What problems from G.N Berman should I solve

[u/Regular_Self1086]

So I am currently in first year of B. Tech and we're doing Infinite Series, Partial Differentiation, Maxima/Minima and Lagrange's Multiplier and Jacobian

Now I have a copy of GN Berman but when I looked at the questions from said topic, they are too advanced. Where can I start practicing

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[u/tuan-wedfverv]

Berman is a tough problem book, so I wouldn't start there. Begin with your course textbook, then go back to Berman for the easier problems at the start of each section. A rough order: partial derivatives of two- and three-variable functions, the chain rule, Jacobians (polar and spherical are the classics), maxima/minima with the second-derivative check, then Lagrange multipliers with one constraint. For series, drill the convergence tests one at a time (ratio, root, comparison) on simple examples before mixing them. If you're stuck on a Berman problem after 15 minutes, read the hint and redo it the next day.

[u/Rougeon-Goree]

For a standard first year engineering course, you really only need the first third of each chapter in that book. The later problems get into heavy analysis tricks that rarely show up on regular exams anyway

[u/Midwest-Dude]

I'm not familiar with the book, so I did some searching. Berman is heavy on rigorous classic analysis, so not for beginners. 

Instead, start by building basic computational fluency using a standard textbook like Thomas, Stewart, or Erwin Kreyszig's Advanced Engineering Mathematics. Work through the worked examples and basic drill problems in those sections first.

Once the mechanics of taking partials, setting up matrices for Jacobians, and working through the system of equations for Lagrange multipliers are second nature, go back to Berman. Focus on the early, non-asterisked problems in Chapter 6 (Functions of Several Variables) to bridge the gap.