CALCULUS
Concepts & Contexts

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Algebra Review

Lies My Calculator...

History of Math...

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Author's Welcome

Welcome to this website, which contains resources of varous types. Calculus is not an easy subject, but with the help of your instructor, the textbook and its ancillaries, and the resources on this site, you are well equipped to master the subject.

You will see a number of resources. If you think your knowledge of precalculus mathematics might be weak, and particularly if you have been away from mathematics for a while, you should click on Algebra Review. There you will find a review, with examples and exercises, of the very basic rules of algebra that are needed for success in calculus. When I grade calculus exams, I find that the mistakes my students make are often algebra mistakes, not calculus mistakes. So the Algebra Review has warnings about common errors in algebra. You will also see Lies My Calculator and Computer Told Me. Most of my students seem to believe that, when they perform a calculation with their calculator, it always provides the right answer. Here I try to correct this impression by showing certain situations in which calculator answers are unreliable. Some of you might be interested in History of Mathematics, which lists some of the better books and web sites devoted to the history of mathematics and, in particular, the history of calculus. Some of my students value such references because they humanize the subject. Also included are a number of ADDITIONAL TOPICS, which your instructor might assign, or which you might like to explore on your own. More topics will be added from time to time.

James Stewart