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Essential Calculus

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This book is a response to those instructors who feel that calculus textbooks are too big. In writing the book James Stewart asked What is essential for a three-semester calculus course for scientists and engineers? Stewart's ESSENTIAL CALCULUS offers a concise approach to teaching calculus that focuses on major concepts and supports those concepts with precise definitions, patient explanations, and carefully graded problems. Essential Calculus is only 850 pages-two-thirds the size of Stewart's other calculus texts (CALCULUS, Fifth Edition and CALCULUS, EARLY TRANSCENDENTALS, Fifth Edition)-and yet it contains almost all of the same topics. The author achieved this relative brevity mainly by condensing the exposition and by putting some of the features on the website, www.StewartCalculus.com. Despite the reduced size of the book, there is still a modern Conceptual understanding and technology are not neglected, though they are not as prominent as in Stewart's other books. ESSENTIAL CALCULUS has been written with the same attention to detail, eye for innovation, and meticulous accuracy that have made Stewart's textbooks the best-selling calculus texts in the world.

904 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2006

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About the author

James Stewart

1,238 books68 followers
James Stewart is a professor of mathematics and a violinist. He has written a number of textbooks, notably on calculus.

For other James Stewarts, see similar names.

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5 stars
63 (37%)
4 stars
46 (27%)
3 stars
31 (18%)
2 stars
22 (12%)
1 star
8 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Profile Image for Daniel.
2 reviews1 follower
June 27, 2016
after spending many late nights with this book I have developed a strange sexual attraction to it -- would recommend
Profile Image for Hannah Sophia.
1 review1 follower
August 4, 2023
Bought this for 2$ at a book sale and read it until the Integrals chapter before 12th grade. It was extremely fun to study and there were so many problems that the fundamental concepts would just get ingrained in you after solving them all. Got a grade of 98 and 96 in basic calculus in 12th grade since the lessons were just like a review. A simple to understand “essential” math book that I’ll definitely always reference back to in college. Again, there are so many problems in this book to solve to train you rigorously.
Profile Image for Mike Kim.
1 review2 followers
September 26, 2015
Solid calculus text. Were I stranded on a deserted island, this would keep me entertained and busy for quite some time.
Profile Image for Tishimishi.
3 reviews
July 30, 2025
DO NOT RECOMMEND. made me cry countless times throughout calc 1,2 and 3
1 review1 follower
May 17, 2010
At times I loved this book, at times I hated it, but it has consumed my life for the past couple months. Overall, a good calculus text, but at times the organization and order of the chapters has seemed strange.
45 reviews7 followers
August 10, 2012
A fairly good textbook in the hands of a good instructor. It did unfortunately lack the integration of inverse trig functions in chapter 5, which was disappointing. I'd recommend it though to a student with a thorough instructor.
Profile Image for Matt.
8 reviews1 follower
March 4, 2011
Was okay... Solid calculus text book.
Profile Image for Yosef.
6 reviews3 followers
July 21, 2016
Got me through calculus 1 2 and 3, and remains my calculus reference.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews

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