginning graduate students. Advanced control problems for nonlinear partial differential equations are also discussed. As prerequisites, results on boundedness and continuity of solutions to semilinear elliptic and parabolic equations are addressed. These topics are not yet readily available in books on PDEs, making the exposition also interesting for researchers. Alongside the main theme of the analysis of problems of optimal control, Troltzsch also discusses numerical techniques. The exposition is confined to brief introductions into the basic ideas in order to give the reader an impression of how the theory can be realized numerically. After reading this book, the reader will be familiar with the main principles of the numerical analysis of PDE-constrained optimization. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

rigorous but understandable
I got this book after finishing Farlow's Partial Differential Equations for Scientists and Engineers. This is a much more mathematically rigorous and sophisticated book, and it took me a lot longer to go through it. (I still haven't done the last two sections on the Laplace transform and approximation methods). My original goal was to learn complex analysis, and since Farlow recommended this book for that topic, I started in the middle with Section VIII, Analytic Functions of a Complex Variable, then did IX and X, then I through VII. This caused a few difficulties solving some of the problems in the later sections due to unfamiliarity with material presented in the earlier sections. E.g. problem 71.4 presumes a knowledge of Green's function, which is covered in section V. Nonetheless, this worked out OK. I now feel as though I have a pretty solid grounding in the material (by which I mean not that I can remember it all, but I can recognize when I've seen it before, and know where to look it up again). That is my operational definition of having "learned" the material.

Frankly, I'm quite surprised by the second reviewer's comment that this book would not be good for self-instruction. I thought it was great! But I had to be very patient and resist the urge to move ahead before I really understood what I had just read. Doing the problems is an excellent reality check! That's one of the features of this book that I liked the most: lots of problems, with ALL the answers in the back, so you can't fool yourself. Most of the answers can be reached with persistence, although I was stumped by a few. But don't buy this book if you don't have a background in calculus and ordinary differential equations! It would also be helpful to review the topic of partial differential equations in an easier format, like Farlow, before progressing to this text.

The material is interesting and varied. There are sections heavy on abstract math and proofs of theorems, other sections mostly practical in orientation. The section on complex analysis lives up to its billing in Farlow. In general, I found that I could skim through the really abstract material without losing the thread of the argument. I'm not good at proofs so I skipped over most of the problems that called for proving something. But at least now I know what is meant by existence and uniqueness proofs, etc.

The book has very few errors. I've listed the ones I think are errors below. Maybe they are and maybe they aren't!

p. 182 second paragraph R(r) sin(n*theta) etc. should be R(r) sin(m*theta) etc.

p. 192 fifth line from bottom "degree n in x,y, and z" should be "degree n in x,y, and r".

p. 223 second equation from bottom should be du2/de*du1/dx - dv2/de*dv1/dx + i(dv2/de*du1/dx + du2/de*dv1/dx)

p. 265 last equation right hand side integrand should be e^(-i*theta), not e^(i*theta).

Solutions to exercises:

1.4: rho subzero du1/dx + d rho subone/dt = 0

5.4: answer can be reduced further to 157/4096, which is how my calculator displayed it

7.5: last line: dA/dt greater than or equal to 0

10.2: second line: epsilon 3 = z*sqrt(alpha/D)

14.1e: e^(-n^2*pi^2*t-t-x)*sin(n*pi*(x-1))

18.4: right side of equation should be 1/2 (e^pi + e^(-pi)) i.e. cosh(pi)

31.4: one times first sum, not two times first sum, and difference between first sum and second (double) sum, not sum of the two

32.3: second line, numerator, sinh term should be sinh (sqrt((n-1/2)^2 + (2m-1)^2 +1) * (1-z))

37.1: substituting xbar = x+1 in formula for c sub-n I get c sub-n twice what answer gives.

37.4: formula for c sub-n: integrand should include (1+x)^-1, not ^-2.

44.4: the exponential t-term is e^(-(mu sub-k supra-(n+1/2))*t), not e^(-mu sub-k supra-((n+1/2)*t))

50.7: log term is log(2 plus or minus sqrt(3))

53.4: the part of the disk to the LEFT of the line....

58.2: ? pi*i*(e-2)

58.7: ? -pi/3

Happy self-instructing!

Book teaches specifics while ignoring big picture
This is not so much a book as it is a published version of lecture notes: it might make a useful supplement to a textbook in a course, or a useful review text for someone who already knows the subject, but it is useless as a standalone textbook for a course or for someone studying the material on their own.The book dives into specific applications and problems without giving much theoretical background.Even for a student with a strong background in ODE's and some exposure to PDE's, this book will be difficult to follow and understand.

