Is "Engineering Mathematics" by Stroud good for multivariable calculus? Also is "Life of Fred: Linear Algebra" good for linear algebra

[Guest derdepperte]

Here is the site for the 5th edition of "Engineering Mathematics":

https://www.scribd.com/doc/98793189/Stroud-Engineering-Mathematics-5e

and here is the sample for "Life of Fred: Linear Algebra":

http://lifeoffredmath.com/LOF-LinearAlgebraSample.pdf

I haven't taken multivaribal calculus or linear algebra, so I only have a cursory knowledge of both subjects. Hopefully someone with experience with these 2 books can give me some reviews and suggestions. Thanks.

Sincerely.

[kiana]

Stroud is going to cover it from a very different perspective than many other texts -- what are your goals with these courses? Merely knowledge, or to place out of university courses, and if so, in which country? 

[mom2bee]

I don't have 1st hand knowledge of LoF Linear Algebra, but Linear Algebra and Its Applications by David C. Lay is an enjoyable and well written text. It has a very conversational tone, but it also has some pretty thorough explanations and enough exercises to help you practice the points and drive everything home. It was a fun text, in my opinion.

 

I haven't ever read any other Linear Algebra books, so there could be better ones out there of course.

 

[raptor_dad]

For linear algebra, I would use an old edition of Gilbert Strang's book like http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Linear-Algebra-Second-Gilbert/dp/0961408855 and his free videos on http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/mathematics/18-06-linear-algebra-spring-2010/