Customer Reviews:
 decent April 12, 2004
Fourier Jr (Victoria, Canada)
8 out of 10 found this review helpful
It's been a long time since I had this book for a course (so take this with a grain of salt...), & I had a pretty good instructor, but this book still helped reinforce the ideas. I don't think it makes a difference whether a book has a solution manual, just plug your solution into the equation to check your answer. A solution manual for a differential equations text is a bit superfluous, IMO, since solutions don't all look the same. Another good text is the one by Rainville/Bedient.
Not that bad... February 23, 2006
Greg Schreiter (Rochester, Minnesota United States)
5 out of 7 found this review helpful
I used this text for a Diff eq/Linear algebra class. It's not as bad as most people are saying. However, I have not seen any other differential equations texts, so I have nothing to compare it to. Granted, the material is challenging, but I think that is more of the setup of the course: we had to get through this entire book, and an entire Linear Algebra text (authored by Nakos and Joyner) in one semester. Now on to the review:
One of the complaints is that this book is not organized well. However, the chapter layout makes sense to me. Zill makes a logical progression from first order eq's (chapters 1-3) to theory regarding higher order diff eq's (chapter 4). Chapter 4 is very hard, but he actually has good examples and lays out everything you need in a very nice way. Chapter 5 was a very good chapter on applications: springs, simple harmonic motion, deflection of a beam, and introductory eigenvalue equations. Chapter 6 (series solutions) was the hardest for everyone in the class, because there was so much algebra involved and the problems were so long. However, Zill still has the good examples, and the examples really helped (see my review of Multivariable Calculus by Stewart to see a situation where the examples DO NOT help). I purchased Schaum's outline for Differential Equations as a precaution because there was such a low rating here at Amazon, but I did not open it ONCE because Zill's examples made so much sense. Chapter 7 (Laplace transforms) was a fascinating balance between practical use of laplace transforms and theory. I particularly enjoyed the last section of this chapter (systems of equations) and the applications it presents: double pendulums, coupled springs, and electrical networks. Chapter 8 (systems of linear first order ODE's) was sufficiently competent, but we went into greater detail in the linear algebra book. We did not cover chapter 9 because it was too advanced (numerical solutions of diff eq's).
The remarks portion at the end of each section was generally for partially unrelated ideas or extrapolations that did not fit into the section. This may seem "disorganized" to some, but it made sense to me. If he wants to say something about applications to an unrelated topic, this is a perfect place to do it.
The proofs are not too tough, nor unlike anything you should know how to do. The most complicated "proof" I have run in to is simple algebraic manipulation of a theorem to produce an identity.
This book was very good. Not godlike or anything (not to mention that Zill seemed a tad self-congratulatory with the subtitle: "The now-classic Seventh Edition"), but it is more than I was expecting. This is a very competent book, and what more could you ask?
This review refers to the 7th edition of the text.
This is an excellent text July 6, 2001
Graduate Student in California (USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
The approach by Zill is pedagogically sound...though it requires that the student be very well grounded in the fundamentals prior to starting the text. I believe Zill wants you to take a very active approach to how you learn the material: this is evidenced by the dearth of solutions in the back of the text. Many undergraduates approach subjects through memorization as the means to learning the subject; this approach does not give the student any notion of how to solve problems...all jobs in the real world are problems...I recommend this book!
looking for other introductory DE books? April 28, 2007
A.Reader1
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
I used an earlier version of Zill years ago to get through my DE course. It was much better than the required text by Boyce/Diprima (a book to be avoided like the plague).
I've listed most, if not all, of the available introductory DE books in my review of Boyce. Link to it: Elementary Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems , 8th Edition, with ODE Architect CD
Do not blame the book. February 6, 2007
Lord Oliver Cromwell (San Diego,CA)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Do not listen to the bad reviews. This is an excellent text for engineer types. People forget their calc 2 and they blame the book and/or the instructor. You will need int. by parts and partial fractions right of the bat.
I covered about 8 sections of DE's in my calc book during calc 2&3. Most students in the US cover some DE's during calc. The material in the first 2 chapters should be review for most of you. I never got stuck when learning the material, very smooth and intuitive explanations. The only time I needed extra help was during section 5.5 eigenvalues, completely different that presented in a linear algebra class, and during Bessel functions.
The electric circuit problems were great. Zill should add some finance problems, as their are none in the book. Also, this book has great drawings which you will appreciate during the multi-tank mixture problems. As a comparison the Ross DE book has great explanations and prose but no picture for the complicated mixture problems.
This class was not as tough as I thought it would be, the second half of calc3 was tougher. Zill DE 8th edition has all you will need to enjoy this fun and interesting course.
Zill's book is just as good as any other. If you want old school math major explanations, no modern pictures, check out Shepley L. Ross.
Do not blame others for your own shortcomings.
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