Customer Reviews: Read 10 more reviews...
 Great linear algebra text! September 30, 2005
mgordon (CT)
38 out of 39 found this review helpful
This is an excellent linear algebra textbook. Even if you just wanted to learn more about the subject, I can't imagine a better introduction. I've taken many math courses and saw this book when I was tutoring a first year student. My reaction was "I wish this had been the text when I took linear algebra." I am familiar with Lay, Anton, Strang, Nicholson, and Kolman but Poole beats them all in my opinion. Here's why: clear writing, lots of excellent examples, very good exercises, interesting examples, and extras (like independent study projects and real-world applications) that other books don't have.
At first I thought this book was pretty low-level. But after careful reflection, I realize this is not the case: it is easy to read but not a watered-down version of the subject: it's kind of sneaky that way.
All in all I give it thumbs way up.
A lifesaver September 2, 2006
Mark S. Weiss (Brooklyn, NY United States)
30 out of 32 found this review helpful
As a computer science graduate student without the proper math background, I've been cramming mathematical concepts into my brain for the last few years. And this book, every time, has provided the most lucid, digestable and yet usefully rigorous explanation I have found for whatever concept I'm learning. The four-page explanation of Markov chains, pp. 217-220, e.g., seems very hard to top. The thing is, in CS especially perhaps, you learn to use math as a tool when you have that "ah-hah" moment of intuition. When you get the idea of what *the point* of the particular mathematical tool is. Then you can apply it and use it to think about other problems you might want to solve. Math as a way of thinking. Which is where the clarity of writing and explanation in this book comes through for you. Which is not to say the problems aren't excellent as well, because they are, and you have plenty of opportunity to practice the manipulations associated with a given concept as well. I can't recommend this book enough.
Excellent text for self study or coursework February 12, 2007
ash145 (NY, USA)
14 out of 14 found this review helpful
I am a control systems engineer and deal with the design of physical systems, both linear as well as non-linear. I constantly use this text to refresh material related to linear systems and find it an indispensable resource. Here's why.
The text is very clearly written and the exercises are excellent. Dr Poole does not obfuscate core issues with lengthy proofs. Which is not to say proofs are not presented - they are, but in a very accessible (read "geometric") form. I would strongly urge serious students of the subject to work through the problem sets - they will bring a deeper level of understanding.
Highly recommended to students as well as professionals.
Read this book!! June 23, 2004
Mark (Alabama)
16 out of 17 found this review helpful
I'm a junior majoring in computer science and I had to take a linear algebra course to satisfy my degree requirements. I put off taking the course until this semester since I had heard bad things about the course. Like one of the other reviewers, I learned that the prof changed texts and would be using Poole's Linear Algebra instead of the previous semester's book (which I won't name!)Poole's book is absolutely fantastic. He starts slowly and gives a good concrete foundation before introducing the more abstract concepts - I really liked this approach. There are examples and applications galore, including lots of stuff on codes. (Even though my prof didn't cover all of these applications, I read them all - this book has changed my opinion of the usefullness of linear algebra.) I really recommend this book. If you want to learn linear algebra and have it explained in a clear way, this is the book for you. If you know a prof who is using a different book, get her/him to check this one out. Your fellow students will thank you!
my prof switched texts and i'm glad he did! January 3, 2004
mathgrrl (sunny SoCal)
15 out of 17 found this review helpful
OK. I like math. So sue me! But I was dreading taking linear algebra after talking to some friends who took it last year from the same prof as I would have. I looked at their textbook and ugh! Not really very well written. But I signed up anyway and - surprise!! - new textbook! Linear Algebra by David Poole - what a HUGE relief! As other reviewers have said this is a GREAT LA textbook - well written, clear, good examples and pictures and fun! (really!) It's like having your prof give you his personal lecture notes with extra comments. I loved the book and loved the course. If Prof. Poole is thinking of writing other textbooks, I'll be first in line to buy them - and can suggest what he should write next :)
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