Best Statistics

One of Wall Street Journal 's. Best Ten Works of Nonfiction in 2012 New York Times Bestseller “Not so different in spirit from the way public intellectuals like John Kenneth Galbraith once shaped discussions of economic policy and public figures like Walter Cronkite helped sway opinion on the Vietnam War…could turn out to be one of the more momentous books of the decade .”. — New York Times Book Review "Nate Silver's The Signal and the Noise is The Soul of a New Machine for the 21st century ." Drawing on his own groundbreaking work, Silver examines the world of prediction, investigating how we can distinguish a true signal from a universe of noisy data. Most predictions fail, often at great cost to society, because most of us have a poor understanding of probability and uncertainty. In keeping with his own aim to seek truth from data, Silver visits the most successful forecasters in a range of areas, from hurricanes to baseball, from the poker table to the stock market, from Capitol Hill to the NBA. With everything from the health of the global economy to our ability to fight terrorism dependent on the quality of our predictions, Nate Silver’s insights are an essential read. Baseball, weather forecasting, earthquake prediction, economics, and polling: In all of these areas, Silver finds predictions gone bad thanks to biases, vested interests, and overconfidence.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Longer review: I'm an applied business researcher and that means my job is to deliver quality forecasts: to make them, persuade people of them, and live by the results they bring. But we're not very good at it, and fall prey to cognitive biases and other systemic problems such as information overload that make things worse. However, we are simultaneously learning more about how such things occur and that knowledge can be used to make predictions better -- and to improve our models in science, politics, business, medicine, and so many other areas. For example, on p. 162: "What happens in systems with noisy data and underdeveloped theory - like earthquake prediction and parts of economic and political science - is a two-step process. Second, this noise pollutes journals, blogs, and news accounts with false alarms, undermining good science and setting back our ability to understand how the system really works." Of course this makes the book fascinating to generalists, geeks, and breadth thinkers, but perhaps more importantly, I think it serves well to develop reusable intuition across domains. The third non-fitting audience will be experts who desire depth in one of the book's many topic areas; it's not a technical treatise for them and I can confidently predict grumbling in some quarters."
"The anecdotes and exposition are fantastic, and I wish we could make this book required reading for, say, everyone in the country. This kind of pundit chatter, as Silver notes, tends to be insanely inaccurate. Weather prediction has gotten lots better over the last fifty years, due to highly sophisticated, large-scale supercomputer modeling. Nate Silver made a living playing online poker for a few years. When the government tightened the rules, the less savvy players ("fish") stopped playing, and he found he couldn't make money any more. Rational employees may have less career risk when they "bet with the consensus" than when they buck a trend: this may increase herding effects and makes bubbles worse. Note: Nate pointedly does not claim that one can make money on Intrade by betting based on FiveThirtyEight probabilities. But he stresses that Intrade prices are themselves probably heavily informed by poll-based models like the ones on FiveThirtyEight. Climate prediction: prima facie case for anthropic warming is very strong (greenhouse gas up, temperature up, good theoretical reason for former causing latter). But lots of good reason to doubt accuracy of specific elaborate computer models, and most scientists admit uncertainty about details."
"I do not teach statistics for a living, but I was able to follow Nate Silver's hypotheses, explanations, and formulas; his reasoning was clear."

The companion book to COURSERA®'s wildly popular massive open online course "Learning How to Learn" Whether you are a student struggling to fulfill a math or science requirement, or you are embarking on a career change that requires a new skill set, A Mind for Numbers offers the tools you need to get a better grasp of that intimidating material. When she saw how her lack of mathematical and technical savvy severely limited her options—both to rise in the military and to explore other careers—she returned to school with a newfound determination to re-tool her brain to master the very subjects that had given her so much trouble throughout her entire life. “An ingeniously accessible introduction to the science of human cognition—along with practical advice on how to think better.” —James Taranto, The Wall Street Journal “In my book The Math Instinct, I described how we have known since the early 1990s that all ordinary people can do mathematics, and in The Math Gene , I explained why the capacity for mathematical thinking is both a natural consequence of evolution and yet requires effort to unleash it. How do you come to love math and science, and how do you come to learn math and science? Barbara Oakley is the magician who will help you do both.” —Francisco J. Ayala, University Professor and Donald Bren Professor of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, and former President and Chairman of the Board, American Association for the Advancement of Science. But now that learners have a handy guide for ‘knowing better’ they will also be able to ‘do better.’” —Shirley Malcom, Head of Education and Human Resources Programs, American Association for the Advancement of Science “ A Mind for Numbers is an excellent book about how to approach mathematics, science, or any realm where problem solving plays a prominent role.” —J. Given the urgent need for America to improve its science and math education so it can stay competitive, A Mind for Numbers is a welcome find.” —Geoffrey Canada, President, Harlem Children's Zone "It's easy to say 'work smarter, not harder,' but Barbara Oakley actually shows you how to do just that, in a fast-paced and accessible book that collects tips based on experience and sound science. This is a must-read for anyone who has struggled with mathematics and anyone interested in enhancing their learning experience.” —David C. Geary, Curators’ Professor of Psychological Sciences and Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, University o f Missouri. “For students afraid of math and science and for those who love the subjects, this engaging book provides guidance in establishing study habits that take advantage of how the brain works.” —Deborah Schifter, Principal Research Scientist, Science and Mathematics Programs, Education Development Center, Inc.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Dr. Oakley does a masterful job in introducing the science of learning to readers in a way that is very engaging, practical, infectious and liberating."
"This book is one I would recommend teachers,parents, and students to read."
"Using colorful descriptions, humorous illustrations, and personal testimonies she successfully manages to present the complexities of the brain and the dynamics of learning in an easy-to-read manual for students, teachers, and education enthusiasts alike."
"Well written, easy to read, informative."
"And it has given me hope that I can succeed in a subject which I failed so miserably at before."
"If you enjoy learning new material as a challenge, or if you are a student who needs to be able to master and even enjoy solving difficult problems, this book is for you."
"I really enjoyed this book."
"Excellent companion to the MOOC course I took on Coursera."

