Calculus, Seventh Edition

Designed for the three-semester course for math and science majors, the Larson/Hostetler/Edwards series continues its tradition of success by being the first to offer both an Early Transcendental version as well as a new Calculus with Precalculus text. This was also the first calculus text to use computer-generated graphics (Third Edition), to include exercises involving the use of computers and graphing calculators (Fourth Edition), to be available in an interactive CD-ROM format (Fifth Edition), and to be offered as a complete, online calculus course (Sixth Edition). Every edition of the book has made the mastery of traditional calculus skills a priority, while embracing the best features of new technology and, when appropriate, calculus reform ideas. The Seventh Edition also expands its support package with an all-new set of text-specific videos.

• P.S. Problem-Solving Sections, an additional set of thought-provoking exercises added to the end of each chapter, require students to use a variety of problem-solving skills and provide a challenging arena for students to work with calculus concepts.
• Getting at the Concept Exercises added to each section exercise set check students' understanding of the basic concepts. Located midway through the exercise set, they are both boxed and titled for easy reference.
• Review Exercises at the end of each chapter have been reorganized to provide students with a more effective study tool. The exercises are now grouped and correlated by text section, enabling students to target concepts requiring review.
• The icon "IC" in the text identifies examples that appear in the Interactive Calculus 3.0 CD-ROM and Internet Calculus 2.0 web site with enhanced opportunities for exploration and visualization using the program itself and/or a Computer Algebra System.
• Think About It conceptual exercises require students to use their critical-thinking skills and help them develop an intuitive understanding of the underlying theory of the calculus.
• Modeling Data multi-part questions ask students to find and interpret mathematical models to fit real-life data, often through the use of a graphing utility.
• Section Projects, extended applications that appear at the end of selected exercise sets. may be used for individual, collaborative, or peer-assisted assignments.
• True or False? Exercises, included toward the end of many exercises sets, help students understand the logical structure of calculus and highlight concepts, common errors, and the correct statements of definitions and theorems.
• Motivating the Chapter sections opening each chapter present data-driven applications that explore the concepts to be covered in the context of a real-world setting.

As stated, there is no text, in my opinion, more suited towards use in any introductory Calculus series, but this text is also ideal for self-study. The theory is presented in crystal clear fashion, and then multiple examples are given in order of increasing complexity. Each chapter culminates with a series of well-chosen problems and odd-numbered problems have answers in the back. For self-study, the latter detail is of most importance, yet it doesn't end there! A companion guide is also available (by Heyd) that works out, in detail, many of the odd-numbered problems.

The figures within the text are chosen well, so that they demonstrate the matter at hand. It is *NOT* the case that there are pictures just for the sake of pictures.

Short biographical sketches of important mathematicians who developed parts of the calculus are included in the relevant chapters, which I found interesting to read even though it certainly was not assigned reading! "Career Interview(s)" in which a person who has a career in applied mathematics gives a brief description of what they do are also included at the end of many chapters.

I have found the overall setup of the book exceptional in the order in which the chapters are presented and in the location of a multitude of important theorems and formulas that are in the front and back covers.

I should also mention that at the end of many of the chapters, a reference is made to a journal article or two "for further reading". I found these excellent, as our library subscribed to these journals and they were indeed well-suited for anyone to read who had just completed the chapter at hand. These articles always had very interesting applications or simply inventive pure mathematics as their topics. As a student, I am lucky to have taken the initiative to even follow Larson's advice and look into one of these articles. I would urge anyone teaching from this book to perhaps assign some of those articles as out of class reading or talk about them in class if time permits.

I used this text for my series of three four credit courses, Calculus I, II, and III, and I think that adopting this text to use in that series of courses was the best thing the Mathematics Department at my school has done. Do not be fooled into thinking this is a book that would be of little interest to junior-senior undergrads and 1st-2nd year graduates. I was amazed when I found out infinite series and vector analysis is sometimes considered "advanced" calculus, even though it is presented here with such clarity that it seems far from advanced. Cheers for Larson! (I refer to the fifth edition above)


An excellent, readable yet mathematically intensive text.   May 31, 1998
Michael Kelley (Prince Frederick, MD United States)
27 out of 29 found this review helpful

I have used this text teaching Calc I & II in high school and community college ... I would recommend no other text.


The best book of it's kind.   October 5, 2004
Lano (Brooklyn, NY United States)
18 out of 18 found this review helpful

Every concept and example is explained with just the right amount of words and visual aids. The author has talent. The talent is his ability to pass the relevant information straight to the center of your brain, and the ability to bind the whole subject together.

In comparison, Stewart's Calculus book is just a compilation of information. With each new edition, Stewart adds more footnotes and side notes. The footnotes and side notes really only serve as a bandage to prevent the information of his book from falling apart.

While Larson is presenting us with a complete and beautiful product, Stewart is scrambling to keep his product at par.

Larson's book is the best all purpose high school and undergraduate book of it's kind. The website of the book is great and holds interesting additional information.

Some cons. The book is big heavy and expensive. Some key precalculus reviews are missing in the main book, however, they are available on the book's website.




Excellent book for those who want to learn   November 5, 2001
17 out of 18 found this review helpful

This book is great. It has graphs on almost every single page (very helpful for the complex 3D graphs in multivariable Calculus, also known as Calc III) which keep alowing you to visualize the concepts. Proofs are presented for almost every theorem, and there is a very complete integration table in the back of the book. Primers for Algebra, Trig, and complex numbers are also provided for those who did not have a very strong background in these areas. The examples are full of real-life problems and word problems.
Overall, I rate this book with an A+. If you want to learn Calculus, and have good self study habits, this book is the one for you.