The meaning of calculus comes first:  Since a language is best learned when it can be used to make meaningful statements, the first chapter teaches students how to use the words and symbols for the derivative and the integral.

Derivatives and integrals are developed side-by-side throughout the text:  Derivatives and integrals are part of a whole and easier to understand when studied together, and students benefit greatly from working with them side-by-side from the start.

Theory is offered at several levels:  Derivatives and integrals are developed in Chapters 1 through 4 informally. In Chapter 5 they’re given a formal but friendly treatment, and then complete theory coverage is given in Chapter 12.

Computing devices are incorporated generically:  The text considers the insights offered by graphing calculators and computer programs, but can be adapted to a wide variety of devices and programs. Technical tools are also available at the authors’ website: http://math.jbpub.com/calculus/.

Examples from many disciplines offer a choice of course emphasis:  There are projects involving applications of calculus throughout the book, such as pharmacokinetics and cosmology, and the text moves broadly across disciplines with entire sections devoted to topics in archaeology, computer science, international relations, public policy, linguistics, and ecology.

Calculus is both integrated and diverse:  Each chapter of the book connects in multiple ways to previous chapters.