The book is essentially a walkthrough of solutions to specific problems.There is little discussion of the theoretical foundations behind the material, little motivation for any of the solutions, little discussion of why a particular line of attack was chosen for a specific problem.

The reader is left with the ability to carry out specific techniques but without any global picture of how to know which techniques are appropriate for which situations.

very thorough book, a bit dated but sophisticated
I used this book for a yearlong course in PDE'swhen I was an undergraduate. I really wish I hadhad that course before quantum mechanics, as manyof the difficult mathematics there would have been cakeafter weinberger. This book is fairly terse but quite complete. The textcan be hard to follow by onesself and I often would refer to easier bookson PDE's to get over certain humps. However, weinberger covers most of thematerial that anyundergraduate would want and does it at a relativelyhigh level. The problems are simply posed but are quite solvable and allhave answers in the back of the book. My recollection is that the book hasvery few typos. The discussion ismore mathematically rigourous than manymore popular books but not so rigourous that it ispainful for someone whoviews the mathematics asa tool. The book isorganized into about 90sections, each corresponding roughly to a 50 minute lecture there areproblem sets of approximately 10 problems for each of these. More recenttopics touching on nonlinear PDEs and the like are not here as the book waswritten in 1966. If you want to get a very solid background in PDEs thatwill leave you in goodstead for conquering books like Jackson'sElectrodynamics or Schiff's quantum mechanics, this is a good book. If youwant a simple introduction, for limited use go somewhere elselikechurchill or powers.

Temario
No entiendo completamente lo que dicen, por ello no se como adquirir el libro(necesitoadquirir varios ejemplares).Manden mayor información. ... Read more

Product Description
A clear, concise book that emphasizes finding solutions to differential equations where applications play an important role. Each chapter includes many illustrative examples to assist the reader. KEY TOPICS: The book emphasizes methods for finding solutions to differential equations. It provides many abundant exercises, applications, and solved examples with careful attention given to readability. Elementary Differential Equations includes a thorough treatment of power series techniques. In addition, the book presents a classical treatment of several physical problems to show how Fourier series become involved in the solution of those problems. The eighth edition of Elementary Differential Equations has been revised to include a new supplement in many chapters that provides suggestions and exercises for using a computer to assist in the understanding of the material in the chapter. It also now provides an introduction to the phase plane and to different types of phase portraits.A valuable reference book for readers interested in exploring the technological and other applications of differential equations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

elem diff e-q's
While the shipping was AMAZING, the book itself is not much use other than as a list of problems.The text explaining the theory behind is written like sandpaper and often jumps around leaving important processes out.It would be a very hard book to use as a solo resource w/o an instructor leading.

Organized very well
I am teaching this course over the summer of 2004 and I find the organization of the book to be very good.I like that each of the sections covers one, and only one, topic at a time.This really allowed me to make a course that works for the summer (when time is severely limited).

The book is very straight-forward in its explanations.However, the exposition is very limited.That means the reader will have to work out a lot of the details.

As a teacher, the book works for me.I can furnish, in class, all of the details that are lacking - that's what they pay me for.

For self study, I would not recommend this book because of the lacking details.I would have to go with the great book by Tenenbaum and Pollard for those that want to self study this subject.

All in all, I really like the book's structure - each section has exactly one point to make, and then exercises to test the one topic in that section.Also, every other chapter has a collection of "miscellaneous problems" that I pull from for the tests.The miscellaneous problems are great, because I can tell my students that those are the problems I am going to use on their tests (a subset at least).That gets the students to work all of those problems (great motivation).

I would give this book 5 stars if an instructor came with the book.Otherwise, it is a good book that leaves many of the simple and intricate details to the reader.

my favourite ODEs text!
I was stuck with Boyce/DiPrima for an ODEs course & I didn't like it, but I found this one in their bibliography & it turned out to be much better. I think there ARE enough examples to make things clear, and lots & lots of problems to work through. Also, it doesn't make a difference to me whether there's a solutions manual or if it has mistakes because I never use one; I just plug the solutions into the equation & see of they work. (I guess if there are mistakes, they should be fixed though)

Elementary Differential Equations
[..]Let me warn all potential customers that this book is all about quantity of material instead of quality. While the book does cover such advanced topics as Fourier Analysis and intro to Partial Differential Equations, the book lacks sufficient examples about what is being said (a number of sections have no examples at all).

I did find the most well-written sections to be the application of second-order differential equations (applied to spring oscillations etc.)However, as far as getting a bang for your buck, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Morris Tennenbaum and Harry Polland's Ordinary Differential Equations Dover edition (cheaper, and MUCH MORE effective.Trust me).

