Calculus and Its Applications, Eighth Edition

Customer Reviews:

Well written for the beginner.......2007-07-19

This book is great for the person new to Calculus as I was at the time I went through an earlier version. The examples are well written, with the steps easy to follow. Interim steps to the result are not skipped as has been the case with other Calculus books I've read. The book begins very simply, so someone with just algebra can follow. I can not overstate the importance of working through the problems though, that was the only way I came to appreciate Calculus. What I liked most about this book was that it had alot of applications to real life, using economic, business and science examples. I learn best when I can apply the information directly to my work, and this text did a good job of allowing me to do that.

I would also like to state that the way some of the word problems are stated can be misleading. Section 7.6, problem 17, for example is a maximizing problem and if one applies the approach suggested in the book, then area is not maximized, because more area can be derived by applying the circumference to a circle.

Calculus and Its Applications, Eighth Edition.......2005-09-30

Probably I did not read the description of this book carefully, that is why not what I expected. Anyway, the transaction was very pleasant!!!

Very good for a beginner taking calculus.......1998-07-20

Its examples and explanations are very good. It contains the essentials of Calculus and good applications in many fields, e.g. biology, economics, etc.

Average customer rating:

Great book!
Unsurpassed clarity - and this book just got better!
Non Fiction
Excellent book
A solid explanation of linear algebra

Linear Algebra and Its Applications
Gilbert Strang
Manufacturer: Brooks Cole
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0030105676

Book Description

Renowned professor and author Gilbert Strang demonstrates that linear algebra is a fascinating subject by showing both its beauty and value. While the mathematics is there, the effort is not all concentrated on proofs. Strang's emphasis is on understanding. He explains concepts, rather than deduces. This book is written in an informal and personal style and teaches real mathematics. The gears change in Chapter 2 as students reach the introduction of vector spaces. Throughout the book, the theory is motivated and reinforced by genuine applications, allowing pure mathematicians to teach applied mathematics.

Customer Reviews:

Great book!.......2007-10-08

I've used the third edition in conjunction with Professor Strang's excellent video lectures on the MIT OCW site. The combination of the two is absolutely superb. If you do the exercises at the end of each section you will learn linear algebra even if you never intended to!

Unsurpassed clarity - and this book just got better!.......2007-09-15

Professor Strang has taught Linear Algebra for many years to legions of one of the United States' top institution. So give him some credit, for starters...
This book is inimitable in its clarity and in how it yields so much insight. I have many books on Linear Algebra and I think this book is worth its weight in gold. I know of no other book that teaches the fundamental subspaces so well.
The book covers standard material in Linear Algebra (and then some) and has a strong matrix-oriented flavor (as opposed to a book giving an algebraic treatment - look for Valenza if you want that).
I don't understand what some of the complaining is about by some reviewers. The book is not abstract enough, not formal enough? No first treatment in Linear Algebra is or should be - that is Linear Algebra 2. Besides, matrices are pervasive in all fields of engineering, physics, applied math and other disciplines and later on the student will advance to even more complex issues (such as numerical linear algebra) and they simply cannot afford not to have seen the standard matrix treatment. In fact, that would be the reason it's so widely taught - because it's so useful. It's no use delving into abstract treatment if one doesn't understand the most basic facts about why it is that you can solve a system of linear equations.
Best of all, his lectures now can be seen on MIT's Open Courseware site.
I have used this book since the second edition. I believe this 4th edition is the best edition yet. Unlike some other books on the market, this new edition is a fully thought-through new edition (Strang has been restructuring his book throughout all editions, ever making this more clear and insightful). Not bloat at all. I wholeheartedly recommend it. In fact, I believe you might get hurt using some other books that are on the market that do a very lousy job on teaching this subject (such as Lay). This book is the gold standard.

Non Fiction.......2007-09-03

A somewhat dry but good text on the subject. An introduction to vector spaces, among other things. I just looked at fishpond and the price for a new hardcover is $300. Is this delivered by a strip-o-gram, or what? Unbelievable.

