Help needed.....
Could you please suggest best books for algebra,calculus,number theory,geometry and electricity and magnetism.......i am extreamly bad in problem solving and want to start from basics so please suggest some good books aspecialy for JEE preparation......please help me i always try to solve problems but never get correct answers because i lag basics.Although i am quite good in algebra but still need lot of practice in the topics like polynomials,inequalities,complex number,advanced manipulations.I don't even know the ABCD of geometry and number theory.I can do simple integration and differentiation but unable to solve problems.I am also helpless with machenics and EM.
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Aman Sharma
6 years, 6 months ago
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"Problem solving techniques do not develop in vacuum."
Learning a technique as an isolated fact is useless: 'When encountered such problem do such then such, apply such and such...' with that attitude I think it is very difficult to solve problems of higher level of difficulty, especially in Brilliant.
Focus on concepts.
Mathematics is hard. So, it takes enormous time to learn. For e.g After I have completed trigonometry, I go for calculus; then if I encounter a hard Trigo-problem, say in Brilliant, then it's very much possible that I remember few techniques of trigonometry. I need to revise it again. After some time again.
The point I wanted to convey was that many different books will give you many different techniques. In other words to know many techniques who have to study many books. That is something not appreciated when you have very less time. You said you are preparing for JEE, you must be in class 12: you really don't have much time.Not enough to stick to the idea of too many books.I advice learn the basics such that you won't forget them easily. Concepts are hard to forget (those that are very basic) and they are what I have when I stuck. So while solving I have concepts as my weapons rather than a technique. Another e.g, in coordinate geometry I almost every time forget the formula for the bisector of angle.What should I do then?This is what I did:If you draw two intersecting lines and then draw a bisector of any of the 4 angles then using the remark that every point on the bisector is at the same distance from both the arm of the angle, you can write the formula at once using distance formula. Now I knew distance formula since it is a basic.I forgot something, I couldn't recall it.But, I found it by using the concept of 'bisector' itself.I know my comment is too long, sorry for that, but it's my genuine experience that I am sharing here.
On books. For JEE I can recommend you books not beyond that. For Mathematics you have to categorize books as basics and as advanced: Basics for learning something new bit by bit, i.e for beginners and advanced for learning application on harder problems. For basics read NCERT or K.C Sinha. [Don't go for R.D.Sharma]:NCERT is really good for basics and covers theory which are very useful and simple to understand. Books by K.C Sinha are a boon for self-studious persons.It connects Board level to competitive level in the best way possible.[Do either.Don't go for R.D.Sharma if you really want to increase level in problem solving as to compete in brilliant. I personally recommend K.C.Sinha. You said you are good in Algebra.Go to the nearest book-shop ask for Algebra-by-KC Sinha go through it and examine the chapters of your interest whether they have appropriate material or not.Go through exercise and skim through one or two problem.Judge the book yourself.] For Advanced:You will need 'Problem Books'. Take 'Problem Plus in IIT by Asit Das Gupta'.This book covers many techniques, sufficient enough to crack JEE and solve many Level 3-4 problems in Brilliant.Problems in this book are in turn of Level 3-4 in Brilliant standards.So you are prepared for brilliant problem. Learn all techniques from it.It's is however hard to learn those techniques if you haven't acquired basics.
For Physics read Halliday Resnick (and Krane) not ( halliday resnick and walker), It is an all time classic, and H.C Verma for basics. Read from both the theory part, you may solve problems from Halliday, but you HAVE to solve problems from H.C.V. Many would tell for D.C. Pandey. But go for H.C.V. Here is why: it has many implicit benefit that no other Physics book will provide you at your level.Problems are not very tough to solve. EACH problem will teach you something new! You keep on revising chapter 1,2 and 3 while doing any later chapters like 4, 5 or even 13! in that way you keep on revising a chapter on 'work energy' even if you are doing 'rotational mechanics'. You encounter mixed concepts in problems.You get to apply something 'mathematical' in problems, may be some useful and frequent theorem .That way you learn Maths while doing Physics.The level of each problems is equivalent to level-3 of Brilliant.After solving H.C.V you may or may not solve Halliday .But go for harder books. For advanced:get any problem book like Physics MCQ by Deb Mukherjee or I.E.Irodov or directly solve IIT-JEE past problems .After doing HCV, believe me, you will be able to solve IIT-JEE level problems in Physics as well as I.E.Irodov, may be not all but many. But aftrer D.C Pandey, well, you may ask those who use it whether after doing D.C Pandey they were able to solve higher level problems in Physics.