I second that!
I agree with the review dated March 14, 1999.I'd also like to add that as of Chapter 2, I've found at least three misprints in the solutions manual.Normally, these types of mistakes are not that much of a problem.But this should be unacceptable for any decent technical writing, especially mathematics. ... Read more

Product Description
The CLASSIC EDITION of Zill's respected book was designed for instructors who prefer not to emphasize technology, modeling, and applications, but instead want to focus on fundamental theory and techniques.Zill's CLASSIC EDITION, a reissue of the fifth edition, offers his excellent writing style, a flexible organization, an accessible level of presentation, and a wide variety of examples and exercises, all of which make it easy to teach from and easy for readers to understand and use. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Dry math text, hard for me to get motivated beyond grades...
Simply straight forward mathematics. Hard for a non-nerd-_by_birth to desire to crack this text. Only the grade kept me going all semester (ended with B).
To be clear though, I have not yet found an interesting Diff Eq text!

Good luck,

Excellent Highly Recommend
I ordered this book and had it within 3 days. Way before it was promised and it was in excellent condition.I would highly recommend doing business with this seller.

great
delivery took a while because it had to be shipped from overseas, but it arrived in great condition.

A good text on ordinary differential equations with good examples
This particular textbook concerns ordinary differential equations. There are plenty of examples, and they are worked in steps that should make the solution strategy clear to any student with at least two previous semesters of calculus. One of the unusual features of the book are essays written by mathematicians present at the end of chapters 3, 4, 5, and 9. Each essay concerns applications of concepts learned in the previous chapter. The book is well illustrated, and motivations for study are included by making the examples solve practical problems such as the charge on a capacitor, solving orthogonal trajectories of the family of a rectangular hyperbola, or even determining the half-life of a radioactive substance. This makes it ideal for engineering students. There are numerous exercises at the end of each chapter and the solutions to odd numbered problems can be found in the back of the book. The following is the table of contents:

1. INTRODUCTION TO DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
Basic Definitions and Terminology / Some Mathematical Models / Review / Exercises
2. FIRST-ORDER DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
Preliminary Theory / Separable Variables / Homogeneous Equations / Exact Equations / Linear Equations / Equations of Bernoulli, Ricatti, and Clairaut / Substitutions / Picard's Method / Review / Exercises
3. APPLICATIONS OF FIRST-ORDER DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
Orthogonal Trajectories / Applications of Linear Equations / Applications of Nonlinear Equations / Review / Exercises / Essay: Population Dynamics
4. LINEAR DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS OF HIGHER-ORDER
Preliminary Theory / Constructing a Second Solution from a Know Solution / Homogeneous Linear Equations with Constant Coefficients / Undetermined Coefficients: Superposition Approach / Differential Operators / Undetermined Coefficients: Annihilator Approach / Variation of Parameters / Review / Exercises / Essay: Chaos
5. APPLICATIONS OF SECOND-ORDER DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS: VIBRATIONAL MODELS
Simple Harmonic Motion / Damped Motion / Forced Motion / Electric Circuits and Other Analogous Systems / Review / Exercises / Essay: Tacoma Narrows Suspension Bridge Collapse
6. DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS WITH VARIABLE COEFFICIENTS
Cauchy-Euler Equation / Review of Power Series; Power Series Solutions / Solutions About Ordinary Points / Solutions About Singular Points / Two Special Equations / Review / Exercises
7. LAPLACE TRANSFORM
Laplace Transform / Inverse Transform / Translation Theorems and Derivatives of a Transform / Transforms of Derivatives, Integrals, and Periodic Functions / Applications / Dirac Delta Function / Review / Exercises
8. SYSTEMS OF LINEAR DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
Operator Method / Laplace Transform Method / Systems of Linear First-Order Equations / Introduction to Matrices / Matrices and Systems of Linear First-Order Equations / Homogeneous Linear Systems / Undetermined Coefficients / Variation of Parameters / Matrix Exponential / Review / Exercises
9. NUMERICAL METHODS FOR ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
Direction Fields / The Euler Methods / The Three-Term Taylor Method / The Runge-Kutta Methods / Multistep Methods / Errors and Stability / Higher-Order Equations and Systems / Second-Order Boundary-Value Problems / Review / Exercises / Essay: Nerve Impulse Models / APPENDIX I: GAMMA FUNCTION / APPENDIX II: LAPLACE TRANSFORMS / APPENDIX III: REVIEW OF DETERMINANTS / APPENDIX IV: COMPLEX NUMBERS / ANSWERS TO ODD-NUMBERED PROBLEMS

