First Course in Differential Equations with Modeling Applications

by Dennis G. Zill

This Sixth Edition of the best-selling A FIRST COURSE IN DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS WITH MODELING APPLICATIONS, places a greater emphasis on modeling and using technology in problem solving, and now features more applications. The last edition of this text became university professors' top choice for teaching differential equations, in part because the author piques students' interest with special features and in-text aids. Pre-publication reviewers of this edition again praise the author's accessible writing style and the text's organization which makes it easy to teach from and easy for students to understand and use. Understandable, step-by-step solutions are provided for every example. And this edition makes an even greater effort to show students how the mathematical concepts have relevant, everyday applications.

Genres: Mathematics, Textbooks, Reference, Science, Engineering, Nonfiction, Academic

608 pages, Hardcover

First published February 7, 1989

Reviews

[Hina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good for a beginner's course in Differential Equations. The authors assumes nothing and starts from the base level building the level of difficulty in a pretty easy-going manner. The applications and side-notes keep the topic interesting and the problem sets are fun to do. The fact that I could keep up with Arfken and Weber after going through it meant that this book did its duty and taught me well.

[Dillard · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard but I wouldn't take it otherwise, that was a good first course in differential equations.

[Aroub · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is pretty professional, and some of the main equations in the book are poorly identified--they're there, but you have to look a little harder than just opening to the page and seeing it standing out in all of its glory. Also, if you've taken any calculus-based physics classes, I think you'll find that your physics textbook will do a much better job of explaining how to solve physics-related problems than this book does.

[James Carson · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good reference if you already know the concepts. Explanations are terse and ambiguous if you're a new student though.
This book will work well as a pair for a lecture course but without the lectures it won't offer easy access to a new student to the concepts.

[Mahrukh · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn´t learn anything from this book and this course, it being online, was like a curse in my academic life. Maybe later on in life, I will understand what was the purpose for all this but currently I can not see it.

[Jimyanni · Rating 4 out of 5]

It quickly became apparent to me when I took this class that Diff. Eq. was past my level of competence in Mathematics; I got through the class by the grace of a pretty good teacher and some help from a classmate who had a better grasp of the material than I did (thanks, Renee) but I don't think that my problem was caused by any flaws in the book. As a result, while I'm not qualified to speak to the accuracy of the book, or the technical merit of it, I can say that in terms of following a reasonably well-organized format, and having few if any proofreading flaws in the writing, as well as a good variety of post-chapter exercises for the student, this is a very good textbook.

[Carlos Alberto · Rating 5 out of 5]

La mia fue la 6 edicion pero igual explica bien y es facil de estudiar... si pudiera le daria mas estrellas, pero como no. jejeje

[Jennifer Laman]

i got a B in the class. I'm pissed.

[Bob Week · Rating 4 out of 5]

wordy but solid

[Sahadat Anik]

Not bad