Reviews (2)

Nice book!
This book is really easy to understand. Its language is so simple. Anyone can read and understand it so well, even if your first language is not English. It gives nice examples with details to explain the solutions of the problems. It's about 19 chapters and they are: 0. Algebra Refresher. 1. Equations. 2. Applications of Equations and Inequalities. 3. Functions and Graphs. 4. Line, Parbolas, and Systems. 5. Exponential and Logarthimic Functions. 6. Matrix Algebra. 7. Linear Programming. 8. Mathematics of Finance. 9. Introduction of Probability and Statistics. 10. Additional Topics in Probablity. 11. Limits and Continuity. 12. Differentiation. 13. Additional Differentiation Topics 14. Curve Sketching. 15. Applications of Differentiation 16. Integration. 17. Methods of Applications of Integration. 18. Continuous Random Variables. 19. Multivariable Calculus. I recommend this book for students or readers for business because it teaches the basics of the topics (above)

You've got to have this!
The authors of this book seems to be a mathematician if you take a good look at all his other books. Great for intermediate mathematicians! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business mathematics    2. Calculus    3. Economics - General    4. Economics, Mathematical    5. Mathematical Analysis    6. Mathematical Economics    7. Mathematics    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Calculus & mathematical analysis    10. Mathematics / General   

Reviews (4)

My Best Math Book
This is definitely one of my best math books. The main feature of this book is that the readers feel very easy to follow the provided concepts and understand what is important. I really don't know any other book as good as this one. Probably only David C. Lay's "Linear Algebra and Its Applications" can compete with this one. I truly recommend anyone who studies modern algebra to take a look at this. Good luck!

thats how math books should be written!!! (but plz, change that price there)
It is surely one of the books I most enjoyed!!
An excellent introduction to higher mathematics
I thoroughly enjoyed my modern algebra class, with an excellent professor and this excellent book. The book is very clearly written, and the concepts of sets, groups, rings, fields, and number systems are explained with detail. This is especially important since my summer research in number theory requires an understanding of these algebraic structures. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Advanced    2. Algebra - General    3. Algebra, Abstract    4. Mathematics    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Algebra    7. Mathematics / Advanced   

Reviews (2)

Calculus with Applications (8th Edition)
Having taught this material at the community college level for over 15 years, I find this to be one of the best texts we have used. As always, materials from a Lial book are easily understood. Futhermore, the authors have not lost contact with all rigor as in somemath books intended for liberal arts usage. For example, the fact that a critical number can occur at an undefined value of the derivative, butonly if the function itself is defined at that value, is fully explained.

My friend and teacher.
Man, I have no idea where to begin. So let me start of by stating my mathematical background before I picked up this book. Before I picked up this book, I was fairly good with algebra but not very good at pre-calculus because all I knew about pre-calculus was that there are parabolas, but I knew very small trigonometry, statistics, series, and some other parts of pre-calculus. Anyway, so here I am in my last year of high school, a very terrible high school, with very small knowledge of mathematics, and I really want to see what the big fuss was with Calculus. So I decided to find some books on Calculus. My first three books on Calculus were very hard to follow along with. They were all textbooks, and one of them I bought. So I decided to sacrifice my $150.00 and buy this book from www.aw.com. When I first picked up this book, I had a hard time following along with the pre-calculus material, so I skipped them. I went into Limits and beyond. I understood every thing to my surprise, but when I got to the parts with Logs and Calculus, I went back to the pre-calculus section, and to my surprise, I understood it this time. Therefore, this book opened my mind. It allowed me to understand things I could not before by explaining the complicated subjects in a very easy to follow matter. I am in my first year of college taking Calculus I and I passed every test with a 50/50 except for one that I missed because of a negative sign, finding the equation of the tangent line to a given function. Anyway, I would recommend this book very much to anyone who wants to learn Calculus. I am very proud of what I got out of this book. This book in fact, made me a calculus teacher in a small way because I now tutor kids who are struggling with Calculus.
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Subjects:  1. Calculus    2. Mathematics    3. Science/Mathematics    4. Calculus & mathematical analysis    5. Mathematics / Calculus   

Reviews (57)

Excellent Book - Go for it
How to Ace Calculus is a great book.It does a great job of explaining concepts that I have not understood all semester.I only wish I had bought the book sooner.Oh well.I am using Stewarts text book, and How to Ace Calculus covers most of the concepts that we have covered in class.The only book that will cover everything in your textbook is, your textbook.
Gave me an A in my Business Calc class
I havent taken any math courses in 3 years, and when I had to take Business Calculus for my Economics minor, I remembered someone mentioning this book, and Im glad they did. It outlined what I needed to know BEFORE taking a calculus class (so i was well prepared on the first day), and then it goes on to describe with examples what I needed to know FOR class... derivitives, logs, ln, trig functions, power rule, chain rule, etc. Its a easy read and its a great companion for your regular text book!

