<p>Just how different are the regular editions from the UCB editions? The book store says I need Multivariable Calculus by James Stewart (7th edition), which is new this year. Basically, I'd rather get an older version from a former student, but it would be an earlier edition. However, I need to know if a) the custom editions have the same problems/content as from the regular textbook and b) if the custom editions themselves change in content much from year to year. </p>
<p>P.S. just the solution manual costs 60 bucks at the student store. I hate to think how much the actual textbook would cost.</p>
<p>Berkeley editions are basically the real textbook except they like to take chapters out…I usually just buy the full textbook because I can get the international version/used copy for way cheaper…never buy from Cal Student Store unless its the only place that sells the book (like a lab book or something)</p>
<p>edit: for new editions, they usually dont change at all (or much anyways, they just have a newer edition for more $$$), but I can’t say for the math book</p>
<p>That Math 53 book is $56.75 new. The book for Math 1A and presumably 1B next spring is $59.25 new. Both are custom versions of the 7th editions of Stewart calculus books. (But fall Math 1B uses the custom version of the 6th edition, presumably because last spring Math 1A used that edition.)</p>
<p>This may be a case (unusual?) where the Berkeley special editions are much less expensive than the generic editions. Amazon has the generic 7th edition of Stewart Multivariable Calculus for $162.59, while it has the generic 7th edition of Stewart Single Variable Calculus Early Transcendentals for $171.04. (Amazon claims that the list prices of these books are even higher than that.)</p>
<p>@ucbalumnus: thanks for the info but where did you get that exact price I’m curious? It wasn’t listed on the student store from what I checked. If it’s only 57 bucks then I might just bite the bullet and buy it there.</p>
<p>My two sons, Physics majors, go to Sacramento State where they also use the 7th edition of the Stewart book “Early Transcendentals” for Math, Physical Science and Engineering majors. There is no “Sac State Special Edition”, they make you buy the whole 1600 page textbook for about $160 and use it for Math 30, 31 and 32 which are exactly the same courses as Math IA, Math 2A and Math 53 at Berkeley. If you put the different volumes of the “Berkeley Special Edition” together they are exactly the same as the Sac State text.</p>
<p>I think they do it this way because there are many students at Berkeley who may need to take just Math 1A and 2A as prerequisites for something like the Life Science and Haas Business but do not need to take Math 53 so would not need the whole book. Business and Life Science majors at Sac State take a two course Calculus sequence using a much less demanding text. Also, many Cal freshmen enter with enough AP Calculus credit to go right to Math 53 and really only need the chapters pertaining to Multi-variate Calculus. Very few freshmen enter Sac State with AP credit for Calculus and only a relative handful of all students even test into Math 30 (Math IA at Cal) so everyone will have to start from the first chapter of Stewart. In addition, essentially any student with a major requiring Math 30 is a Math, Physical Science or Engineering major and has to take a full three semesters of Calculus so they will need the whole book. </p>
<p>Most Colleges and Universities have demographics that resemble those at Sac State more closely than Cal and do not get a special edition. Cal’s much larger number of high performing students compared to most universities makes it possible to print a Berkeley special edition for people with different backgrounds, goals and objectives in Math.</p>
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<p>[Home</a> Page - Online Schedule Of Classes](<a href=“http://schedule.berkeley.edu%5DHome”>http://schedule.berkeley.edu)</p>
<p>Look up a course that uses the book. Then click on the “View Books” link.</p>
<p>@ucbalumnus: thanks, you’re right. Just a follow-up question: from your experience, can I get pretty much any book from the student store on the day of? Or do I need to order it ahead of time and pick it up. I’m a little worried about buying it there and then having to wait a week to get the text (which would suck for a math class)</p>
<p>My experience is old enough that it may be different now, but getting books the day of generally was not a problem. However, if you wanted used books in good condition, you had to get there early, because by the time classes started, the used books that were there tended to be the ones in poor condition.</p>
<p>If you are concerned, it may be safer to preorder. You may want to check the store’s return policy if you are not sure about taking the course.</p>