I had a good deal on this text boook
It was at a good price, and also it was what I was looking for.
... Read more

Product Description
This is a two volume introduction to the computational solution of differential equations using a unified approach organized around the adaptive finite element method. It presents a synthesis of mathematical modeling, analysis, and computation. The goal is to provide the student with theoretical and practical tools useful for addressing the basic questions of computational mathematical modeling in science and engineering: How can we model physical phenomena using differential equations? What are the properties of solutions of differential equations?How do we compute solutions in practice? How do we estimate and control the accuracy of computed solutions? The first volume begins by developing the basic issues at an elementary level in the context of a set of model problems in ordinary differential equations. The authors then widen the scope to cover the basic classes of linear partial differential equations modeling elasticity, heat flow, wave propagation and convection-diffusion-absorption problems. The book concludes with a chapter on the abstract framework of the finite element method for differential equations.Volume 2, to be published in early 1997, extends the scope to nonlinear differential equations and systems of equations modeling a variety of phenomena such as reaction-diffusion, fluid flow, many-body dynamics and reaches the frontiers of research. It also addresses practical implementation issues in detail. These volumes are ideal for undergraduates studying numerical analysis or differential equations. This is a new edition of a 1988 text of 275 pages by C. Johnson. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Not even anywhere near as good as Johnson's first FEM book.
I honestely don't understand the point of this book. It spends a great deal of time developing FEM for ODEs. Do we really need FEM for ODEs?????????????? There are already many robust methods for numerically solving ODEs; FEM has no great advantage for ODEs. The real power of FEM is for solving PDEs. I thought this book would be a sequel to Johnson's FEM for PDEs, but instead we get this very long development of FEM for ODEs.

I would recommend that you save a lot of money and buy Johnson's FEM for PDEs book instead. There isn't much useful to be found in this one.

Best of EDP in !!!
This book is excelent because there's reviews of calculus, linear algebra and all sort of classical numerical methods needed to understand the finite element method. Moreover, the authors try and succed in giving a clear explanation of many applications of the method.

Well, a must of numerical analysis that every scientific searchers and engineers must own !!!

An excellent book
Great book to learn the fundamentals of finite element methods (FEM). The authors combine both rigor and simplicity in their presentation of the FEM as a means of numerically solving a wide variety of partial differentialequations. Highly recommended for engineers--especially those who have beentaught FEM using the traditional "structural mechanics" approach.

Amazing
Excellent approach for numerical and computational issues. Perfect for creating solid programs that work and it also explains every detail in a great way. ... Read more

Product Description

This self-contained text offers an elementary introduction to partial differential equations (pdes), primarily focusing on linear equations, but also providing some perspective on nonlinear equations. The classical treatment is mathematically rigorous with a generally theoretical layout, though indications to some of the physical origins of pdes are made throughout in references to potential theory, similarity solutions for the porous medium equation, generalized Riemann problems, and others.

The material begins with a focus on the Cauchy–Kowalewski theorem, discussing the notion of characteristic surfaces to classify pdes. Next, the Laplace equation and connected elliptic theory are treated, as well as integral equations and solutions to eigenvalue problems. The heat equation and related parabolic theory are then presented, followed by the wave equation in its basic aspects. An introduction to conservation laws, the uniqueness theorem, viscosity solutions, ill-posed problems, and nonlinear equations of first order round out the key subject matter.

Large parts of this revised second edition have been streamlined and rewritten to incorporate years of classroom feedback, correct errors, and improve clarity. Most of the necessary background material has been incorporated into the complements and certain nonessential topics have been given reduced attention (noticeably, numerical methods) to improve the flow of presentation.

The exposition is replete with examples, problems and solutions that complement the material to enhance understanding and solidify comprehension. The only prerequisites are advanced differential calculus and some basic L^p theory. The work can serve as a text for advanced undergraduates and graduate students in mathematics, physics, engineering, and the natural sciences, as well as an excellent reference for applied mathematicians and mathematical physicists.

From Reviews of the First Edition:

"The author's intent is to present an elementary introduction to pdes... In contrast to other elementary textbooks on pdes...much more material is presented on the three basic equations: Laplace's equation, the heat and wave equations...The presentation is clear and well organized...The text is complemented by numerous exercises and hints to proofs."

–Mathematical Reviews

"This is a well-written, self-contained, elementary introduction to linear, partial differential equations."

–ZentrallblattMATH

"This book certainly can be recommended as an introduction to PDEs in mathematical faculties and technical universities."

–Applications of Mathematics

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