what happened? i thought you were going to put more of your calculus lessons.

No time atm - don't know how many people are still interested in it also. I'll try and write another one this week sometime.

Another question for Dave.

 

I`ve been lent a book called "Calculus Made Easy" by, Sylvanus P. Thompson.

 

have you read it, and what`s your opinion on it?

I`ve read the 1`st chapter and it seems alright so far, but I`ve heard it`s very over simplified as in there`s a lot of shortcuts.

would you reccomend it as good reading, or am I likely to learn (some more) bad habits? LOL

I haven't read the book I'm afraid. There are a heck of a lot of calculus introduction books out there though, so my advice would be to find one that suits you best.

Hey, just because I haven't posted anything in that thread, it does not mean I never went it there. It's rather that the information posted in those 2 threads is now safely sitting on my PC in the form of a *.doc

Just so long as you don't sell it or anything

can i ask what is calculus? my maths teacher says it is "old" maths but i figure she either cant be rsed to telll me or doesnt know herself.

can i ask what is calculus? my maths teacher says it is "old" maths but i figure she either cant be rsed to telll me or doesnt know herself.

 

If you're not doing a masters or higher, all maths is 'old' maths.

 

Calculus is concerned with the rate of change of variables, and how you can get between them; for instance, how to get from distance, to speed, to acceleration and back again.

 

It is by far the most useful piece of mathematics ever devised.

To add a bit of historical background, it was developed by Isaac Newton to solve the two-body problem - which shows how clever the man was really.

don't forget leibniz!!!! he independently developed calculus, a dozen of years after newton . also his notation is far more logical and helped the rapid development of calculus from then on.

Indeed. But he didn't solve one of the most important problems of the time

 

Although the Leibniz notation is a heck of a lot better than Newton's.

What was this important problem?

The two body problem. Durr.

wonder why newton didnt bother with the three body problem. or did he?

It's 'rather hard'.

yes i know its hard, just wondering if newton thought about the three body problem at all. or he just couldnt be bothered.

Probably not. I don't even know whether the problem was around when Newton developed his ideas - it would make sense that it'd appear after Newton's discoveries sometime. Maybe even after his death?

A three body problem being...three bodies orbiting each other?

but surely, after solving the two body problem, he must have thought about the next one, which is the three body. its only logical that he should.

A three body problem being...three bodies orbiting each other?

 

Yes; as in the Moon, Earth and Sun.