An Introduction to Statistical Learning provides an accessible overview of the field of statistical learning, an essential toolset for making sense of the vast and complex data sets that have emerged in fields ranging from biology to finance to marketing to astrophysics in the past twenty years. “Written by four experts of the field, this book offers an excellent entry to statistical learning to a broad audience, including those without strong background in mathematics. … the book also demonstrates how to apply these methods using various R packages by providing detailed worked examples using interesting real data applications.” (Klaus Nordhausen, International Statistical Review, Vol. “The book is structured in ten chapters covering tools for modeling and mining of complex real life data sets. … The style is suitable for undergraduates and researchers … and the understanding of concepts is facilitated by the exercises, both practical and theoretical, which accompany every chapter.” (Irina Ioana Mohorianu, zbMATH, Vol. "The book excels in providing the theoretical and mathematical basis for machine learning, and now at long last, a practical view with the inclusion of R programming examples.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is a wonderful book written by luminaries in the field."
"The book provides the right amount of theory and practice, unlike the earlier (venerable and, by now, stable) text authored (partly) by the last two authors of this one (Elements of Statistical Learning), which was/is a little heavy on the theoretical side (at least for practitioners without a strong mathematical background). It is, however, an excellent introduction to Learning due to the ability of the authors to strike a perfect balance between theory and practice. ISL is an excellent choice for a two-semester advanced undergraduate (or early graduate) course, practitioners trained in classical statistics who want to enter the Learning space, and seasoned Machine Learners. ____________________________________________. UPDATE (12/17/2013): Two of the authors (Hastie & Tibshirani) are offering a 10-week free online course (StatLearning: Statistical Learning) based on this book found at Stanford University's Web site (Starting Jan. 21, 2014)."
"Hands down one of the best intro books to data science/machine learning out there."
"I came to this book after a few other more technical and comprehensive books on machine learning and still find this book a useful and interesting read."
"Comparable to Mitchell's "Machine Learning" only more up to date and includes hands-on labs (using R... well, better than nothing... had they used something like numpy/python, 5-stars!)."
"I am taking off one star as this book does not cover naive Bayes which is a very useful and popular algorithm."
"Great book."
"A beautifully written and composed survey of modern statistical learning techniques."
Best Calculus

With CALCULUS: EARLY TRANSCENDENTALS, Seventh Edition, Stewart conveys not only the utility of calculus to help you develop technical competence, but also gives you an appreciation for the intrinsic beauty of the subject. This means that Calculus 7e and Calculus: Early Transcendentals 7e have the same number of chapters, allowing for a single Multivariable text rather than separate Early Transcendentals and Late Transcendentals versions. In addition, new collections of more challenging exercises called "Problems Plus" have been added, reinforcing concepts by requiring students to apply techniques from more than one chapter of the text. Updated: Tools for Enriching Calculus--a free, online, interactive resource that allows calculus students to work with animations that deepen their understanding of key concepts by helping them visualize the concepts they are learning--has been updated with new problems and a new Flash design that is more visually appealing and engaging to students.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book can save you money at some schools as this edition of the book can cover Calculus I, II, and III; you could end up spending over $300 if you buy the two volume edition of the book. What I also like about this book is how all the sections seems to come together and magnify."
"It's a calculus textbook....so not very exciting, but happy with this purchase."
"In all, I would say someone making an honest effort could learn the subject matter from this text while supplementing any of the great free online resources that are out there (such as Khan Academy)."
"I used this book for AP Calc AB in High School and also for MTH 161 and 162 in college. So by all means, this book is great quantity wise, but the quality of the the examples and practice problems might disappoint you if you don't have the help form someone who knows what they are talking about."
"However, there is the option of buying it used, and if you don't intend to do all three courses of calculus (or you spend a lot of time carrying your books around), it may make sense to buy the book in parts -- it's also sold in Calc 1/Calc 2/Multivariable sections."
"I'm not sure why schools use this textbook when there are definitely more "learner friendly" books available."
"I am not personally taking calculus however I took one look at this book and I couldn't resist."
"Great book if you already know Calc, terrible if you are learning for the first time."
Best Geometry

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"The pages lay flat when the book is open which is really nice."
"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."
Best Algebra & Trigonometry

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."