Best Pure Mathematics
However, according to Hofstadter, the formal system that underlies all mental activity transcends the system that supports it. Besides being a profound and entertaining meditation on human thought and creativity, this book looks at the surprising points of contact between the music of Bach, the artwork of Escher, and the mathematics of Gödel. Hofstadter's great achievement in Gödel, Escher, Bach was making abstruse mathematical topics (like undecidability, recursion, and 'strange loops') accessible and remarkably entertaining. Escher, Kurt Gödel: biographical information and work, artificial intelligence (AI) history and theories, strange loops and tangled hierarchies, formal and informal systems, number theory, form in mathematics, figure and ground, consistency, completeness, Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometry, recursive structures, theories of meaning, propositional calculus, typographical number theory, Zen and mathematics, levels of description and computers; theory of mind: neurons, minds and thoughts; undecidability; self-reference and self-representation; Turing test for machine intelligence.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This was a very influential book for me in high school and college, and I had the privilege of being able to introduce my son to it."
"For those of you who want to know about how things are this is a must read."
"So far a fantastic book."
"Book in great shape."
"Condition of book was good, not great, slightly worse than described but totally acceptable."
"arrived safe and sound."
"A full mental meal, intellectually challenging."
"I liked Hofstadter’s search for the seat of consciousness, in humans, ant colonies, and (as he attempts to claim) self-referential formal systems. The discussion of this application to computer science and artificial intelligence was tremendously interesting, though a bit outdated. Apparently, Hofstadter thinks he needs to take his reader by the hand, start them off with some simpler concepts to build a foundation of knowledge, drag them step-by-step through his reasoning and thought process, entertain every conceivable tangent, and then incessantly repeat his core beliefs in slightly different ways. This may not be a problem to other readers, but unfortunately, I am the kind of person who cannot stop reading a book once I have started, no matter how painful the process is. Even though their names comprise two thirds of the title, GEB only references Bach and Escher when their work is useful to illustrate a more abstract concept of formal systems. He’ll present some obscure puzzle or formula and tell the reader to figure it out on their own, oh and by the way the answer is really obvious. This pedagogical style may be useful to some readers but personally, I don’t need to understand number theory on a usable level to be able to discuss it and think about it on the meta-levels. He uses this approach with genetics as well, which I am personally more versed in, trying to explain it on a simple level he calls “Typogenetics” but the effect was mainly finding myself bewildered on a topic with which I am familiar. At first, I thought these dialogues would break up the dense content of this book nicely, but after a few of them I found them redundant, tiring, and even more arrogant than the chapters, if possible. He breaks numerous expensive record players owned by the Crab just to prove a point and is constantly patronizing and antagonizing his “friend” Achilles. I’m just not sure that those few sections justify the commitment necessary to get into Hofstadter’s tangled, gabbing mind and buy into his unreciprocated bromance with Gödel. Finally, here’s some practical advice for someone considering buying this book or someone who already owns it and is debating reading it or throwing it in the trash: Read the dialogue prior to Chapter XVIII (which was only “adapted” by Hofstadter) and the final three chapters of the book, excluding the remaining dialogues, and you should get a pretty good ides of GEB’s core, without an excessive amount of filler."
Here are cogent explanations of the straw man fallacy, the slippery slope argument, the ad hominem attack, and other common attempts at reasoning that actually fall short—plus a beautifully drawn menagerie of animals who (adorably) commit every logical faux pas . I can’t think of a better way to be taught or reintroduced to these fundamental notions of logical discourse. A delightful little book.”. — Aaron Koblin , creative director, Google’s Data Arts team. A flawless compendium of flaws.”. — Alice Roberts, PhD, anatomist, writer, and presenter of The Incredible Human Journey. “This little book takes a potentially ponderous subject (logical fallacies) and makes it wonderfully entertaining.”. — Omaha World-Herald. Almossawi and his McSweeney’s-ready artist Giraldo accessibly tackle such classic subjects as circular reasoning, false dilemma, straw man, appeal to ignorance, and genetic fallacy . an attractive, substantive read.”. — John Wenzel , Denver Post blog. “Now more than ever, you need this illustrated guide to bad arguments, faulty logic, and silly rhetoric.”. — Dan Solomon , Fast Company magazine online.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is a great book for older kids and adults."
