Mathematical Methods for Physicists, Sixth Edition | Date: 06 May 2011, 18:22
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A complete guide to the mathematical tools and techniques used to solve problems in physics, with a new art program, and references for using Numerical Recipes and Mathematica. Previous edition: c1995.
Through four editions, Arfken and Weber's best-selling Mathematical Methods for Physicists has provided upper-level undergraduate and graduate students with the paramount coverage of the mathematics necessary for advanced study in physics and engineering. It provides the essential mathematical methods that aspiring physicists are likely to encounter as students or beginning researchers. Appropriate for a physics service course, as well as for more advanced coursework, this is the book of choice in the field.
* Provides the essential mathematical methods that aspiring physicists are likely to encounter as students or beginning researchers
* Serves as both text and useful reference for students of physics and applied mathematics
* Throughout the text the physical relevance of the mathematics is constantly reinforced
Summary: Great Reference+
Rating: 4
Arfken and Weber is a wonderful reference text covering a large number of topics that are not too easy to understand at first glance. I think of it as kind of a 'bridge' between Abromowitz and Stegun on one side and Jackson on the other. Most purely physics books do not explain how the mathematics is developed, instead assuming that the reader already has some kind of familiarity with the subject in advance. On the other hand, most purely mathematics books are far too abstract to be of immediate use to the physicist. Arfken and Weber develop enough of the mathematics to give the reader the gist of how the arguments go, then present a number of good problems to practice the techniques.
Many of the other reviews of this book are very low - especially from students attempting to learn the material for the first time, presumably without a good teacher. I will admit that this would be a very daunting task! However, the material is quite accessible once the student gets the hang of it. This book has been one of the most prized volumes on my shelves for the better part of 10 years. The sections on special functions are especially useful, and I really like the way that interesting and important functions permeate the book rather then being trapped in their own chapter. This gives the reader a sense of how all of the topics are interrelated rather than separate entities. I do understand how it would be very confusing to a student trying to learn the material for the first time, however. As a textbook, this book is best used with a teacher who directs students to specific problems associated with the material being covered in class so that the class can fill in the holes.
The fourth edition does have a large number of typos - some in complicated equations where they can lead to problems for the unsuspecting student. I wonder if this is the source of some of the negative reviews.. I can only hope that the sixth edition contains less of these...
All in all, a great reference that uncovers some of the 'secrets' associated with the formulas found in Abromowitz and Stegun. I find it fun to sit down with AMS-55 and try to derive some of the relations found therein after reading a section in Arfken and Weber. Maybe that's just me... If all you need is a formula book, pick up a paperback copy of AMS-55 and save yourself $60 or more. If you want to have a deep understanding of the mathematics behind it, take seven or eight graduate level courses from the mathematics department at a respectable university (good luck learning the ins and outs of the special functions...!). If you just want to see how the functions and techniques are used in practice and to explore some of their properties, this book is for you.
Summary: Waste of money
Rating: 1
This book is the epitome of useless texts. I used this book for graduate mathematical physics as well as the "essential" version for undergraduate math methods. I have yet to learn a single thing from this book or find it remotely useful as a reference.
The explanations range from non-existent to shockingly awful to terribly incomplete.
It appears that the authors simply vomited a collection of formulas into a word processor and sold it as a textbook. Mathematical Methods of Physics (2nd Edition) is much better.
Summary: excelent deal
Rating: 5
I appreciate the quick delivery of the book! I received it on the first day of the estimated time interval. I enjoy shopping at amazon.com!
Summary: Why Is This Textbook So Widely Used?
Rating: 2
I am a graduate physics student with a strong mathematical background. This is the textbook used for our 2 semester course in mathematical methods for physics. The book is massive, both in content and physical weight. The cover is attractive and the printing seems to be fairly high quality. Now comes the difficult part of the review: finding other positive comments. First of all, I have only used a few chapters of the book thus far, so my comments pertain only to those. Some difficulties I have found... There are no answers to any exercises making the book fairly useless for self-study. The material is very uneven, as if each section was written by a different author (graduate student?). The explanations and examples are mediocre at best (contrast with the Mary Boas book). There are MANY typos - what ever happened to proof reading? The class INSTRUCTOR doesn't like the book, but is forced to use it by the department, and has regularly emailed the authors with corrections and recommendations. None of the students in the class like the book. You may be forced to use this book, but I would recommend other books as supplements (e.g., the book by Mary Boas and several in the Schaum Outline Series).
Summary: Consider it for what it is
Rating: 5
This is a 1000 page supplement to other textbooks or courses, and works best when combined with an instructor that knows the material in depth. Personally, this book was a required text for an intro to theoretical physics class that I took a few years ago, and combined with the instructor's lectures that were partially supplemented by other authors (Boas), I learned quite a bit.
Now I am in graduate school and I am still coming back to this book as a solid reference for bessel (and other special) functions, complex variables, etc. This book has many problems, a lot of them have solutions, and most of the time you can determine for yourself if you have the correct answer. I would say a great strength of this book is the difficulty of the problems. Sure, it will take some time to work through them to a solid solution, but in doing the problems in Arfken and Weber I've found I had more depth in understanding after finding solutions. Other textbooks will have loads of problems all with very little differences. You have to actually think to solve the problems contained within this book, which will sharpen your mind for quickly solving problems that you otherwise might not attempt. At least that has been my experience.
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