Anyway, it is good, but no way it is worth that sort of money given the subject and its age.

Excellent book.......2007-05-28

I stumbled across this book a few years ago when I was visiting someone in Pittsburgh. I woke up early, and having nothing else to do, I picked up Prof. Strang's book to read and I could not put it down. I am a mechanical engineer with an aversion towards mathematics - but Prof. Strang's conversation style completely won me over ( I refer to 2nd and 3rd editions of his book). Since then I have purchased three other books authored by him, and I have watched many of his videos on MIT's OCW website, and I have never felt let down.
No author can write a book that will be acceptable to every reader, and I find some of the criticism of his books exceedingly harsh. If you do not know how to multiply matrices, then this is not the book you want to start with, but once you know a little linear algebra, his video lectures and this book will give you a completely new perspective.

A solid explanation of linear algebra.......2007-02-21

First off, this book is not well-suited for students who have never seen a matrix and have not yet mastered the basic calculations of how to multiply and add matrices, or for those who have never seen Gaussian elimination. There are many other textbooks that do nothing but provide you with exercise after exercise of manual computations of inverses and determinants that are better suited to that purpose.

That said, for anyone taking a course in linear algebra who actually wants to know more than the rote mechanics of matrix multiplication and Gaussian elimination, this book provides a succint explanation of what matrices actually represent. And I've held onto the book as a reference now for many years (referring to the 3rd edition).

I came across it as a graduate student studying for doctoral qualifying examinations. Someone suggested that I check out Strang's book from the library as a supplement to my utterly confounding graduate school text. It was a godsend! I pored over Strang's book, doing computations on occasion, and taking copious notes of his thorough explanations of concepts like null space, row space, column space, and eigenvalues. After that, I had no problem passing my qualifying exam in linear algebra!

Calculus and Its Applications, 10th Edition

Average customer rating:

Best for basics
Good Text for Basic Calculus Concepts
awful
Horrible text on an already difficult subject
Whats the difference between the 8th and 7th eds?

Calculus and Its Applications, 10th Edition
Larry J. Goldstein , David I. Schneider , and David C. Lay
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0130466107

Book Description

This extremely readable, highly regarded, and widely adopted text present innovative ways for applying calculus to real-world situations in the business, economics, life science, and social science disciplines. The text's straightforward, engaging approach fosters the growth of both mathematical maturity and an appreciation for the usefulness of mathematics. The authors' tried and true formula — pairing substantial amounts of graphical analysis and informal geometric proofs with an abundance of hands-on exercizes — has proven to be tremendously successful. Functions, derivatives, applications of the derivative, techniques of differentiations, exponential and natural logarithm functions, definite integral, variables, trigonometric functions, integration, differential equations, Taylor polynomials and probability. For individuals interested in an introduction to calculus applications.

Customer Reviews:

Best for basics.......2005-07-19

This is an excellent place to start - if you just started calculus, or need a thorough back-to-basics guide.

Concepts are explained patiently and excellently unlike many others that cover the same basic concepts but rush through the 'why's and simply throw formulae at you. On the other hand, the book is kind of verbose and a slow starter. It may not be right if you are looking for a quick tour of the basics. But if you are willing to invest a little more time, it's well worth it. For me, the practical illustrations alongside each concept, were a big incentive and don't make you feel like you are just plowing through a math textbook.

Good Text for Basic Calculus Concepts.......2003-12-14

Contrary to what some other reviewer have claimed, I found this book quite helpful. It provides the basic concepts of Calculus such as limits and derivative rules and applications, exponents and logarithms, integrals, double variable calculus, trig functions, techniques of integrations, an introduction to differential equations, and even series.

I found this book very easy to use. It presents the information in a very terse, straightforward manner. Basically, it cuts down on the mathematical theory and allows students to solve the important equations quick and easy. Instead of being lost in complicated definations of derivations, I was able to quickly find derivations and discover their uses in functions.

