The Cartoon Guide to Calculus - by Larry Gonick (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

"In Gonick's work, clever design and illustration make complicated ideas or insights strikingly clear."
--New York Times Book Review

Larry Gonick, master cartoonist, former Harvard instructor, and creator of the New York Times bestselling, Harvey Award-winning Cartoon Guide series now does for calculus what he previously did for science and history: making a complex subject comprehensible, fascinating, and fun through witty text and light-hearted graphics. Gonick's The Cartoon Guide to Calculus is a refreshingly humorous, remarkably thorough guide to general calculus that, like his earlier Cartoon Guide to Physics and Cartoon History of the Modern World, will prove a boon to students, educators, and eager learners everywhere.

From the Back Cover

A complete--and completely enjoyable--new illustrated guide to calculus

Master cartoonist Larry Gonick has already given readers the history of the world in cartoon form. Now, Gonick, a Harvard-trained mathematician, offers a comprehensive and up-to-date illustrated course in first-year calculus that demystifies the world of functions, limits, derivatives, and integrals. Using clear and helpful graphics--and delightful humor to lighten what is frequently a tough subject--he teaches all of the essentials, with numerous examples and problem sets. For the curious and confused alike, The Cartoon Guide to Calculus is the perfect combination of entertainment and education--a valuable supplement for any student, teacher, parent, or professional.

Review Quotes

"How do you humanize calculus and bring its equations and concepts to life? Larry Gonick's clever and delightful answer is to have characters talking, commenting, and joking-all while rigorously teaching equations and concepts and indicating calculus's utility. It's a remarkable accomplishment-and a lot of fun." -- Lisa Randall, Professor of Physics, Harvard University, and author of Knocking on Heaven's Door

Gonick is to graphical expositions of advanced materials as Newton or Leibniz is to calculus. The difference is that Gonick has no rival. -- Xiao-Li Meng, Whipple V. N. Jones Professor of Statistics and Department Chair, Harvard University

Larry Gonick's sparkling and inventive drawings make a vivid picture out of every one of the hundreds of formulas that underlie Calculus. Even the jokers in the back row will ace the course with this book. -- David Mumford, Professor emeritus of Applied Mathematics at Brown University and recipient of the National Medal of Science

I always thought that there are no magic tricks that use calculus. Larry Gonick proves me wrong. His book is correct, clear and interesting. It is filled with magical insights into this most beautiful subject. -- Persi Diaconis, Professor of Mathematics, Stanford

It has no mean derivative results about the only derivatives that matter.... A spunky tool-toting heroine called Delta Wye seems the perfect role model for our next generation. -- Susan Holmes, Professor of Statistics, Stanford

A creative take on an old, and for many, tough subject...Gonick's cartoons and intelligent humor make it a fun read. -- Amy Langville, Recipient of the Distinguished Researcher Award at College of Charleston and South Carolina Faculty of the Year