Teaches the basics and makes calculus entertaining
The book alone will not earn you an A in calculus at a rigorous or competitive college (in fact using only this book at such a school would be disastrous). However, Streetwise Guide does aid lost or uninterested students, and will help those students earn an A if used along with the required text and homework. The authors have a humorous and entertaining style, which might even cause students to put down their lattes and ignore instant messages from their girlfriends or boyfriends. I read this book when I changed majors from fine arts to science, and was able to quickly get up to speed to the point where I could succeed in math classes for engineering majors without depending on such basic books. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Calculus    2. Mathematics    3. Study Guides    4. Study and teaching    5. Calculus & mathematical analysis   

Reviews (5)

Very challenging, very deep
This is an excellent book on combinatorics, but it is quite difficult to understand.The author often chooses a more general framework in which to present things, and this can make the material quite difficult to follow.But the rewards for the diligent reader are great.Occasionally I question how Stanley chooses to present a certain topic, but usually if I look closely enough, I see that there are often some very deep reasons for his choice of notation or presentation.
A Masterpiece on Enumerative Combinatorics
I agree with the other reviewers.The book is a masterpiece on enumerative combinatorics.However, I am not so sure that it is a good book for a beginner.If you are a beginner, then you should read another book first, like John Riordan's book on "Combinatorial Analysis."Stanley's book is best suited for an advanced student who has a high level of mathematical mental maturity.The reason I say this is that in a few places Stanley's formalism, which is entirely appropriate for professional exposition, actually obscures the underlying simplicity of the mathematical ideas.We have all seen this in research papers, where a mathematician takes a trivial idea and "obsures" the underlying simplicity with too much formalism.However, for an advanced student, the book has a high density of important ideas and methods.

This is for people who likes to COUNT
Gosh! This is for people who count, what else does a combinatorist do? Before people dismiss me as somebody who don't know hoot about math: I took a class with Prof. Stanley (the author) in college, and I had actually used vol 1 as a text. The material is highbrow (I agree on the 'hardcore' math observation) but the main theme of the book is how to 'count' -- needless to say not in the sense of everyday counting, but in the sense that 'topology' is 'coffee-to-donut transformation' and 'analysis' is 'honors calculus'. You have to know how to count, and comfortable with combinatorial proof to actually learn from this. I like the fact that Prof. Stanley asks for combinatorial proof to some known results, marking them as unsolved -- he really elevates the status of combinatorial proof, a method many dismiss as 'handwaving'. There is a number given to each exercise, according to the level of difficulty: [1] for trivial, [5] unsolved. I saw a professor who worked in differential topology for 40 years refer to this book -- and first year undergrads thumbing through the pages for exercises marked [1] and [2] to solve in spare time. This is a book for all levels of mathematicians: I am sure even the armchair amateur mathematicians can grasp some of the materials after a hard day's thought. I dont see this book as any less than a definitive text on enumerative combinatiorics. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Combinatorics    2. Discrete Mathematics    3. Functional Analysis    4. Mathematics    5. Theory Of Functions    6. Combinatorial enumeration problems    7. Combinatorics & graph theory    8. Mathematics / Probability   

Reviews (3)

One of the WORST textbooks I ever used
This book sucks at explaining, half the examples in this book just refer you to other examples/exercises that you have to complete yourself. HOW DOES THIS HELP IF YOU HAVE TO DO THE PROBLEM YOURSELF??!? Half the practice problems are theoretical questions that do not help you in understanding the concept whatsoever. The only thing it does is confuse and frustrate you more. Whoever uses this textbook to teach is obviously incompetent and/or has not looked it over at all.

A math book
This isn't the easiest linear text I've scene.This also isn't the hardest.The book has a ton of applications, which is good if you're an applied math, engineering, or science major.If your interests are in pure math the applications are still a nice little side note.The book's explanations are explained as clearly as possible without giving up any rigor.At first I didn't like the book, but after looking at several other linear textbooks I realized that these authors did a good job of explaining a difficult topic.

