Math Shorts - Derivatives

First of all, the Kindle version is HIGHLY readable, on the PC and on the Fire tablet.I highly recommend this book for 1) adult learners who have seen this material before in the dim, distant past and who are desirous but hesitant to renew the acquaintance, and 2) the motivated high school student who is studying derivatives now or will soon be, and who wants a good introduction or some good supplemental study.It’s all in Mr. Bektas’s approach: he gives a clear presentation of the MECHANICS of derivation, showing the process to be a lot like plug-n-play. The real-world-useful take-aways are presented in the beginning. Learn a few formulas and rules and you’re off and running. You’re not bogged down in the underlying theory, wondering “Is this going anywhere?” But he doesn’t omit that either; theory is important because it provides a foundation for a clear, retainable understanding. The theory is covered last, after you see how easy the bottom line is. Of course, his coverage is brief and concise, but it’s enough to produce “a ha!” moments.I’m moving on with high expectations to Math Shorts: Derivatives II.

This is a quick review of the techniques of differentiation only. You won't learn calculus this way. But it is a good refresher.There are a couple minor mistakes and typos but otherwise it is great. One example is the author's graph of the exponential function of f(x)=0.5^x. Where x=0 the graph should pass though the P(0,1). It does not. It passes through P(0,.8) on the graph. I believe the author just flipped the preceding exponential graph to save time. This could be confusing for anyone trying to work through the exponential functions and their graphs.I especially liked the author's simple clarity in the chair rule.I highly recommend this for anyone needing a quick refresher on the techniques of differentiation.

Why couldn't we have this type of clear explanations in some university courses? I would say that, with this method, one learns how to use calculus the simplest and most effective way, to enjoy the feeling of being competent and successful, instead of the boredom, frustration and anxiety of having to find the few things one needs to know among tons of useless information, as tends to happen in most math courses that end as inevitable failures, until one finds and study a book like this. I loved it. I can study this book for fun, even if I had no need to study calculus.

Let's face it, learning derivative is not easy even with a teacher. The discussions move wuickly and there is a warning that you should read other sources and be familiar with basic algebra and trig. This could be one of multiple sources for learning all the pieces of Calculus. As a first time learned of Calculus it is progressing slowly but it is worth a try.

Though this is an on line ebook, it offers some good definitions of the subject and is a good review for those of us who have not used derivatives for a long time. It is helpful with my review of my math and physics knowledge.

Great reference to the exact functional application of derivatives, however omits a lot of the mathematical rigor usually required to be able to understand and derive the mathematics.

This book explains everything very well. This topic was confusing and now I finally have it down. I have already read several others. Will be looking for others as well because everything is well explained.

Content is presented in a clear, concise, and engaging manner. The examples given to support concepts and equations makes this book a necessary addition to any student's library.

I'm a big fan of Mr. Bektas' Kindle books, they explain things in a logical step-by-step approach and I find myself understanding concepts quite easily. I can differentiate now! Excellent author, look for his other work too.

Excellent book! Very helpful and really well explained with clear examples and exercises. Thanks!

It's great to have these type of books available on Kindle as I need them as reference all the time.

This is probably one of the most well explained books on the subject I have encountered. It helped me to understand the subject totally before I moved on to doing test questions.

Excellent easy to follow flow - that is assuming you already have a basic knowledge of mathematical concepts !