Please don't learn a specific technique. There is a variety of problems, how much technique will you learn? All good problem solver learn basics thoroughly and do as many many problems of mixed type of different level of difficulty.Memory plays an essential part in problem solving.You have to learn in such a way that you may recall various 'INTERCONNECTED' facts effectively.Brilliant problems come in advanced category.They are for honing your ability of application, not for learning for a beginner. Attempt Brilliant after the 'basic' phase.
And to know problem solving explicitly go for any book that suits your way and style of solving problems like some mentioned by @Souryajit Roy
Best of luck for ya journey friend ;).
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Thanks a ton for replying brother.....well i am not preparing for JEE i just want to be good in problem solving.....your comment is an eye opener
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Oh.
Then try to get books like 'Problem Solving-Problem Solving Strategies by Aurther Engel,Art and Craft of Problem Solving by Paul Zeitz' etc.
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I which class are you in??? When was the first time you started studying math and physics.....
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I have passed 12... and preparing for entrance exams.I wasn't good at both in the beginning. But I am gaining speed now.
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Are you preparing for jee
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Long Story :3
I m self preparing so IIT ... very less chance. I tried past papers I could solve some problems. But I am extremely weak in Chemistry. Only Physics and Maths won't help me. but I may crack it, may get a rank in 9000 :D.Whatever my friend have discouraged me to the extreme. They said that I won't be able to do anything on self. That is sad. And I am less motivated nowadays.
But for jee-mains I am in much better position because it is board based.
I know about those books that I mentioned because I use them. I post problems from them.Let me share some links to you.
These problems are from HCV that I found on Brilliant: Love Cricket. Love Physics, Easy? Car? Kinematics? Trouble? , So throw it again AND again, Really ! etc. And, these were posted by me: Electric Potential Energy and Debates.
This is from Asit Das Gupta's Problem Plus In IIT (I call the book as ADG ,initials of the author):Find the 3 ... whatever your are to found.. This problem was not leveled. Not many people tried it. So, I stopped posting from ADG. Level 1 and Level 2 problems gain more heat in Brilliant e.g. Circle. Yeah! and An algebra problem by Math Philic .
Now I post such Level 1 and Level 2 problem. Like for e.g. real ly ? --This problem is actually a Level 2 problem.
Interesting problem like RockIt are not much liked. Which is not good.
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I have tried most of your problems and are quite intresting however i can't solve all of them........also i think it is a myth that it is not possible to crack jee advace without coaching ..if one starts self studying from 10th class for jee i think it is not too hard to crack this exam.........
So I finally know what your real name is. How is your study going on ? Did you qualify for jee ?
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Hello @Aman Sharma :) How are you doing?
No, I didn't qualify for jee
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Have you joined a college or are you still preparing for competitive exams ?
do halliday reshnick
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Is it a book......can you please give more details
In which class you are @Aman Sharma
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I am in 12th class @sandeep Rathod
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if you want to clear concepts of physics and want to solve practical life problems solve" halliday resnick " book search on Google. and DC pande is good for jee preparation a practise book on physics search on amazon. by the way I am solving halliday resnick it is my favorite book for application of physics in real life.
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Okk thank you so much for replying i am going to by these books now
I need a book that completly focus on techniques of problem solving in mechanics and EM from basic to advance
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Go for Beer and Johnston ..it covers all the funda of EM !
