Rating: 
Summary: A very "text book" text book
Review: Both the student's solution and the text book has the traditional Wiley's style. Example with a really vague explanation to let the reader puzzle. For a 6th version, this book fills with horrible mistakes. Anyway, this is ok for a school's textbook, I've seen worse.
Rating: 
Summary: written by math professors for math professors
Review: I am taking a differential equations course for the engineering program at Drexel University and I must say that this is one of the worst text books I have ever come across. I wonder what Boyce and Diprima were smoking as they were writting this book. First of all make sure you brush up on your greek before reading this book, there are more greek symbols in it then there are numbers or letters from the english alphabet. This book is so vague that you may as well consult a magic 8-ball for guidance. Basically, if you buy this book, prepare to fail. It skips so many steps its rediculous. My mind turns to mush every time I open it. For my homework in this course using this book, I just write the giberish my magic 8 ball tells me to. Even the TAs are lost in this book. Consider this a warning and not a rating. STAY AWAY!
Rating:
Summary: Very poorly written
Review: I don't have much to say that hasn't already been said, but I felt it important enough to pipe in and agree with most of the negative comments. The book is unnecessarily complicated, skips non-obvious steps in the examples, provides no review for material that justifiably should be reviewed, and has a very poor approach to explanation of concepts. Contrasted to James Stewart's Calculus book that I've used for the past year, this book almost makes me want to cry and turn into an English major. The key to surviving a class that requires this book is to get another book. I'm a Berkeley student, for whatever that's worth.
Rating: 
Summary: generally a good book
Review: I find this book to be pretty useful for understanding the material, but sometimes in the explinations steps are skipped. He assumes things that I, along with the rest of my class, had a hard time with. If you have a teacher who will help you out when you have trouble and who explains things clearly, you will have no trouble at all.
Rating:
Summary: Good intro book to accompany a course
Review: I have had the privledge to use this book for an introductory course in differential equations with colleages of Dr. Boyce. This book is well written and contains numerous examples and a plethora of problems. However, a student would do well to have a very firm knowledge of calculus and a quick mathematical mind; some of the methods covered are not candy coated to go down easier. As such, it is important that a strong professor and a strong curriculum accompany this book. This is NOT a good book for self-instruction. However, it is a very useful reference to go back to when dealing with more advanced mathematical topics.
Rating:
Summary: Boring - - A hard, cold, joyless book
Review: In all fairness, my impression of this book actually comes from their 3rd edition, which I used in my first Diff. Eq. (DE) course. However, I remember seeing later versions in various bookstores, only to see little change. I was a good student in math, but grew to hate DE because of this book. It was written in a very complex, dry & boring way, with virtually no graphics, and the examples were never explained enough (i.e. to give you a solid intuitive feel of the subject). Thank God for Schaums Outline to get me through the course. As a practicing engineer, I have found other books, calculators (HP-48GX, TI-92, etc.) and the computer to restore my interest and fascination in DE. I wish Steven Speilberg could do a movie showing how fascinating differential equations really are, because this book sure doesn't.
Rating: 
Summary: Especially suitable for physicists
Review: It is an excellent self-study reference and practice book
especially suitable for non-mathematicians who deals with differential equations.
Rating:
Summary: University Student's Openion
Review: Please take this advice; I have been using this book for the past four months. This is a rare occasion. I never take to the time to go to a site and write a review unless there is some outstanding reason. This is my fourth year as an engineering student and while I have had some bad books, I have NEVER had a book this bad. For example, the text almost never gives full examples let alone examples on how to do the practice problems/homework problems. When the text gives example problems, it will randomly skip important steps. Ironically, in a lot of cases, it will skip the step/method that is being covered in the section. Also, the text mainly discusses theory and usually doesn't really show how to solve these equations. Furthermore, the solutions manual is just as bad. Solutions are given in a sloppy manner that are unclear and incomplete. I would not recommend this book to any university as an introductory differential equations text.
Rating:
Summary: University Student's Openion
Review: Please take this advice; I have been using this book for the past four months. This is a rare occasion. I never take to the time to go to a site and write a review unless there is some outstanding reason. This is my fourth year as an engineering student and while I have had some bad books, I have NEVER had a book this bad. For example, the text almost never gives full examples let alone examples on how to do the practice problems/homework problems. When the text gives example problems, it will randomly skip important steps. Ironically, in a lot of cases, it will skip the step/method that is being covered in the section. Also, the text mainly discusses theory and usually doesn't really show how to solve these equations. Furthermore, the solutions manual is just as bad. Solutions are given in a sloppy manner that are unclear and incomplete. I would not recommend this book to any university as an introductory differential equations text.
Rating:
Summary: Elementary Diffential Equations by Boyce and DiPrima
Review: This book is excellent for math majors or engineers who have had
a strong background in higher mathematics. The work provides
a step-by-step analysis of the classic problem areas i.e.
initial value problems, solution boundaries, homogeneous and
non-homogeneous solutions, the exponential form, higher order
differential equations, variation of parameters, LaPlace
transformation and other more exotic applications too numerous
to list here. For non-math majors, the book may become difficult to follow. Therefore; it may help to consult with the Schaum's
Outline in order to supplement this text. Boyce and DiPrima
is more than enough to get you through the Fundamentals of
Engineering Examination. Differential Equations is a subject
which requires students to take copious notes. It pays to
struggle through the homeworks and to plan daily study sessions
of 15 minutes to 1 hour depending upon where you are in the
course. It is well worth the effort to master this course because the applications to engineering are numerous and profound. Mastery of this subject will provide you with a
life-long skill.
|
