# Calculus Made Easy by Silvanus P. Thompson

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/calculus-made-easy/

5 people recommended Calculus Made Easy by Silvanus P. Thompson in Hacker News comments and 1 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 3 of 12 months, in 4 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** People recommend it as an introduction to calculus that explains why calculus works instead of treating it like magic. One critic says they regret becoming dependent on it.

Summary written by Claude from 4 comments.

## Why people recommend it

- Explains why calculus works (1 comment in the sample): "actually helped me to understand why calculus works, instead of just treating it like magic" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47913682))
- Best introduction to calculus (1 comment in the sample): "i haven't found better introduction to calculus than the 'calculus made easy' book" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46412207))
- Does the job well (1 comment in the sample): "actually does the job well" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47874641))

## What people warn about

- Regret becoming dependent on it (1 comment in the sample): "I truly regret having become dependent on it." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49543725))

## Other calculus textbooks people recommend

- [Calculus by James Stewart](https://hackerapproved.com/p/calculus/): 9 recommend, 1 mixed, 3 criticize
- [Calculus for Mathematicians, Computer Scientists, and Physicists by Daniel Flegg](https://hackerapproved.com/p/calculus-for-mathematicians-computer-scientists-and-physicists/): 4 recommend, 0 mixed, 4 criticize
- [Elementary Calculus: An Infinitesimal Approach by Keisler](https://hackerapproved.com/p/elementary-calculus-an-infinitesimal-approach/): 3 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Calculus Made Easy by Silvanus P. Thompson", https://hackerapproved.com/p/calculus-made-easy/ (5 recommend, 0 mixed, 1 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 3 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.