Best math book I've ever had
This book is a fabulous resource... explains things in as clear a way as Linear Algebra can be.If you want deeper understanding, many concepts are described in more depth, and most proofs are given in detail.It's notfilled with cartoons and useless pictures like some textbooks, but clear,concise explanations of what turns out to be an interesting and fairlysimple area of mathematics. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Algebra - Linear    2. Algebras, Linear    3. Linear Algebra    4. Mathematics    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Mathematics / Algebra / General   

Reviews (30)

Content left as an exercise
I had the "pleasure" of being exposed to this nightmare of a book in a bachelor level course. I am told that it is normal to use this book on masters-degree level, so maybe it's because I wasn't "prepared" enough for this book that my take on it is so negative. The book does have it's moments, where things are understandable, but thats mainly if the stuff is easy. There is a lack of explenations throughout the entire book. It seems the author(s) view of "explenation" is the words "it is easy to see..." or "left as an exercise"....The proof of my feelings toward this book, can be seen on the teeth-marks that decorate the books cover. Im not writing this, because I need to vent steam...I passed the course on the first try, and it is now behind me, but I advice anyone faced with this book, to seek alternatives..this book is not a teaching book, it is a telling book.
A good textbook
I taught a couple of classes from the first edition of this textbook, and my students did fairly well.On the whole, they were able to understand the material and solve the homework problems.I certainly wouldn't mind teaching a class on this subject from the second edition as well, which I feel is a mild improvement over the first one.
First and foremost, a math book
I enjoyed this book because I enjoy formal mathematics.This is not an applications book, but a formal study of the mathematics that underly algorithmic design and analysis.I'm no math wizard, and I found this book readable (but I had to take it very slowly).The course for which I bought the book only covered chapters 1 - 4 and glossed over the final 3 chapters, but I intend to read the rest over the summer between semesters because it's so well and thoroughly written.This book is *dense*.I had to re-read everything three times before I absorbed it all, but ultimately I've understood everything I've read.The hardest parts to understand were the formal "proofs by induction" on the lengths of strings and sets - and, as any math student knows, you can gloss over the proofs on the first reading.A lot of the formal definitions (finite automata, pushdown automata, Turing machines, context-free grammars, etc.) baffled me on the first reading, but after reviewing the examples and working through a few problems, I could go back, re-read the formal definition and understand it.
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Subjects:  1. Computational complexity    2. Computer Books: General    3. Computer Mathematics    4. Computer Science    5. Computers    6. Computers - General Information    7. Discrete Mathematics    8. Formal languages    9. Logic    10. Logic, Symbolic and mathematic    11. Machine theory    12. Computers / Programming / Algorithms    13. Mathematical theory of computation    14. Probability & statistics   

Reviews (3)

Excellent work
We used this book to prove a theorem in our studies that is directly related to my PhD thesis on spatial data mining and spatial statistics. This book is a master-piece.
Wonderful Book
This is one of my favorite books in my library on this subject. Also I have used this book for my class as main textbook along with "Iterative Methods for Solving Linear and Nonlinear Equations" by C. T. Kelley , which is another SIAM book.
Great Book
This is a great book for this subject.The book is easy to follow and Saad does a wonderful job ofillustrating with examples.This is a great textbook or a book for reference.This book does a particularly good jobwith Krylov methods and does a reasonable job with preconditioning. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Algebra - Linear    2. Differential equations, Partia    3. Differential equations, Partial    4. Iterative methods (Mathematics    5. Iterative methods (Mathematics)    6. Linear Programming    7. Mathematics    8. Matrices    9. Numerical solutions    10. Science/Mathematics    11. Sparse matrices    12. Algebra    13. Applied mathematics    14. Mathematics / Mathematical Analysis   

Subjects:  1. Algebra - General    2. Mathematics    3. Science/Mathematics    4. Mathematics / Algebra / General   

Reviews (7)

Textbook industry: Use 1/3 of book, Respend money for same darn thing
First, I wouldn't say Blitzer's books are as great as hyped...a decent portion of explanation was wordy, convoluted and confusing. I mostly stopped reading the book and only took notes of the teacher's explanations.
Excellent Book!
This book teaches a real understanding of the concepts, not just memorization or how to enter the data into a calculator.I am returning to college after a 27ish year hiatus, and needless to say, needed some brushing up.
Great Math Textbook
I used this book for an accelerated Algebra/Trig class at the college level.I found this book to be one the best math books I have ever encountered.When examples are given in the text it goes step by step and for most, explanations of what is being done.Other texts that I've used have skipped steps and left you wondering how did they get from A to Z?
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Subjects:  1. Algebra    2. Algebra - General    3. Mathematics    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Textbooks    6. Trigonometry    7. Elementary geometry & trigonometry    8. Mathematics / Algebra / General   

