Im in high school and I am in a honors pre-calculus class. Anyway, we dont learn anything that in depth in that class and I am extremely interested in physics. However, in order to understand physics and its derivations you need to learn calculus. I was wondering if anyone knows a good way to learn calculus through any books or websites you have> i know it will take a long time to learn but i want to know how to understand physics. Next year I am going to take AP Calculus so i will learn some stuff there but i know it will not be all that i want to learn. I was just looking for some suggestions since people on these forums seem to know a lot.

I've never done any advanced physics courses, but I did study AP Calculus BC on my own. AP Calculus BC will give you pleanty of introductionary applicable differentiation/integration excercises as well as strengthen your mathematical reasoning ability which I belive is the most important thing for a physist. And do not worry, there is a significant step between Pre-cal and AP Calculus BC, which I belive will be appreciated by the colleges when the time comes for the application process.

Basically, I read the Larson/Edward/Hostetler 6ed book on my own, and attemped around 50-60 question for each section everyday, which I found very effective when the time came to review for AP exams, as most of the material simply settled in my memory and I had not much to review. This is one way to study, but if you are planning to take the class next year at school, then why bother studying on your own? Pre-Cal is very very basic, and I am sure you will find the AP Calculus course much more demanding and challenging than pre-cal.

I learn calculus on my own with some book I have. It would be a lot better if I had a teacher to ask questions but... it's still too early for me to learn calc.(pisses me off)

Superman,

 

Check this out:

 

http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?threadid=204

 

Math sites are 2 posts down.

 

Tom

Tom, youve done your deal of research.

Originally posted by the GardenGnome

Tom, youve done your deal of research.

 

Nah; if you look at my first post in that thread, you'll see my secret trick: Get other people to do it for you!