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I am here for an unusual book recommendation request.

So, I have been studying contest math for a while now but now I also want to start learning Physics, partly because I have to (INDIA'S JEE EXAM), and partly because I think I'll also enjoy Physics Olympiad.

I have had an algebraic introduction to mechanics, but now that I want to study from good/advanced physics books, one of the first things I need is Calculus.

Now, as I have been preparing for (and will continue to prepare for) Math Olympiads, I feel like I have covered the necessary pre req's for calculus.

So, some weeks ago, I had started this book called Thomas' Calculus, which is by all means a very good book, but it is also over $1000$ pages long.

Now, I will hopefully complete the book within the next 12-15 months, and the basic portions within 4-5 months, but I don't think I want to/ have the luxury to wait for that long before starting physics.

Now, I have also read (tried, anyway) some calculus intro's in physics books, but , they are not very .... $nice$ . They usually just tell you the formulas and don't even often tell the proofs/ tell how to use them in Physics. Now, I do not think I can read Maths this way. (which is why I'm posting on MSE and not Physics SE)

Also, because I know calculus (real analysis) is a really important part of mathematics, I do not want to spoil my interest / intuition for it by reading a Physicists' guide to math, and a lot of people have told me it is much tougher to relearn some thing as compared to learning it.

So, now the thing I am looking for is a good guide to Calculus, mainly the amount needed for physics. But I do not want it to be like 3 pages (like most physics books calculus intro), and neither do I want it to be like 1000 pages. I am looking for something I can hopefully finish in, say a month. It does not need to be very easy either.

Any handouts/ books/ online resources would work.

Thank you!

Aditya_math
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    I understand that since you are passionate for maths and physics, but for only studying calculus for physics, any good book will do, for example, HCV (which you might be well aware of since you are from india). You only need basic differentiation/integration for physics, nothing much advanced. For studying calculus in detail, you can also start with book by James Stewart (Early Transcendentals). Any physics book that begins it's course has it's first chapter as basic tools for mathematics, which is sufficient for beginning physics problems in my opinion. – V.G Apr 10 '21 at 13:15
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    Perhaps Serge Lang's two books A First Course in Calculus and Calculus of Several Variables. Regarding Lang's "First Course" book (which I don't have a copy of), see these comments. As for Lang's other book (which I've had a copy of for about 30 years and have often found it useful when teaching basic multivariable calculus), it gives a crisp and non-nonsense coverage of the subject, where the big picture doesn't get lost in the details (continued) – Dave L. Renfro Apr 10 '21 at 16:53
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    and the details aren't omitted or over-simplified --- the text discussions, examples, and main results (theorems) are clearly displayed for students in a way that reminds me more of a Schaum's Outline book than some calculus texts that (may) seem overwhelming to students by including everything under the sun (and sometimes a bunch of stuff in the shade as well). Also, you may want to consider Calculus. An Intuitive and Physical Approach by Morris Kline. Although this is 943 pages, it is much easier and quicker to read than most calculus books. – Dave L. Renfro Apr 10 '21 at 16:53
  • thank you @DaveL.Renfro , I will try serge's book now also – Aditya_math Apr 11 '21 at 10:42
  • @LightYagami , Thank you! Ok, I will try to start physics after doing HCV math chapter. I was studying HRK so I had completely forgot about HCV. btw, if you have tried HRK, how is it? I am liking it a lot but i'm not sure if it is helping me much or not. – Aditya_math Apr 11 '21 at 10:44
  • @Aditya_math I have not tried Halliday Resnick Krane, but I have tried Halliday Resnick Walker, and that in my opinion, is Okayish...not suitable for JEE (if you are preparing). You can do it for reading for leisure, but not solely depend on it. You might want to try the Physics Galaxy books (by Ashish Arora) for JEE Advanced which are pretty decent or the Cengage series (by G. Tewani). Since you are also preparing for olympiads, I assume you would be going to 11th from 10th this year? If yes, then go for the books I told you. If no, well, then you have enough time to explore other books... – V.G Apr 11 '21 at 11:02
  • @LightYagami , Thanks for your suggestion, btw yes I am going to 11th this year. Even I was thinking that after doing HRK (which is apparently just HRW w/ much more info), I would try a jee specific book also (as I am not very good at Physics) . When I had just come to 10th grade, I had solved Cengage for maths, but now that I have done Oly's, it seems easier, so idt (hopefully) I'll need to do a JEE maths book. btw, what grade are you in? – Aditya_math Apr 11 '21 at 11:24
  • @Aditya_math I have my JEE Advanced within 3 months. – V.G Apr 11 '21 at 12:04
  • @LightYagami , ok! all the best to you – Aditya_math Apr 11 '21 at 12:09

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