Ask a New Question
Menu

This is not a homework question. I'm trying to get help regarding a reference book. I'm planning to get do a math major at the university and Pure Mathematics,Applied Mathematics and Computer Science will be my main subjects. When I went through the handbook of the university, I found the topics related to applied mathematics in the first semester. So as a pre preparation I'm doing some self study on the topics. For applied mathematics, we have to study classical mechanics(dynamics). I would be grateful if anyone familiar with this subject area,can suggest me a good reference book.

Thanks a lot!

2 answers

I'm not familiar with such a reference (others here are engineers), but I suggest a good place to start would be a professor who teaches a course in that area. Even if you find a good book, the chances are that it will cover a wide range of topics, not all of equal importance.
So, drop by the school and talk to the faculty of the math/CS dept and get the word from the horse's mouth.

When I entered college, I had done quite a bit of math study on my own, using the excellent Schaum Outline series (available in many subjects), and felt I was ready to bypass the first two years of math there. So, my first semester, I enrolled in Differential Equations, and Complex Variables. Naturally, they assigned me an old fuddy-duddy advisor who would not let me take those classes (both easy A's for me, since I had already gone through the Schaum Outlines for the subjects), unless I also enrolled in the standard second-year calculus (multivariable calculus). I reluctantly agreed, and guess who the professor was when I showed up on the first day of class!! (PS - and not such a fuddy-duddy, as it turned out...)

And yet, it was the best advice I ever got regarding my math major. There was much in that class I had not yet learned. Moral of the story? Talk to the faculty in your area of interest. You will probably get some good advice here, but I still think that a visit will be your best bet.

And good luck.
Thanks a lot for the advice @oobleck and I will certainly do that! I'm currently going through Schaum Outline for some topics.