"Showed it to a friend who was using a bad argument over and over."
"My 12 year old grandson engages constantly in arguments just for the sake of arguing sometimes, so I got him this book, and he especially like the illustrations, and the simple explanations of the classic bad arguments."
"Some of those arguments may cut close to home: the obvious candidate for an Appeal to The Bandwagon drawn from real life is Galileo's dispute with the Roman Catholic Church for example, though a second example is drawn from the world of science with Barry Marshall's self-experimentation to prove the bacterial cause of ulcers denied by Physicians worldwide because "everyone knew better", and then an example from the world of advertizing is quoted. But I think the agenda is simply to use the most often heard and therefore easiest to find real life arguments of the type being discussed."
"This is a useful little book for logical fallacies, covers them well with fairly charming artwork to accompany and illustrate the concepts."
"This is a great list of actual 'bad arguments'; it's accurate, and humourous."
"Love this book."
"Book is not comprehensive, and for me personally, the illustrations freak me out, but that's just my problem I suppose."
With the aid of practical, real-life examples and applications, you'll learn: * The basic approach and application of algebra to problem solving. * The number system (in a much broader way than you have known it from arithmetic). * Monomials and polynomials; factoring algebraic expressions; how to handle algebraic fractions; exponents, roots, and radicals; linear and fractional equations. * Functions and graphs; quadratic equations; inequalities; ratio, proportion, and variation; how to solve word problems, and more. Authors Peter Selby and Steve Slavin emphasize practical algebra throughout by providing you with techniques for solving problems in a wide range of disciplines--from engineering, biology, chemistry, and the physical sciences, to psychology and even sociology and business administration. Practical Algebra If you studied algebra years ago and now need a refresher course in order to use algebraic principles on the job, or if youre a student who needs an introduction to the subject, heres the perfect book for you.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Whenever I got an answer wrong I would study the book’s answer, understand why I got the answer wrong, then re-do the problem. Here is a list of every error in the second edition, as far as I know: Page 3 – Division problem (d) at the bottom shows “1430 - 1364 = 66.” That should be “1430 - 1384 = 46.”. Page 17 – In frame 21 there is a sentence that begins “Do all multiplications and then all divisions first . Page 55 – In frame 5, the answer given for (b) is “7 and 3.” The correct answer is “none.”. Page 123 – In problem #25 (b) the numerator “K cubed - 1” must be changed to “K cubed + 1” in order to get the answer the book gives. Page 205 -- The first sentence says, “If this came out correctly, go to frame 15.” It should say, “…go to frame 14.”. Page 218 – On the graph, line (4) is shown as “2y – x + 7 = 0.” That should be “2y + x – 7 = 0.”. Page 244 – The answer to problem 4 (a) begins with a “z”. Page 273 – Another reviewer wrote that the answer to problem (c) is mistakenly given as “1016” when it should be “508.” My book, however, gives the correct answer of “508 times per second.”. Page 274 – In the frame 11 inverse proportion table the “66 2/3” should be “666 2/3.”. Page 280 – The answer to problem (e) contains “(joint, inverse variation)” when it should simply be “(joint variation).”. Page 309 -- The answer to the candy problem (d) contains ".50x + 60(x+5)"."
"High quality and delivered on time."
"The best way to learn anything is to learn it from its roots and that's exactly what this book does."
"Great value for the price."
"need additional sample problems."
"Better the the school textbook!"
"for high school students with no books."
"I have never had algebra before and can not understand how I could learn it from this book."