This is the book that I used for my "Calculus for Social and Natural Science Majors" course. Personally, I feel that I learned much from this book. I never took a Calculus class in high school and wasn't the most mathematically inclinded so i was sure that Calculus was going to be tough. This book made it really easy to understand and somehow Calculus turned into one of my easiest classes.

This book, however, is not for those who plan on taking higher level Calculus classes. It has most of the fundamentals, but not more advanced topics. Also, several topics are presented out of order from a regular Calc 1 class (so I'm told). For instance, calculus of several varibles--a topic usually covered in a third level course--occurs before techniques of intregration.

The book is quite suitable for a Business/Natural Science Calc class, as it was intended to be used for, and overall seems to make the subject easier. It provides a good means of jumping right into the subject.

awful.......2002-05-22

Bad Book on an already hard subject. There are better books out there. Don't waste your money or time on this stinker. It left me dazed and confused. It didn't teach the subject just gave examples which would be fine, if the examples were based on the exercise problems. What a waste of paper.

Horrible text on an already difficult subject.......2002-05-22

This was a horrible text book. It does not help with teaching, or with explaining the topic at hand. Instead it gives examples,which would be fine except the examples were not like the exercise problems. The book left me confused, and with plenty of questions for my instructor. I hated this book, and looked for better books to get me through the class. Alot of money for nothing. There are better books out there.

Whats the difference between the 8th and 7th eds?.......1999-11-23

The book itself is OK at best. The author makes use of OK examples but has some very good questions. Too bad its hard to solve the more advanced questions he asks from the examples given.

In compairing the 7th and 8th editions there is almost NO difference between the two. I think I ran accross under 10( at most) total changes, and they were VERY minor. Why print another edition? More money to charge university students is probably why.

Book Description

This volume presents a systematic study of the global behaviour of solutions of nonlinear scalar difference equations of order greater than one. Of particular interest are aspects such as global asymptotic stability, periodicity, permanence and persistence, and also semicycles of solutions. As well as exposing the reader to the very frontiers of the subject, important open problems are also formulated.
The book has six chapters. Chapter 1 presents an introduction to the subject and deals with preliminaries. Chapter 2 considers global stability results. Chapter 3 is devoted to rational recursive structures. Chapter 4 describes various applications. The topic of Chapter 5 is periodic cycles, and Chapter 6 discusses a number of open problems and conjectures involving interesting types of difference equations. Each chapter includes notes and references. The volume concludes with three appendices, a comprehensive bibliography, and name and subject indices.
For graduate students and researchers whose work involves difference and differential equations.

Fast Fourier Transform and Its Applications

Average customer rating:

An accessible examination of the FFT great for self study
Written with the reader in mind.
Very good, but be careful, though
Outstanding classic
One of the best technical monographs.

Fast Fourier Transform and Its Applications
E. Brigham
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0133075052

Customer Reviews:

An accessible examination of the FFT great for self study.......2007-01-01

This book is not just another terse math or signal processing book. It tries to provide an alternative to standard DSP techniques that develop the FFT adequately enough, but show nothing about applications and have the student believing that "The Butterfly Element" is something he can buy an armful of at an electronics store and assemble. All developments in this book use graphical techniques and examples that insure clarity in the presentation. The book provides not only a readable introduction to the FFT but a thorough and unified reference for applying it to various fields of interest. It is great for self-study. The text is divided into five major subject areas:

1. The Fourier Transform and its properties
2. The Discrete Fourier Transform - It is developed from the continuous Fourier Transform both graphically and theoretically. Its properties are examined as are numerous waveform classes via illustrative examples. Discrete convolution and correlation are defined and compared with the continuous equivalents via examples.
3. The FFT - The FFT algorithm is developed along with an explanation of why the FFT is efficient. Computer programs are developed that can calculate the FFT.
4. Basic Applications of the FFT - Presents the application of the FFT to the computation of discrete and inverse discrete Fourier transforms. There is an emphasis on graphical examination of resolution and common FFT user mistakes such as aliasing, time domain truncation, noncausal time functions, and periodic functions. The applications examined include Laplace transform computation, discrete convolution and correlation, and two-dimensional Fourier transform convolution. Computer programs are provided.
5. Signal Processing and System FFT Applications - The design and application of digital filters using the FFT are explored. A novel application of the FFT to multichannel band-pass filtering is developed in a way that can readily be expanded by the reader.

