Engineering Mechanics - Combined (10th Edition)

Rating:
Summary: the instructionally most modern text on statics and dynamics
Review: Lets begin with the Pro's:
+ it *really* tells you *how* to tackle (and solve) a problem incl *all* details (appropriate coordinate system, sign conventions with choice of vector calculus or scalar vector components, magic with all different kind of unit vectors, free-body-diagrams) in the fantastic 'Procedures for Analysis'. it tells you why which choice is favourable in a straight-forward direct manner, didactically perfect.
+ only one to deserve the title 'Eng Mech for Dummies', best intro book among all competitors. It *is* a book for dummies! :-)
+ 10/E no more errors in problem solutions/answers: "two other professionals have checked all the problems for clarity and accuracy of the solutions"
+ nicest pics, photos and graphical layout. countless supporting illustrations. modern.
+ consistent and logical notation throughout (body rotation is always 'omega', coordsys rotation always 'OMEGA') and detailed full explanations of vector symbols and their resolution to coordsys axes
+ comprehensive: covers all topics (all standard topics)
+ up to six supporting examples per chapter subsection. many!
+ numerous additional probs (see companion website, see Appendix for FE Exams)
+ great examples. with full use of vector analysis, vector calculus. Shames4 has even better examples, but Shames4 has not as many as Hibbeler10. So read also Shames4-examples!
+ after reading a full section, you *will* be able to apply the concepts!
+ neat coverage of 3-dim rigid body kinetics. Hibbeler is here better than Meriam5 but a bit worse than Shames4. All books cover this topic simply too short, unfortunately.
+ full use of 3-dim's in particle motion. spicey extra equations: tan 'psi', cylindrical coord's, 'rho' curvature y(x), bi-normal vector, etc.
+ if price plays a role: check out the Combined Value Added package at: http://tinyurl.com/295yr Great deal!!
+ excellent companion website with additional 1000 online problems. many other printed supplements etc. Top product support.
Yep, a few Con's are still there:
- no intro of sherical coord's
- incomprehensive treatment of particle systems (*very* irritating!)
- no rigorous math derivations of formulas (all omitted!), instead presentation of ready-to-use-formulas in coloured boxes. not very serious procedure, but common for a Book4Dummies. too concise at times.
- confusing, un-unified treatment of moments/products or inertia
- low quality page paper. small-size formatted book. physical quality not as outstanding as Meriam5.
- lousy, valueless appendix
- too few problems, and only a few challanging. lack of illustrations here!
- problem set is worse than Meriam5(best!),Shames4(great!but too few), and BeerJohnston7(good!numerous)
to sum up, i have compared four major texts: Meriam5, Shames4, BeerJohnston7 and Hibbeler10. All are okay, none is perfect, and in many respects they are equal/similar. Differences are tiny, very fine, but for taking a final decision, they are crucial. if you have read my reviews on the other three texts, there s not much to add here. I finally chose Hibbeler's as my picture book and problem set collection book. Top-choice. Have a close look at it *before* you decide for a different one (alternative: Meriam5)! might be a matter of taste between MERIAM5 and HIBBELER10. but *never* BJ7!!!