Best Algebra
With the aid of practical, real-life examples and applications, you'll learn: * The basic approach and application of algebra to problem solving. * The number system (in a much broader way than you have known it from arithmetic). * Monomials and polynomials; factoring algebraic expressions; how to handle algebraic fractions; exponents, roots, and radicals; linear and fractional equations. * Functions and graphs; quadratic equations; inequalities; ratio, proportion, and variation; how to solve word problems, and more. Authors Peter Selby and Steve Slavin emphasize practical algebra throughout by providing you with techniques for solving problems in a wide range of disciplines--from engineering, biology, chemistry, and the physical sciences, to psychology and even sociology and business administration. Practical Algebra If you studied algebra years ago and now need a refresher course in order to use algebraic principles on the job, or if youre a student who needs an introduction to the subject, heres the perfect book for you.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Whenever I got an answer wrong I would study the book’s answer, understand why I got the answer wrong, then re-do the problem. Here is a list of every error in the second edition, as far as I know: Page 3 – Division problem (d) at the bottom shows “1430 - 1364 = 66.” That should be “1430 - 1384 = 46.”. Page 17 – In frame 21 there is a sentence that begins “Do all multiplications and then all divisions first . Page 55 – In frame 5, the answer given for (b) is “7 and 3.” The correct answer is “none.”. Page 123 – In problem #25 (b) the numerator “K cubed - 1” must be changed to “K cubed + 1” in order to get the answer the book gives. Page 205 -- The first sentence says, “If this came out correctly, go to frame 15.” It should say, “…go to frame 14.”. Page 218 – On the graph, line (4) is shown as “2y – x + 7 = 0.” That should be “2y + x – 7 = 0.”. Page 244 – The answer to problem 4 (a) begins with a “z”. Page 273 – Another reviewer wrote that the answer to problem (c) is mistakenly given as “1016” when it should be “508.” My book, however, gives the correct answer of “508 times per second.”. Page 274 – In the frame 11 inverse proportion table the “66 2/3” should be “666 2/3.”. Page 280 – The answer to problem (e) contains “(joint, inverse variation)” when it should simply be “(joint variation).”. Page 309 -- The answer to the candy problem (d) contains ".50x + 60(x+5)"."
"High quality and delivered on time."
"The best way to learn anything is to learn it from its roots and that's exactly what this book does."
"Great value for the price."
"need additional sample problems."
"Better the the school textbook!"
"for high school students with no books."
"I have never had algebra before and can not understand how I could learn it from this book."
Best Calculus
Calculus For Dummies, 2nd Edition (9781119293491) was previously published as Calculus For Dummies, 2nd Edition (9781118791295). Calculus For Dummies , 2nd Edition makes calculus manageable—even if you're one of the many students who sweat at the thought of it. Mark Ryan is the founder and owner of The Math Center, a math and test prep tutoring center in Winnetka, Illinois.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Son like book for his first year of college."
"It took awhile to get my daughter (a high school seinior) to actually open it."
"I learned more than a year of calculus in college."
"I'm learning, did not do Calculus at school."
""For dummies" books are great because they show you that anything you want to learn is not as difficult as it seems."
"While the joking tone of the book may irritate some readers, I simply skipped the jokes to get to the material I needed to know."
"And since math builds on itself, this book seems to follow so closely with my text book it is as if they were written for each other. I think one of the greatest advantages of this book is that in the very beginning Mark explains WHAT calculus is. I do recommend using this book as a supplement to your text book though...not as a substitute."
Best Combinatorics
Expanding on the first edition, the book now serves as the primary textbook of choice for algorithm design courses while maintaining its status as the premier practical reference guide to algorithms for programmers, researchers, and students. ....The most comprehensive guide to designing practical and efficient algorithms!.... The Algorithm Design Manual, Second Edition. Expanding on the first edition, the book now serves as the primary textbook of choice for algorithm design courses while maintaining its status as the premier practical reference guide to algorithms for programmers, researchers, and students. The reader-friendly Algorithm Design Manual provides straightforward access to combinatorial algorithms technology, stressing design over analysis. Written by a well-known algorithms researcher who received the IEEE Computer Science and Engineering Teaching Award, this new edition of The Algorithm Design Manual is an essential learning tool for students needing a solid grounding in algorithms, as well as a special text/reference for professionals who need an authoritative and insightful guide.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great book, very detailed explanations of the most often used algorithms."