I highly recommend this book to readers who want a complete explanation and investigation of the FFT and its applications that is clear enough for self-study.

Written with the reader in mind........2004-10-02

I think this is one of the most understandable books in signal processing that I've ever come across. I get the feeling that Brigham had been frustrated by technical texts that were poorly written, and decided he wasn't going to commit the same sin. Plenty of carefully planned illustrations designed to help the reader start from a known place, and move step-by-step to an understanding of something new. Not just a bunch of faceless equations. I think this would be an excellent college text.

Like any in-depth text dealing with a mathematically complex topic, there appear to be a number of mistakes left in to keep the reader on his/her toes. But fewer than most. I highly recommend this book, even though I'm usually a pretty tough critic. I too have been frustrated by too many poorly written books.

Very good, but be careful, though.......2003-04-22

The book I have is ISBN 0-13-307496. It was published in 1974.

I am very happy about this book, I first read it in 1979 when I was 19, and I found it really marvellous. I agree with the other reviewers, but I must add a note of caution - the edition I have contains some errors. They are as follows;

p155, p157 - the factors w(11) and w(10) are incorrectly placed on the butterfly diagram 10.3 and 10.4 respectively,

p166, p168, p169, equations 10-26 and most equations following to the end of the chapter - the factors R(N-n) and I(N-n) should be R(N-1-n) and I(N-1-n), respectively.

I hope I'm right about this, but the convention is that the indices are from 0 to N-1, and therefore if n=0, then N-n is N - which not an allowed index.

Apart from these sort of errors (I havn't been through the whole book with a fine toothcomb), its really very good, actually extraordinarily clear.

One of its main benefits is that it doesn't veer away from the FFT to the very complicated developments such as fractional transforms and other developments which might confuse the sort of audience it's aimed at (which is definitely the graduates).

But if you want to look deeply into FFTs for a real application you will need a lot more. I must mention,for instance, that the implementation of an FFT needs fairly careful error propagation and rounding analysis, and this isn't covered at all in the book. Neither are prime factor FFTs. In fact the chapter "FFT algorithms for arbirary factors" is only a method of factoring into powers of two, and certainly not the prime factor decomposition which was developed later by Winograd, Chuo, and others.

It must also be said that while the DCT is practically a kissing cousin of the FFT, this naturally isn't covered in this text... but neither are the finite field implementations that are now taking many peoples imaginations to faster and faster FFTS.

Also, there are jolly useful things to know about, such as the FFT when you only need a subset of the output data points. There are pruning algorithms which greatly simplify the computations.

But it's very good as a starter, I wouldn't do without my copy!

Outstanding classic.......2002-12-03

I am mainly a neurobiologist by training, but transform theory is very useful in visual neurobiology and visual psychophysics, and I've looked at and read dozens of books on various aspects of signal processing and transform theory. Much of this is surprisingly applicable to the brain science area, as the revolutionary work of David Marr and other scientists showed a quarter of a century ago.

But getting back to the present book, this is one of the best books I've read in the signal analysis area. Brigham's presentation of various aspects of the FT, including the continuous FT, digital FT, convolution integrals, and so on, is clear and concise, whether he's discussing theory or applications. Also, his disussion of the Nyquist sampling theorem is the best and easiest to understand I've read.

Interestingly, this theorem has quite practical applications, not just in digital sample theory, but in real life. According to the Nyquist theorem, no information is lost in converting from analog to digital form if the sampling frequency is twice that of the highest frequency in the signal. Well, have you ever used those audio headphones they have on commercial jetliners? The Nyquist theorem means they can switch the audio outputs at high frequency using well-known time-domain switching techniques rather than run copper to each passenger's seat. I've read that this saves 300 pounds of copper wire in a typical plane, the weight savings of which can of course be more profitably used for transporting other things. If you consider that 300 pounds is about the weight of your average couple, you can see how the savings would add up after even a few flights.