Reviews (3)

Better than the one I use, but not by enough to change
I recently evaluated this book as a possible textbook for the finite mathematics class that I teach. A great deal of space is devoted to the use of technology using a TI-83 graphing calculator and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. Images of the calculator and computer screens are used to demonstrate the solutions. While I don't use either technology in my class, the presence of the technology solutions had no affect on my opinion of the book.
Great Choice
I was very satisfied with my results and the sender got my book sent to me extremely quick.

I'm glad I'm the teacher and not the student!!!
Wow.This book is bad.I have to use this book -- chosen by the department -- for a class I'm teaching.The fact that the book is a bad choice for this class is not the fault of the book -- I was given the text with instructions to teach chapters 1 - 4, 10, and 11, and then to use extra material for topics not covered in the book -- clearly, this text does not fit the class, and either the course should be redesigned, or a different text should be chosen.
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Subjects:  1. Applied    2. Finite Mathematics    3. Mathematics    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Applied mathematics    6. Finite geometry    7. Mathematics / General   

Reviews (5)

Choose your edition carefully
This is a great book.It's the place where modern number theory begins.It's also well enough written that it's enjoyable to read today.
Not bad for 204 years old.
Gauss wrote Disquisitiones between 1795 and 1801. If I can read and understand Clarke's translation in less time than it took Gauss to write the original, I will be doing well. The mathematics has not been superseded and the historical aspect is extremely valuable.

Professor
It is the best book for people who takes mathematics seriously ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Algebra - General    2. General    3. Mathematicians And Their Works    4. Mathematics    5. Number theory    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Theory Of Numbers    8. Algebra    9. Mathematics / Algebra / General    10. Mathematics / General   

Reviews (3)

Perhaps the best written written elementary book of logic
I bought the book just because my teacher of elementary philosophy in the university respected Tarski as a master of formal logic. It took me 26 years to get this book in my hands. What makes Tarski unique is, that he was a great logician and a great teacher, too.
TIMELESS CORE HOLDING IN ANY LOGIC LIBRARY
This timeless classic by one of the five greatest logicians of all time should be owned by anyone who cares about logic - especially at this illogically low price.The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BCE), the English mathematician George Boole (1815-1864), the German mathematician Gottlob Frege (1848-1925), the Austrian-American mathematician Kurt G�del and the Polish mathematician Alfred Tarski (1901-1983) are considered to be the five greatest logicians of history.Today it is difficult to appreciate the astounding permanence of what is accomplished in the works of Aristotle, Boole, and Frege without seeing their ideas surviving in the work of a modern master.Of the two modern master logicians Tarski is by far the most suitable for this purpose since he was by far the one most interested in the articulation of the conceptual basis of logic, he was by far the one most interested in history and philosophy of logic, and he was the only one to write an introductory book attempting to explain his perspective in accessible terms. This book, together with Aristotle's Prior Analytics and Boole's Laws of Thought, should form the core of any logic library. All three are still in print and available in inexpensive paperback editions.Hackett publishes an excellent up-to-date translation of Prior Analytics by Robin Smith and Prometheus recently reprinted Laws of Thought with an introduction by John Corcoran.- Frango Nabrasa.

I will always keep it as a reference
This is one of the classic introductory mathematics books. When I was learning logic, I relied on it heavily, although it was not the text for the course. Over my years as a teacher, I have consulted it often and when I was working on a recent book on logic, there were very few days when I did not open it in search of an idea or clarification. Read more

Subjects:  1. Arithmetic    2. Foundations    3. General    4. Logic    5. Mathematics    6. Philosophy    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Mathematical logic    9. Science / General   

Reviews (42)

