Solutions Manual Calculus Simmons

Question

I can't find a book that I need desperately. It is "Student Solutions Manual to accompany Calculus With Analytic Geometry" by G. Simmons 2nd edition. I tried to buy it through 2 different respectable online stores, including the publisher himself, McGraw-Hill, but they both failed on delivery despite full prepayment. I also tried to find a PDF or perhaps an ebook but no success there. I'm a self learner and I'm using "Calculus With Analytic Geometry" 2nd edition by G.Simmons. So this solutions manual is a real necessity for me. As many of you have a good knowledge of the math field perhaps some of you knows where I could find/purchase/download this book?

Thanks.

Answer 1

I am also a self learner using the exact same book.

At first I was the same, thought I desperately needed the student solutions but couldn't find a reliable source anywhere except the literal $1000 amazon hardcover (ha no thanks).

So I then tried switching to another textbook for which I could find answers to, but couldn't find even a single one at all anywhere!

And then I realized even if I was to find a student solutions manual for Calc I, what about Calc II? What about Real Analysis? What about Formal Logic? Galois Theory? The more difficult the subject, it's even difficult to find textbooks that give problem sets, let alone answers to them.

So I realized if I was going to self-learn I would not be able to rely on answers so conveniently. I had to learn to check my answers. For example, if you have solved an indefinite integral, check it by differentiating the original function. Not sure if the locus you evaluated really is right? Try subbing valued for it see if they make sense. Sometimes you have to get creative.

But in the end, I think learning how to check your answers is actually the right way to do math. When you start creating your own mathematics (which is where all the real fun is), you'll be stumbling in the dark a lot, not knowing where you are etc. Getting used to that is very important.

Answer 2

Someone just wrote an excellent answer to the question so I'll just add in something from my end. I happened to use that same book you're talking about when I was learning single-variable calculus a long while back and I can understand the frustration at not having the answers available.

This is especially troublesome since that book is on the higher end of the difficulty spectrum when it comes to the so-called "Intuitive, Calculus I-III" textbooks that are typically written for students who just want an introduction to the computational techniques in Calculus. Simmons's book is rather different in that, whenever possible, it does try to be rigorous and tries to provide "proofs" whenever possible.

On the other hand, the lack of solutions in Simmons's text should provide some motivation for you to use this site as a place to improve your knowledge. In particular, it should motivate you to:

• Learn how to write good and coherent arguments
• Learn how to use Latex
• Learn how to ask better questions to maximize your gain from your own learning.

All of these three things are extremely important and are certainly more important than having access to a solutions manual. Sure, having access to that is great in that it allows you to check your answers.

Does it allow you to check your reasoning, though? Does it allow you to necessarily gain insight on solving problems? Perhaps someone here might answer the question in a better/cleaner way and that might provide an impetus for you to learn other bits of mathematics simultaneously.

I think the main point here is that Mathematics, just like many other things, is a social activity and you should definitely treat it like one. The best way to learn is to interact with others and throw ideas off of each other until the code is cracked on a given problem.