"Clear, concise, C style coding."
"This is a great book."
"Good book for beginners."
"Probably the best book that I own on Algorithms and Data Structures."
"An excellent book for the software developer interview preparation."
"The content of the book is nice."
"For those familiar with standard algorithms book, "Introduction to Algorithms" this book is probably equally as good without being at technical or mathematical."
Best Discrete Mathematics
Susanna Epp's DISCRETE MATHEMATICS WITH APPLICATIONS, FOURTH EDITION provides a clear introduction to discrete mathematics.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book is great!"
"If you wanted to setup a good base for going towards any mathematically rigorous Computer Science book - then you must read this - its very systematic, exercises are designed in a way that makes you understand concepts really well."
"The only math book that I can say that for."
"I like this book."
"Ms. Epp explains things very clearly and thoroughly so that you don't get lost, and illustrates how the math is useful in areas of computational theory/computer science."
"It's been a couple of decades and I wanted a refresher on discrete math foundations."
"Be very careful when buying this book and others used online, The book was listed as "Acceptable" but the binding was almost completely off and quite a few pages were folded in or had a fair amount of ink on them."
"Great Book, didnt even have to go to class because the book is so well written."
Best Finite Mathematics
You will discover everything you need to know about social media marketing This expanded 3rd edition has Outstanding New Content to make building your online presence even more powerful than before! Doubling Your Instagram Followers Understanding Facebook Ad marketing Top Strategies For Growth Monetizing Your Social Media.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As someone who has used social media to support multilple activities this book is just so helpful. There are so many social media formats out there now and this book helps break them down and what their application for different use would be."
"If you really are completely new to social media or struggling to keep up it’s a quick read that will tell you the strategies of each of the major social media sites and a step by step how to set up each."
"Many social media platforms are explained and each section has a few suggestions on utilizing it efficiently."
"I have a facebook page and even a website but short of paying all the time to boost my posts, I was wondering what I could do to advertise and get more people interested in my brand."
"He tells how to recognize your brand, your key audience- customers, and even points out a few social media sites I hadn't heard of before and was interested in checking out."
"Social Media: Strategies to Mastering Your Brand is a useful guide to teaching businesses how to use social media as resort for marketing their business."
"The information is fit for those who just want to understand the different social media platforms and establish a presence, as well as, those who want to invest more time, money and effort in order to maximize their results."
Best Fractal Mathematics
From the gyrations of IBM's stock price and the Dow, to cotton trading, and the dollar-Euro exchange rate--Mandelbrot shows that the world of finance can be understood in more accurate, and volatile, terms than the tired theories of yesteryear.The ability to simplify the complex has made Mandelbrot one of the century's most influential mathematicians. Benoit B. Mandelbrot is Sterling Professor of Mathematical Sciences at Yale University and a Fellow Emeritus at IBM's Thomas J. Watson Laboratory.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As others have said, the author has posed several questions regarding the validity of financial practitioners' existing tools in corporate finance (valuation), options, and portfolio theory."
"I read this out of curiosity."
"Mandelbrot does a good job of describing the inadequacies of the efficient market hypothesis and CAPM and other sacrosanct theories in finance, and he offers for our consideration an alternative view. His view is based on his assertion of reality; namely that the world of finance is turbulent (as indeed, the world is turbulent), and linear tools relying on reliability and rational man will never tell the full story."
"This book does a great job providing a lot of information about why fractal theory is interesting and useful and it does so without using any complicated equations throughout the text."
"It does take him a little while to get to the point but you could also make a strong argument that he's just being thorough in laying the groundwork for the arguments he's making, which contradict a lot of modern finance."
"People don't like false alarms but still use smoke alarms because all they do is beep annoyingly when you burn toast and have little cost impact."
"Lots of postulated contrarian thinking as to what doesn't work in the market analysis."