But getting back to the book, I first encountered this work 20 years ago, and I'm delighted to see it's still around. My neurobiology student friends and I all got turned on to this book early in grad school, and it was a great help. I still fondly recall the many enjoyable hours we spent talking about how Fourier analysis and other techniques such as the Laplace transform, temporal modulation transfer fuction, two-dimensional convolution integrals, two-dimensional point-spread functons, filter techniques such as the finite and infinite response filters, Kalman filter, Hammond filter, and so on, could be applied to our area. And it all started with this book. It's a true classic that has never been exceeded for it's clear and concise exposition of a very important mathematical tool in both engineering and neurophysiology.

One of the best technical monographs........2001-07-12

I'm delighted to see that Brigham's book is in print. (I bought my first copy 20 years ago!) I'm planning to use as part of a course on signal processing. I've read several books on FT's and this is the best. It is one of the few technical books whose presentation is genuinely complete and clear. For example, the relationships between the discrete and the continuous FT, the role of the convolution integral, and the Nyquist theorem are presented logically with both algebraic proofs and graphical explanations. I'm always on the look out for monographs that focus on one subject and make you feel like you've become an expert on it when you're through. This fits the bill.

Regular Variation (Encyclopedia of Mathematics and its Applications)

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Regular Variation (Encyclopedia of Mathematics and its Applications)
N. H. Bingham , C. M. Goldie , and J. L. Teugels
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Both the theory and applications of regular variation are given comprehensive coverage in this volume. In many limit theorems, regular variation is intrinsic to the result and exactly characterizes the limit behavior. The book emphasizes such characterizations, and gives a comprehensive treatment of those applications where regular variation plays an essential (rather than merely convenient) role. The authors rigorously develop the basic ideas of Karamata theory and de Haan theory including many new results and "second-order" theorems. They go on to discuss the role of regular variation in Abelian, Tauberian, and Mercerian theorems. These results are then applied in analytic number theory, complex analysis, and probability, with the aim of setting the theory in context. A widely scattered literature is thus brought together in a unified approach. With several appendices and a comprehensive list of references, analysts, number theorists, probabilitists, research workers, and graduate students will find this an invaluable and complete account of regular variation.

The Hypergeometric Approach to Integral Transforms and Convolutions (Mathematics and Its Applications)

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The Hypergeometric Approach to Integral Transforms and Convolutions (Mathematics and Its Applications)
S.B. Yakubovich , and Y. Luchko
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0792328566

Book Description

This volume deals with the theory and applications of integral transforms and convolutions of certain classes of integral, integrodifferential equations, and operational calculus. An extensive discussion is presented, based on the universal hypergeometric approach, i.e. many constructions of convolution and integral transforms are obtained using the theory of Mellin--Barnes integrals and the Mellin transforms of hypergeometric type functions. This approach is spread on so-called index transforms, in which the Kontorovich--Lebedev and the Mehler--Fock transforms play a very important part. The general constructions of index transforms are given and application to the evaluation of improper integral with respect to a parameter of special function (index) is considered. The operational calculus for general integrodifferential operators is constructed for both new types of convolutions. The book is self-contained, and includes a list of symbols with definitions, author and subject indices, and an up-to-date bibliography.
This work will be of interest to researchers and graduate students in the mathematical and physical sciences whose work involves integral transforms and convolutions.

Infinite Dimensional Optimization and Control Theory (Encyclopedia of Mathematics and its Applications)

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Infinite Dimensional Optimization and Control Theory (Encyclopedia of Mathematics and its Applications)
Hector O. Fattorini
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0521451256

Book Description

This book concerns existence and necessary conditions, such as Potryagin's maximum principle, for optimal control problems described by ordinary and partial differential equations. The author obtains these necessary conditions from Kuhn-Tucker theorems for nonlinear programming problems in infinite dimensional spaces. The optimal control problems include control constraints, state constraints and target conditions. Fattorini studies evolution partial differential equations using semigroup theory, abstract differential equations in linear spaces, integral equations and interpolation theory. The author establishes existence of optimal controls for arbitrary control sets by means of a general theory of relaxed controls. Applications include nonlinear systems described by partial differential equations of hyperbolic and parabolic type and results on convergence of suboptimal controls.