Try these math books-
Algebra : -Higher Algebra by Bernard Child,Problems in Algebra by V.A Krechmar
Number Theory : -Elementary Number Theory by David.M.Burton,250 problems in elementary number theory by W.Sierpenski
Combinatorics: Introductory Combinatorics by Richard.A.Brualdi
Calculus : Differential Calculus by Maity and Ghosh,Problems in Calculus in One Variable by I.A Maron,Differential and Integral Calculus by R.Courant
Geometry : Geometry revisited by Coxeter-Greitzer,Problems in Plane Geometry by Viktor Prasolov ,Plane Co-ordinate Geometry by S.L Loney
Also try these general text books-Excursion in Mathematics,Pre-College Mathematics
To enhance your skills in Problem Solving-Problem Solving Strategies by Aurther Engel,Art and Craft of Problem Solving by Paul Zeitz,Winning Solutions by Edward Lozansky and Cecil Rousseeau,Mathematical Circles by Genkin and Itenberg,Challenging Mathematical Problems with Elementary Solutions(Part I) by A.M Yaglom and I.M Yaglom,Problem Primer for Olympiad by Pranesachar,Venkatachala,Yogananda,Problem Solving through Problems by LC Larson.
Another* suggestion* is -whenever you face difficulty seek help from brilliant.org and try to SOLVE AS MANY PROBLEMS ON BRILLIANT.ORG( the best way to exercise your problem solving skills).Surf the internet and learn new theorems and facts in maths.Also,don't try to solve all problems from the books(which is clearly impossible);just learn the basic facts and the problems you like(the tricky ones).Think hard as you can and don't peep into solutions immediately. Also solve as many competition problems(RMO,INMO,IMO,USAMO,VMO,etc)
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Thank you so much brother for your kind help..........also i have heard a lot about a book on algebra by hall and knight(or something similer) do you know about this book
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yup,but that's one is is much easy and simplier and if you are good in algebra,you must start from bernard child.Bernard child contains much more theorems and techniques
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Ok.....also what would be the best book for mechanics and electricity and magnetism...(sorry to desturb you) also does the book "problem solving stratagies" only contain problem or techniques also
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For mechanics,you can try Schaum's Theory and Problems of Theoretical Mechanics by Murray.S.Spiegel and I don't know about any individual text books of Electricity and Magnetism( you may try Resnick Halliday in this case)....The book "Problem Solving Strategies" contain both techniques to solve problems,worked out problems and excercise problems.
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Thank you so much i am going to buy following books:-
(1)Higher algebra by barnard child
(2)Geometry revisited
(3)Problem solving stratagies
(4)Elementry number theory
(5)Halliday reshnick
D c pandey for electricity n magnetism
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Ok thanks going to include this book also in my list
@megh choksi you have been recently posting a solving awsome problems please suggest me books
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@Ronak Agarwal i am a fan of you problem solving skills...what book in mechanics a EM would you suggest for a beginer
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I may be not a good one suggest books as I myself not tried any good book for theory , I only did I.E Irodov for the application part , also there was enough material from the coaching centre , for practicing questions in which I was enrolled. @Aman Sharma
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Ok thanks for replying.....i have heared that the book 'Problems in general physics' is extreamly hard and is not suggested for beginers.....is it true
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It is not extremely hard but yes it is not suggested for beginers , you can buy HC Verma.
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Ok then i'll buy HC verma instead of halliday.....btw how is your jee preparation going on
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Good.
Yes. It has problems equivalent to the level of IIT-JEE in Physics. So you can imagine the level of difficulty.
Can I know your score in jee advanced ?
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364/504
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Waw you nailed it. which institution have you joined ? Also what is your rank ?
I can't suggest a book , just try more and more problems but see this ( by the great -Arvind Gupta)
This pdf
By the way you are too good in solving math @Aman Sharma
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Lol i don't think am good i am still struggling with maths.....thanks for that link it'll help me a lot
Hiii Friend, did you give jee exam ?
check out the following link hopefully this will be helpful in selecting jee exam preparation books for math http://www.kaysonseducation.co.in/iitjee-math-books
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As per your name, did you join Brilliant.org only to advertise??
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Not really but if some one get a good information or get what he/she want then it is cool if you don't like this remove the comment