Literature and Resources

Textbooks and self-study material to go deeper

The sessions cover the essentials, but a good textbook offers more depth, worked examples, and practice than any 90-minute session can. The recommendations below are the ones we use in this tutorial, and each entry comes with a one-line note on why it might suit you.

Textbooks

• Sydsæter et al. (2012): The standard reference for this material: thorough, economics-focused, and closely matched to our sessions on functions, differentiation, and optimisation.
• Tan (2016): A gentler, example-heavy applied text, a good choice if you want more worked business examples and a slower build-up.
• Jacques (2015): Clear and accessible, with plenty of self-check exercises, handy if you prefer a step-by-step, business-oriented style.

Online Resources

• Khan Academy: Free maths tutorials at every level, with short videos and exercises. Ideal for brushing up on a single topic on demand.
• 3Blue1Brown: Visual, intuition-first videos on mathematics. The Essence of Calculus and Essence of Linear Algebra series pair well with our sessions on differentiation, optimisation, and linear systems.
• Essential Mathematics: Self-study course: A free self-study course on essential mathematics for M.Sc. programmes at business schools. It mirrors the scope of this tutorial and is a good place to practise independently.

References

Jacques, Ian. 2015. Mathematics for Economics and Business. 8th ed. Always Learning. Pearson.

Sydsæter, Knut, Peter J. Hammond, and Arne Strøm. 2012. Essential Mathematics for Economic Analysis. 4th ed. Pearson.

Tan, Soo Tang. 2016. Applied Mathematics for the Managerial, Life, and Social Sciences. 7th ed. Cengage Learning.