Any good books

Original post by edothero

Does anyone know of any good books that can extend knowledge beyond A-Level? But at the same time make A-Level FM easier? (FP2, FP3)
Could potentially help me with STEP also.

Can be topic-based books like a book on Calculus or something..

Thanks in advance.

I remember you asking a similar question before but that time you wanted recommended books for Further Maths. I believe any books on Calculus would be good. :tongue:

Reply 2

edothero

OP

15

Original post by Mehrdad jafari

I remember you asking a similar question before but that time you wanted recommended books for Further Maths. I believe any books on Calculus would be good. :tongue:

Yeah I later found that the standard Edexcel books are more than enough :P
This is different, something I can do outside of my studies :biggrin:

Reply 3

Original post by edothero

Yeah I later found that the standard Edexcel books are more than enough :P
This is different, something I can do outside of my studies :biggrin:

Calculus: Michael Spivak
Rudin: Principles of Mathematical Analysis
Things to make and do in four dimensions
Visual complex analysis by Needham

Reply 4

Original post by edothero

Yeah I later found that the standard Edexcel books are more than enough :P
This is different, something I can do outside of my studies :biggrin:

Fair enough. There is a Calculus book by James Stewart. I don't know if that would help you with STEP but I think it does go beyond the A level syllabus.

Reply 5

Original post by Mehrdad jafari

Fair enough. There is a Calculus book by James Stewart. I don't know if that would help you with STEP but I think it does go beyond the A level syllabus.

No book is really going to help with STEP, to be honest, and if it does, very very little. The only thing that's going to help is gaining mathematical maturity and thinking about hard problems on a consistent basis. You have all the knowledge required already and you need only apply it creatively and in involved ways, books aren't really(*) going to help with that.

(*) Of course the odd book like AOPS that might help develop your problem solving ability may help, but I maintain that those books still neglect to convey the STEP style of problem solving and you'd be much better served practising STEP instead of hunting down books that may or may not help.

Reply 6

Original post by Zacken

No book is really going to help with STEP, to be honest, and if it does, very very little. The only thing that's going to help is gaining mathematical maturity and thinking about hard problems on a consistent basis. You have all the knowledge required already and you need only apply it creatively and in involved ways, books aren't really(*) going to help with that.

(*) Of course the odd book like AOPS that might help develop your problem solving ability may help, but I maintain that those books still neglect to convey the STEP style of problem solving and you'd be much better served practising STEP instead of hunting down books that may or may not help.

That's very true! Though I think having a genuine understanding and insight of concepts is the key to tackling problems with techniques.

Reply 7

Original post by Mehrdad jafari

That's very true! Though I think having a genuine understanding and insight of concepts is the key to tackling problems with techniques.

Of course, but I think gaining a genuine understanding and insight of concepts comes from tackling problems. :smile:

Reply 8

Original post by Zacken

Of course, but I think gaining a genuine understanding and insight of concepts comes from tackling problems. :smile:

You mean without checking the solutions? If so, then yes :tongue:

Reply 9

Original post by Mehrdad jafari

You mean without checking the solutions? If so, then yes :tongue:

Why would anybody check the solutions? :rofl:

Reply 10