What books with end-of-chapter problems have you found most valuable for truly mastering a subject? Can be any field – computer science, math, physics, economics, etc.
Some of my best learning experiences have come from textbooks that forced me to apply concepts - attack problems directly and refer to the prose on need basis to fill the gaps.
My favourites are - 1. Problems in General Physics by I. E. Irodov 2. Concepts of Physics by H.C Verma Part I & II 3. How to Solve It by George Pólya
chyueli3 days ago
There are several principles for reference: 1. Exercise quality: Exercises must cover core concepts, have a reasonable difficulty level, and preferably come with answers or explanations. 2. Practice orientation: Deepen theoretical understanding and cultivate application capabilities by solving problems. 3. Classics and reputation: Give priority to books that have been recognized by the academic community or learners for a long time.
a_tartaruga5 days ago
Some especially good ones
Sipser -- Theory of computation
Pinter -- Abstract algebra
Kleppner and Kolenkow -- Mechanics
Klein -- Organic Chemistry as a Second Language
jjicea day ago
+1 to Sipser. Excellent book. I'm not sure there's any real competition for CS Theory out there.
imvetri5 days ago
Solve real life problems from work. It's easy to solve problems, so practice being a problem spotter.
ferguess_k4 days ago
100% this. Problems from work are always realistic and they give you a push to solve them well. Side projects work too, but to a lesser extent.
I could never get through an Algorithm class (self-taught), but that didn't prevent me from learning and implementing some non-trivial algos for my side projects.
abhijat5 days ago
It has been a while since I worked through it, but Haskell programming from first principles had some pretty good exercises IIRC.
brudgers5 days ago
You could do worse than The Art of Computer Programming.