Mathematics for Engineers, Fifth Edition

Mathematics for Engineers, Fifth Edition: A Complete Engineering Maths Course

Anthony Croft and Robert Davison’s Mathematics for Engineers has long been a staple for students who need mathematics to support engineering and science studies. This fifth edition, published by Pearson, brings together foundational revision topics and advanced methods in one structured volume. It is designed to help readers build confidence step by step, then apply that maths to real engineering problems.

From Arithmetic to Advanced Engineering Methods

The book opens with essential skills: arithmetic, fractions, decimal numbers, percentages and ratio, and basic algebra. From there it widens into functions and mathematical models, polynomial equations, logarithms and exponentials, trigonometry, complex numbers, matrices and determinants, vectors, differentiation, integration, sequences and series, differential equations, partial differentiation, the Laplace transform, statistics and probability, and Fourier series and transforms.

That range makes it more than a quick-reference formula book. It is a course companion that follows the mathematical journey typical of an undergraduate engineering programme.

How the Fifth Edition Is Organised

• Modular chapters: topics are broken into blocks, making each concept easier to study in focused sessions.
• Worked examples: methods are demonstrated before readers are asked to try exercises independently.
• End-of-chapter exercises: each chapter concludes with practice to reinforce understanding.
• Typical examination papers: additional papers help with revision and exam preparation.
• Mathematical software guidance: a dedicated section introduces ways to use software packages alongside hand calculations.

Skills Readers Can Develop

Working through the material can strengthen algebraic fluency, calculus technique, matrix methods, statistical reasoning, and the ability to model engineering systems with differential equations. Just as importantly, the book shows how different areas of mathematics connect—how vectors and matrices support equation solving, how differentiation and integration underpin modelling, and how transforms and Fourier methods extend analysis into new settings.

Who This Textbook Suits

Undergraduate engineering students will find the core of the book aligned with typical first- and second-year mathematics modules. Science students, technicians, and returning learners who need a rigorous refresher may also benefit, especially because the early chapters revisit fundamental arithmetic and algebra before moving to more advanced material. Lecturers and tutors can use the structured chapters and exercise sets to support teaching or independent study.

Why This Edition Still Earns Its Place on the Shelf

Mathematics for Engineers, Fifth Edition balances breadth with approachability. It does not assume that every reader arrives fully confident, yet it does not shy away from the demanding topics engineering courses require. For anyone who wants a single, well-organised engineering mathematics text to study from, revise with, or keep close during later modules, this edition offers a practical and comprehensive route through the subject.