Mathematics for the Life Sciences

Erin N Bodine, Suzanne Lenhart and Louis J Gross

Princeton University Press, £59.00

Textbooks are not always fun, but this one is. You are presented with a smooth and concise learning tool that provides mathematics students and biologists with an appreciation of the diversity of mathematical approaches used in biology. Its uncomplicated approach and variety of useful mathematical techniques make it suitable for both academic and recreational learning.

The fourth generation programming language Matlab is introduced through tutorials and walkthroughs, so the textbook becomes a useful tool for computing students too.

So often the exercises in mathematical textbooks are riddled with the same, step by step questions that do not engage the reader. The authors avoid this by making their later questions intuitive, providing a challenging workout for readers. The engaging, colourful and sharp style of Mathematics for the Life Sciences makes it a refreshing new entry into the world of bioscience textbooks.

George Pryn Ford