Best Functional Analysis Mathematics
This edition is organized into nine well-defined chapters: Trigonometric Fourier Series, Orthogonal Systems, Convergence of Trigonometric Fourier Series, Trigonometric Series with Decreasing Coefficients, Operations on Fourier Series, Summation of Trigonometric Fourier Series, Double Fourier Series and the Fourier Integral, Bessel Functions and Fourier-Bessel Series, and the Eigenfunction Method and its Applications to Mathematical Physics.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Is really amazing!"
"It was rare that I needed to turn back to a page to remember something because the presentation of the material makes it stick."
"I recommend this book it's a great read."
"Very good book, excellent price, and excellent seller."
"An excellent book for students, engineers, and scientists who want to refresh their knowledge, or simply use as a text book on Fourier analysis."
"This is a solid and inexpensive book on the subject."
Best Group Theory
Jason speaks in simple English and uses the metaphor of The Seven Steps to SEO Fitness to explain to you how to 'get SEO fit.'. Goals : Define Your SEO Goals Keywords : Identify Winnable, High Value SEO Keywords On Page SEO : Optimize Your Website to 'Speak Google' via Page Tabs, your home page, and structural elements Content Marketing : Learn to produce content that pleases Google and your customers Off Page SEO : Build links, leverage social media, and go local. Check out the other 2018 SEO Books on Amazon - SEO For Dummies , SEO for Growth , SEO Book , SEO Like I'm 5 etc., - they're great, they're good, but they don't include powerful step-by-step worksheets, links to online videos, and the free SEO Toolbook with hundreds of free tools for search engine optimization 2018. Listed on many SEO book lists as one of the best books SEO books of 2018 as well as a best SEO book for beginners. ~ Alexandra Hager. In Sept. and Oct. 2016, I took Jason's SEO (Search Engine Optimization), Ad Words, and Social Media Marketing online class series. However, since SEO, Ad Words, and Social Media live on the internet, watching Jason walk through everything in an online format works really well. He demonstrates this through his exhaustive list of resources that he shares in his classes as well as his expert, insider tips about internet marketing that you cannot get from Google. The book grew out of my class at Stanford University's Continuing Studies Program, "Marketing without Money."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"SEO Fitness Workbook: 2017 Edition: The Seven Steps to Search Engine Optimization Success on Google. I'm glad I've got this handy SEO Book, it's my go-to guide for reference on SEO best practices."
"Whether you are a marketing professional, web developer, content writer or a business owner wanting to understand SEO, this is a great book to include in your library of knowledge!"
"I found the book a bit repetitious at times, and would prefer a shorter version, Still I won't take a star off."
"My goal is to be a small business owner and reducing the SEO to seven understandable steps relieves a small part of the business but also an important one."
"Off page SEO and On page SEO along with all of the other information to tie everything together."
"I haven't yet taken the time to do the exercises, because I wanted to get an overview, but I am looking forward to doing them.We are a highly non technical company populated by older folks who come from textile manufacturing and marketing."
"I write content for blogs and websites, so instead of Keeping Up with the Joneses, I have to Keep Up with the Search Engines. I could just throw up my hands in frustration and surrender. Good thing they are digital, because as often as I refer back to them, I'd wear the paper versions out in short order. The Kindle price was $9.99....imagine having a truly expert SEO person on hand 24/7 to answer questions, demonstrate SEO websites that return meaningful analysis of your content and SEO efforts, and provide easy-to-follow, step-by-step How To's on every aspect of SEO excellence. His sense of humor makes learning the oft times tedious material a load of fun."
Best Mathematical Logic
Understanding that most students in a liberal arts math course are not math majors, and are unlikely to take another math class, Blitzer has provided tools in every chapter to help them master the material with confidence, while also showing them the beauty and fun of math. The variety of topics and flexibility of sequence make this text appropriate for a one- or two-term course in liberal arts mathematics or general education mathematics. Access codes for Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products may not be included when purchasing or renting from companies other than Pearson; check with the seller before completing your purchase. Check with the seller prior to purchase. Bob has written Intermediate Algebra for College Students, Introductory Algebra for College Students, Essentials of Intermediate Algebra for College Students, Introductory and Intermediate Algebra for College Students, Essentials of Introductory and Intermediate Algebra for College Students, Algebra for College Students, Thinking Mathematically, College Algebra, Algebra and Trigonometry , Precalculus , and Trigonometry all published by Pearson.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Not that I have compared so closely but The sections have been mostly the same and the review questions help with studying."
