J.K. Backhouse’s Pure Mathematics is a cornerstone of secondary and early tertiary mathematical education, particularly known for its rigorous yet clear introduction to abstract concepts. Originally published in the 1950s and extensively revised (most notably in 1985 by P.J.F. Horril), this two-book series has served generations of students preparing for A-Level and Further Mathematics examinations. Overview of the Course
The series is divided into two primary volumes designed for both classroom teaching and private study:
Book 1: A First Course: Focuses on building a solid foundation. It covers essential topics such as coordinate geometry, the concept of functions, calculus (differentiation and integration), vectors, and trigonometry.
Book 2: A Second Course: Extends these concepts to a higher standard, including S-level topics. It introduces more advanced areas like further matrices and determinants, second-order differential equations, and further vector methods. Key Content Areas
Across both volumes, the curriculum is structured to provide a comprehensive "common core" syllabus:
Algebra & Functions: Detailed exploration of sets, real and rational numbers, composite functions, and the inverse of functions.
Calculus: A significant portion of the text is dedicated to calculus, moving from basic differentiation and integration to Taylor's and Maclaurin's theorems. pure mathematics by jk backhouse pdf full
Matrices & Vectors: Modern editions include expanded chapters on matrices, determinants, and vector methods, which are essential for higher-level physics and engineering.
Trigonometry: In-depth coverage of circular measure, trigonometric identities, and three-dimensional trigonometry.
Complex Numbers: Expanded treatment of the Argand diagram, De Moivre’s theorem, and roots of unity. Essential Pure Mathematics - Backhouse J K John Kenneth
The full text of Pure Mathematics by J.K. Backhouse, a standard textbook for A-Level studies, is available across several educational repositories and digital libraries.
You can find the specific volumes and editions at the following locations: Full PDF Access Pure Mathematics 1 (4th Edition)
: A complete 599-page scan of the 1985 edition is available on Scribd Pure Mathematics 2 A Warning About "PDF Full" Search Results Be
: A digital version of the second course can be accessed via Tekart Learning.
Direct Educational Downloads: Sharebility Uganda hosts downloadable copies of both Book 1 and Book 2 for A-Level students. Online Readers & Archives
Internet Archive: You can borrow or view the "First Course" edition (1971) on Internet Archive Essential Pure Mathematics
: A related version by Backhouse and Houldsworth is also hosted on Scribd. Book Overview The series is typically divided into two main parts: Backhouse Pure Mathematics 1 PDF - Scribd
Be extremely wary of websites offering a one-click download of the "pure mathematics by jk backhouse pdf full" for free. These sites often:
If the site says "Download Now – No Virus" – run. Legitimate PDFs from the copyright holder will not need to promise they are virus-free. Require you to disable your ad-blocker (exposing you
If you are a university student, your library likely has a physical copy. Many universities now offer remote book scanning services or access to digital reserves. Request the librarian scan the chapter you need (e.g., Chapter 9 on Integration) as a PDF. This is perfectly legal and gives you the "full" content for your course.
To illustrate the depth of the book, let’s examine a representative exercise and its solution strategy (fully paraphrased, not reproduced).
Problem (Paraphrased):
Prove that the series
[
\sum_n=1^\infty\frac(-1)^n+1n
]
converges, and determine whether it converges absolutely.
Solution Sketch (Key Steps):
Pedagogical point: The problem forces the student to recognise the role of sign alternation and differentiate between conditional and absolute convergence—a concept that recurs throughout higher analysis.
Many searchers land on a file that claims to be the "pure mathematics by jk backhouse pdf full" but stops at chapter 9. This is maddening. If this happens to you, cross-reference the missing chapters with archive.org or a library copy.
Pro Tip: The most commonly missing sections in illegal PDFs are:
Without these, you do not have a "full" copy. Do not waste hours trying to "fix" a corrupt PDF. Use the legal borrowing method instead.