taylor series, Big O, rare event approximations et al. Can anyone point me to "beginner's" guide to understanding how/why you throw away terms from a Taylor Series to give an approximation. Something like "Approximations for Dummies" ;)

Why, I haven't done calculus for 25 years, snuck into a master's course with one mother of a subject on reliability engineering, have spent a weekend on integrals, derivatives and limits so (using this sites brilliant notes) but approximations and setting of limits is still new to me and a good beginners set of rules, heuristics I haven't found yet.

Question

taylor series, Big O, rare event approximations et al.  Can anyone point me to "beginner's" guide to understanding how/why you throw away terms from a Taylor Series to give an approximation.  Something like "Approximations for Dummies" ;)   

Why, I haven't done calculus for 25 years, snuck into a master's course with one mother of a subject on reliability engineering, have spent a weekend on integrals, derivatives and limits so (using this sites brilliant notes) but approximations and setting of limits is still new to me and a good beginners set of rules, heuristics I haven't found yet.

anonymous · Answer

Even a good text that might be available online (pdf etc) with therefore immediate access would help.

anonymous · Answer

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080711192129AAUSlpd you could look at this

anonymous · Answer

LOL, that's actually helpful as it pointed back to pauls online and the calculus II bits for series and sequences which 1) makes sense on first pass reading and 2) means I am likely not to get the hang of this given its depth and breadth :(  still it help when someone points you to the right place to start.  Thanks.

anonymous · Answer

you are welcome