Finite Mathematics and Its Applications (9th Edition)

Average customer rating:

Nothing to differentitate it from the other finite textbooks

Finite Mathematics and Its Applications (9th Edition)
Larry J Goldstein , David I Schneider , and Martha J Siegel
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Accessories:

ASIN: 0131873644

Book Description

A “tried and true” favorite of both students and instructors alike, this text offers extremely readable coverage of the principles of finite mathematics and their applications in business, social science, and the life sciences. Topics are presented in a straightforward, interesting manner, with considerable attention given to the applications of the mathematics. The goal is for the students' mathematical maturity and appreciation for the usefulness of mathematics to grow simultaneously. Many sections contain specially designed technology exercises.

Customer Reviews:

Nothing to differentitate it from the other finite textbooks.......2006-02-25

I am always trolling for a new and better textbook for my finite mathematics class. In my search, I have found a repetitive sameness to the books that are available. The only constant and real differentiating factors to the books are the order of the material and the quality of the writing. Occasionally, a book will cover a topic that the others don't, but often when that is done; it is a liability rather than an asset.
This book is like all the others in topics of coverage, the number of exercises is not excessive and there is a larger project at the end of each chapter. As is typical of nearly every math book, solutions to the odd exercises are included. Some day, a rebel will include solutions to the even numbered problems just to be different. I currently use "Finite Mathematics: An Applied Approach 9th Edition" by Sullivan and Mizrahi in my class. Since I am happy with this text and there are no fundamental differences between Sullivan and Mizrahi and this one, I will not be changing what I use. However, I have no doubt that if I were to change to this one, it would introduce no significant problems.

Brief Calculus and Its Applications (11th Edition)

Average customer rating:

Just awful
poor
the way to learn calculus

Brief Calculus and Its Applications (11th Edition)
Larry J Goldstein , David I Schneider , David I. Lay , and Nakhle Asmar
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0131919652

Book Description

This extremely readable, highly regarded, and widely adopted text present innovative ways for applying calculus to real-world situations in the business, economics, life science, and social science disciplines. The text's straightforward, engaging approach fosters the growth of both mathematical maturity and an appreciation for the usefulness of mathematics. The authors' tried and true formula — pairing substantial amounts of graphical analysis and informal geometric proofs with an abundance of hands-on exercises — has proven to be tremendously successful. Functions, derivatives, applications of the derivative, techniques of differentiations, exponential and natural logarithm functions, definite integral, variables and trigonometric functions. For individuals interested in a brief introduction to calculus applications.

Customer Reviews:

Just awful.......2006-12-30

I was assigned this book to teach Calculus to business majors. To call it horrid would be an understatement. Important concepts are only briefly touched upon in examples (such as function composition) and takes unacceptable liberties (saying things like "it is sufficient to think of e as 2.7"). Too much time is spent on trivialities and busywork, rather than examples that would nail the concept down to the student. The book introduces the concept of the derivative before the limit - that's like learning to ride a bike before you know how to walk!

I've never seen a Calc book worse than this. If I had my druthers, I'd use Stewart for my class. It's not perfect, but at least my students would understand how the limit relates to the derivative, rather than have it introduced and immediately dimissed.

poor.......2006-04-27

this is one of the worst math books i've ever had - maybe even the worst, and i'm an mechanical engineering major (so i've seen a fair few)! The book doesnt explain why, it gives a few brief examples to simplified elementary problems, and then leaves the subject. When you need to look up how do to a more complicated problem, there is no example or method listed to do it.

the way to learn calculus.......2000-09-21

The book explains the material in sufficient details and supports it with easy to understand examples. Also, the exercises and assignments are of appropriate level of difficulty. Overall, I think the authors have done a great job.

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