Numerical Methods for Engineers, Sixth Edition

Instructors love Numerical Methods for Engineers because it makes teaching easy! Students love it because it is written for them--with clear explanations and examples throughout. The text features a broad array of applications that span all engineering disciplines.

The sixth edition retains the successful instructional techniques of earlier editions. Chapra and Canale's unique approach opens each part of the text with sections called Motivation, Mathematical Background, and Orientation. This prepares the student for upcoming problems in a motivating and engaging manner. Each part closes with an Epilogue containing Trade-Offs, Important Relationships and Formulas, and Advanced Methods and Additional References. Much more than a summary, the Epilogue deepens understanding of what has been learned and provides a peek into more advanced methods. Helpful separate Appendices. "Getting Started with MATLAB" abd "Getting Started with Mathcad" which make excellent references.

Numerous new or revised problems drawn from actual engineering practice, many of which are based on exciting new areas such as bioengineering. The expanded breadth of engineering disciplines covered is especially evident in the problems, which now cover such areas as biotechnology and biomedical engineering. Excellent new examples and case studies span asll areas of engineering disciplines; the students using this text will be able to apply their new skills to their chosen field.

Users will find use of software packages, specifically MATLAB®, Excel® with VBA and Mathcad®. This includes material on developing MATLAB® m-files and VBA macros.

Customer Reviews:

Not the best way to learn Numberical Methods

By Jordan K. Sewell "silnt_bob" - February 2, 2012

My professor required the use of this textbook while taking his course but I have had many issues with it. There are many extensive topics touched on in the text but sample problems are few and far between leaving much to be desired when trying to learn each topic based off of poorly written explanations. The problems at the end of each chapter are not very clear on what is being asked of you and the absence of answers to these problems at the back of the book, like most textbooks, makes knowing if your getting the correct answer or not impossible without searching online for a solutions manual. I would not recommend this book.

get it used...ONLY if it's absolutely necessary

By afastcookie - December 27, 2010

My professor was absolutely terrible--he did not speak English. The book gets the idea across very well if you spend some time with it. However, the mathematical derivations are poor. The "pseudocode" is actually the best thing about the entire book as it was extremely helpful when I had to program the algorithms myself. But you can get by with just doing searches on the web--MATLAB codes for all the algorithms are easily obtainable via google.

Mental note: Out of all the engineering textbooks I have set my eyes on in the last 3 years, this has the MOST annoying cover.

Worst Textbook I Have Ever Had

By hobobot - January 31, 2011

Only buy this book if your teacher will not scan a copy of the HW problems for you.
Even then, try and make your rich friend buy it.
There is nothing in here to justify a price tag over $100. The content itself is vague. The example problems are poorly written and lack explanation. The HW problems are nothing more than simple math exercises that you have already done several years ago.
The programming problems will make you pull out your hair. The author thinks "pseudo code" is good enough to get you through the homework. It won't. Not unless you're actually a programming major.
If you're a civil/mechanical/aeronautical/chemical engineer you will shoot yourself over this book.

My friend and I got a good laugh out of one particular example problem. The author apparently wanted to make the example as hard as possible to follow. So he had decimals mixed up with fractions...multiplied things by 3/.3 instead of just saying 10. Left out sig figs. Failed to... read more