Very nice book, despite some errors
This is a very pleasant book to read, and in general quite well written. The author knows how to balance fun and seriousness, so it doesn't feel like he's trying hard to be _too_ funny, which is my general gripe which these kind of "for dummies" and "idiot's guide" books.
Buy this book
As a lecturer in math at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and specifically calculus, I had always thought that my explanations and teaching were clear and obvious. Despite this, I have always been perplexed as to why people find this stuff so difficult, and why people couldn't understand my explanations. I always thought that the stuff is intuitively obvious, so why can't people understand it?
A good refreshment book.
To refresh Calculus for a short period time, i.e. 2 or 3 weeks around 10 to 15 hours week, it's very informative and concise guide.
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Subjects:  1. Calculus    2. Mathematics    3. Science/Mathematics    4. Calculus & mathematical analysis    5. Mathematics / General   

Reviews (1)

Great Book! if......
This is a GREAT book for studying and reviewing algebra 2, but if you have not taken algebra, or if you took algebra and couldnt grasp most topics without going back to your textbooks to remember something, then you may want to get algebra for dummies to review, this book begins with a slight amount of review from algebra 1, but it will definetly not each you all of algebra 1 topics. I bought this book to study algebra 2 during the summer so I wont have to worry so much next year and ive learned alot from this book, great for dummies book I recomend it completely. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Algebra    2. Algebra - General    3. General    4. Mathematics    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Mathematics / Algebra / General   

Reviews (3)

Making Introductory Algebra Easy to Learn
I am 43 years old and needed to take algebra to finish my AS degree. I have not taken an algebra class in 30 years. This book was the required textbook for my class.
Prentice Hall-Excellent Book, lousy program
When a consumer purchases a product, they expect to get what they paid for. This belief is only strengthened when one purchases a product designed for self-improvement, especially if the product is one targeted at educators and students. Prentice Hall's Interactive Math: Beginning Algebra is a severe letdown... this software/textbook bundle is intended for students who are a)in college and b)trying to understand the basics of algebra so that they can continue on with their education and move to the next level. The product fails in two categories; the program itself, the 'installation' guide, and Prentice Hall's servers. To begin with, the installation setup is a joke. Unlike most programs that begin installation the moment the cd has loaded in the drive, users have to locate the add/delete program function in their directory, then click to start and follow the directions. As a long-time computer user, this is not a problem I had, however for the majority of people who have a hard time using computers (and they were the majority in the class I enrolled in which used this program)-this is a daunting task. This fact is compounded by the two installation manuals found in the box (both different). The second issue with program itself is that it is bug-ridden. More often than not, when a correct answer is entered, it is marked as 'incorrect'. The program is set up so that if the test portion of each chapter is not completed to a passing percentage (in our case, the percentage was set at 80%, which would be one incorrect answer out of five)one cannot advance to the next section. Now imagine for a moment getting all five answers correct, being told -you- answered all five incorrectly (because it shows the 'correct' answer under the one you submitted)and having to wait until the teacher can clear the error and mark all your answers correct. Now imagine a whole class having that same problem. It only gets worse when you realize that the classwork is also done at home (the whole course is online and can partially be done at home). The teacher can only do so much, so in the end you can't blame him or her. The blame is on Prentice Hall, and the fact that they clearly did not test this product and clear up the bugs before it was released on the market. The third problem with the product- it's technical support and the servers used to transmit uploaded and downloaded information (since the program itself requires the user to be online to open the program)is by far the worst part. Not only did they shut down their servers (repeatedly) for 'maintenance' at peak times, but students recieved numerous error messages while the system was up and running. Between socket errors and javascript problems, it was next to impossible to upload, download, or startup the program. The tech support number given in the textbook/software bundle- a number which was supposed to be there for students to call 24hrs in regards to assistance was useless after 9pm -even though peak hours for the system ofter were at night, when most of the people taking this class (who chose it because it was 'distance learning' and flexible)were coming home from work and getting ready to work on their classwork online. The teacher for the class eventually gave his students the -actual- 24hr number midway through the term, however it was after many of us had gone through quite a bit of hassle. In honesty, the only valuable thing about this product, is the actual textbook that comes with it. The textbook mirrors the program, explanation for explanation- and provides problems for the student to work out on their own... I shelled out for the whole package. Expect to see Prentice Hall either discontinue this product, or pull it off the market only to reintroduce it later after they work out it's inherent problems. Until then, please, do not buy this product.

