The Complete Idiot's Guide to Calculus

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Summary: mathhobbyist
Review: I normally don't write reviews, but after reading the two which state that this book is of little value, I had to speak up. Not seeing the need for Mathematics in high school, I didn't go past basic Algebra. Now, I am in my 30s, attending university and the "need" is suddenly quite evident. I am not a Math major, but I enjoy the subject.

I have looked at several Calculus books that would help me learn on my own. Mr. Kelley's book is the best I have found. He is very clear in his examples. There are not a lot of problems to work, but that is not the purpose of the book. Buy a problem book for that.

Calculus is a scary subject for most people. However, because I used this book to get a grasp of the basics, I have no fear of the subject. I haven't even taken a Trig class and I was learning Calculus with this book and was able to understand and do problems in a College Calculus text book.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Calculus works, if you apply it and practice.

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Summary: Thoughts from a HS Calculus instructor
Review: I purchased this book as a supplement to my current text. As many of you know, Calculus text books are not the most reader friendly. This book takes a subject that can be intimidating to many, and clearly explains the topics in a humorous and informative way. Thanks Mike! Keep writing.

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Summary: Thoughts from a HS Calculus instructor
Review: I purchased this book as a supplement to my current text. As many of you know, Calculus text books are not the most reader friendly. This book takes a subject that can be intimidating to many, and clearly explains the topics in a humorous and informative way. Thanks Mike! Keep writing.

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Summary: made me feel like an idiot
Review: I read reviews of this book and of C. for Dummies before deciding on this book. Partly because this book has problems (and solutions).

I am coming back to math after leaving it in high school, Algebra 2 (only partially digested at that) and I found this book barely helpful. The chattiness of the author was irritating and the lack of clear definitions- along with the sort of voila! magician formulas, also unexplained- drove me away.

Am now reading Calculus Made Easy, and so far find it a much better tutor. Highly recommended.

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Summary: Well, nobody's "complete"
Review: I reviewed a college calculus text here on Amazon in which I state that the book would probably be ok if it had any explanation to accompany the author's examples. I used this book (the idiot's guide) to provide some of those explanations.

I found the author's tendency to "go for the laugh" wearing a bit thin after a while. But, for the price, you'd be hard pressed to find a better introduction to calculus.


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Summary: Get an A in Calculus!!
Review: I wish I had discovered this book during my first semester of calculus. Unfortunately I bought it during the last weeks of my second semester calculus class, but if I hadn't gotten it, I wouldn't have been able to ace the class. We were learning some new concepts and I couldn't understand it. Finals were coming up real soon. I needed something to help me through these methods and LO AND BEHOLD!! Idiot's Guide to Calculus! Of course! I'm an idiot when it comes to calculus! This book helped me understand areas that were left oblivious to me while trying to learn in class. The book has some humor to it, making learning calculus KINDA fun!! (I know, WHAT?) So if you're studying calculus I and II, buy this book!! It's worth it if you want a good grade.

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Summary: Bravo!
Review: In Calc II, I am using this as a refresher of those pesky Calc I topics, and finding things which I was never even taught! Thank you, Mr. Kelley... and watch out for squirrels!

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Summary: Great refresher for an old dog who had forgotten Calculus
Review: It has been over 30 years since I last used Calculus. I learned Calculus in College, thought I was pretty good using Calculus, but never used it in my profession. Now that I am retired and have a son in high school, I thought why not relearn Calculus and see if I can apply these skills in some way. So I bought this book. It is well written and recommend it as a text book for any Calculus course - it takes the pain out of understanding this subject. In fact, there are concepts presented here that I don't think I really understood when I was in College and that is the "why's" and "what can I do with this" type stuff. I've highlighted, marked in, and made a separate notebook of notes from my copy of this book.

The CONS: I found only a few minor math errors in the text, and the description on how to use the Integration U-Substitution should be better explained. But, these should in no way detract from the overall quality of the book.

Again, its a well written, concise book that I highly recommend. I think this book can be used in a high-school or college course on Calculus would make life easier for the student. If you are new to Calculus, another Calc book with further explanation might speed you along. Sometimes, another author can express words in a way that helps you quickly understand. I had to reach for another book to understand U-Substitution.

This book is great at explaining Calculus.

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Summary: I was an idiot until.....
Review: It makes me want to keep my pants on while reading!

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Summary: A must for any student feeling intimidated by the subject.
Review: Kelley makes good use of a method I wish the calculus textbooks used: He actually explains the subject. Too often, a calculus textbook will offer a few simple examples of a subject--say, related rates or linear approximation-and follow this up by throwing homework problems at the student which are an order of magnitude beyond the examples. Another particularly annoying habit of textbook writers is to assume more in a single line of equations than the average student is capable of following.... and, let's face it, most of us are "average" students.

I read Kelley's book thoroughly the week before starting Differential Calculus I - the first course I've taken in 15 years - and I'm pleased to say his approach has helped me tremendously. Without it, I believe I would have withdrawn from the course in the first week. Highly recommended!