calculus of variations text book

Hi

I'm new to the subject (of calculus of variations) and what material i have seen seems really convoluted. can you suggest a good text that is easy to follow and takes it step by step?
:woo:

Thanks for any pointers

Reply 1

mynextdoorneighbour

OP

gee, i hope it doesn't mean it's that difficult :eek3:

Reply 2

Simplicity

17

Try Calculus of variations for dummies.

Reply 3

mynextdoorneighbour

OP

honestly now, do YOU even know what calculus of variations is?

Reply 4

Chewwy

17

OP: this is good http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/user/examples/B8Ld.pdf

Reply 5

refref

Simplicity

Try Calculus of variations for dummies.

Dont know if that exists but Calculus for dummies is very good and would recommend it to anyone :biggrin:

Reply 6

Simplicity

17

ShortRef

Dont know if that exists but Calculus for dummies is very good and would recommend it to anyone :biggrin:

Algebra 2 for dummies. If I ever become a abstract algebraist, it would have been because of that book.

Well, they have Quantum Mechanics for dummies so I thought they might have calculus of variations for dummies.

P.S. I don't like calculus books as its normally just stupid examples or calculations or just standard techniques. Only, uni books on calculus that use Riemann sum and other techniques really get at what calculus is, also books on analysis.

OP type in calculus of variation to google book section and look at the previews.
http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&q=calculus%20of%20variations&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wp

Reply 7

refref

Simplicity

Algebra 2 for dummies. If I ever become a abstract algebraist, it would have been because of that book.

Well, they have Quantum Mechanics for dummies so I thought they might have calculus of variations for dummies.

P.S. I don't like calculus books as its normally just stupid examples or calculations or just standard techniques. Only, uni books on calculus that use Riemann sum and other techniques really get at what calculus is, also books on analysis.

OP type in calculus of variation to google book section and look at the previews.
http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&q=calculus%20of%20variations&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wp

Have you ever read calculus for dummies? Algebra 2 was a terrible book in comparason. And the author did use a riemann sum on the equation x^2 + 1 to work out the integral. Goes a bit into infinite series too.