It does not explain a thing!
This book is confusing and gives bad examples. It does not go over how to do each step well and is hard to understand. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Algebra    2. Algebra - Elementary    3. Algebra - General    4. Mathematics    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Textbooks    7. Mathematics / Algebra / General   

Reviews (22)

A book that teaches Math and thinking at once
Polya struck gold with this book! "How To Solve It" contains a simple, 5 step method for solving problems that's applicable in multitudes of disciplines. While the emphasis of this book is on story problems; Polya's method for problem solving is useful in areas such as computer programming, automotive troubleshooting, electronics repair, heating and cooling services, research writing, and much more.
Excellent and useful book
A really helpful book that goes way beyond math. In our hurry to get through algebra we almost completely sidestep problem solving in teaching. It's true that we have `story problems' but they're usually just applications that restate the chapter's contents. That's why so many people get to a class like physical chem in college and flounder: they've never really been taught how to solve a problem only to regurgitate what's been read. This book by Polya fills in that gap.
A delightful and satisfying classic
Are you like a dog with a bone when you're working on a brain teaser? After pages of scribbles, do you get a big grin on your face when you turn to the answers and say: "I'm right!" Then this book is for you.
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Subjects:  1. Advanced    2. Applied    3. Logic    4. Mathematics    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Mathematics / Logic   

Reviews (8)

Numero Uno
The Scandanavian scholarship of Torkel Franzen has brought light where there should already be light in lieu of Godel's theorem itself.I recall some odd-ball who tried to use Godel's theorem as an argument against the Apostle Paul.Dr. Franzen clarifies the meaning and purpose of Godel's theorem so that people won't use it to defend their pet ideology.It is a theorem that has been much abused.Indeed, I would argue that Kenneth Arrow's use of the theorem has caused many to take liberties they shouldn't.Kenneth Arrow, of course, knew what he was doing.However, when philosophers or professional people or even atheistic mathematicians with no background in mathematical logic think that their capacity to understand the general import of the theorem try and venture beyond it and apply it to domains incongruous with it, Dr. Franzen's labor in this short but important book is greatly needed.If you want an intellectual grasp of Godel's theorem, then this book is for you.In a sense, people cannot be blamed for their foolish conduct since hindsight is 20/20.Torkel Franzen put that hindsight in stone.

Valuable Counterbalance to Widespread Misconceptions and Nonsense in Print and on the Internet
Torkel Franzen has created an immensely valuable, deeply fascinating examination of misunderstandings, misconceptions, and outright abuse of Godel's theorems found in print as well as on the Internet. He does so in a cogent, non-confrontational style that makes enjoyable reading. Godel's Theorem - An Incomplete Guide to Its Use and Abuse warrants five stars.
Franzen's guide incomplete but consistently good nonetheless
For certain numbering systems, one must content oneself with either being consistent but incomplete or complete but inconsistent.
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Subjects:  1. Gèodel's theorem    2. History & Philosophy    3. Incompleteness theorems    4. Logic    5. Mathematics    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Mathematical logic   

Subjects:  1. Algebra    2. Algebra - General    3. Mathematics    4. Pre-Calculus    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Trigonometry    7. Euclidean geometry    8. Mathematics / General   

Reviews (6)

Difficult for undergrads
I think the term "undergraduate" is a bit misleading.I think you would have had to have at least one course in linear algebra and abtract algebra to truly appreciate this book.I read it over a summer (as a master's student who lacked any coursework in linear algebra) - kind of as an independent project, and I found it to be very easy to understand.Then again, I had just taken abstract algebra.There were a couple parts that I found challenging though.I love it when he says that the proof or rest of the proof is "trivial" and unnecessary to write.I have heard he does this in many of his books.Overall great book if you have some background.

Solid piece of work
Like in other math books by Lang, the theory of Linear Algebra is presented in an axiomatic way, the best way of presenting since The Elements of Euclid. The way in which the theory is presented adds to the beauty. I have read this book as a refresher for Linear Algebra, about 20 years after the completion of a master's degree in an exact science. For me the level was perfect. If you have no experience with Linear Algebra beyond high school, you must first read "Introduction to Linear Algebra" by Lang or some other introductory course. The book under review does not talk about basics like Gauss-elimination. I have seen remarkably few typos. Some cross-references to theorems in other chapters were wrong, though. In all: a very good book and well worth the money.

Serge Lang is a Very Gifted Expositor
Serge Lang is a very gifted expositor. I've read the reviews saying that his books are notorious for their "dryness". At least as concerns this book - that couldn't be less true.Read more

Subjects:  1. Algebra - Linear    2. Algebras, Linear    3. Linear Algebra    4. Mathematics    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Mathematics / Algebra / Linear