"The text book itself is fairly easy to understand and has lots of examples."
"This book came in great condition, had great explanations, and worked great for my college entry-level math course."
"This book has most of the basic math that a brand new college student should know or will be reviewing throughout college."
"Blitzer writes in a very clear, lucid style...a very engaging author."
"I enjoyed this book, especially since I had a non-fluent English speaking professor we all looked into our books and read the complete, easy, and understanding chapters."
"As a book it's great."
Best Number Theory
The classic Heath translation, in a completely new layout with plenty of space and generous margins. If you want your students to really grapple with Euclid, this is the edition to choose.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I have wanted a copy of The Elements for years."
"Looking forward to learning from one of histories great textbooks."
"classic."
"If you're a math dork, then you will be happy with this."
"I only have to comment that this book deserves to be both into any student's and any mathematician's library, and not only for encyclopaedic reasons."
"Really enjoyed this classic."
Best Mathematical Set Theory
The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Ruined Government, Enriched Themselves, and Beggared the Nation
Casting his eyes from the Bush administration's final months of plunder to the earliest days of the Republican revolution, Frank describes the rise of a ruling coalition dedicated to dismantling government. But rather than cutting down the big government they claim to hate, conservatives have simply sold it off, deregulating some industries, defunding others, but always turning public policy into a private-sector bidding war. “Written with barbed wit and finely controlled anger, he skewers such juicy targets as libertarian strategist Grover Norquist and Michelle Malkin.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review. The Wrecking Crew explains how cynical conservatives have wrested control of the government by railing against its very existence, all while using federal perches to funnel billions into the pockets of lobbyists and the corporations they represent.” ―Time. “Conservatives in office have made their share of blunders and mistakes, and Frank is at his finest in depicting some of the stunning instances of hypocrisy and idiocy in the period of Republican rule.” ―The New York Post. “Frank brings invaluable insider perceptions, ardor, and precision to his lancing inquiry into the erosion of democracy and the enshrinement of the mighty dollar… An electrifying, well-researched analysis of ‘conservatism-as-profiteering.'. This staggering history of systematic greed with inject new energy into public discourse as a historical election looms.” ―Booklist (starred review).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I know Frank from his book "Listen Liberal" but this books is so much more. informative and instructive ... but it is completely devastating, and I am not sure. there are many American who can read this, recognize just how awful things. are, and ever be able to smile again ... that is, unless they are of the psychopathic. oligarchic class."
"Brilliant, thorough and wry expose on how the Republican Party deliberately produces colossal deficits, rips us off, and destroys government."
"If only the Democrats would read this, they'd have a plan to win every election until all the NeoCons were in jail or had gone into hiding."
"Suspicions confirmed."
"GREAT STUFF BUY SCARY THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE SO EVIL AND SO MANY OTHERS ARE SO DUMB TO FOLLOW THEM AND DRINK THEIR KOOL AID!"
"Everyone should read this."
"Great...so well-written with lots of relevant history."
": How Conservatives Won the Heart of America, Thomas Frank made the argument many liberals were reluctant to make. Frank received not only the usual charges from the right of being an elitist, but also criticism from the left such as Larry Bartels in Unequal Democracy: The Political Economy of the New Gilded Age (Russell Sage Foundation Co-Pub). It was their goal to downsize and outsource public agencies to the point were they became ineffective and incompetent, thereby validating the conservative philosophy of government. The generation of conservative idealists that came to Washington during the Reagan administration, Frank concedes, came with goods intention. Robert Reich in Supercapitalism: The Transformation of Business, Democracy, and Everyday Life (Vintage) estimated that there are now around 37,000 registered lobbyists in Washington engaged in an "arms race of spending"."