The Mathematical Association of America – förlag

G. H. Hardy (1877-1947) ranks among the great mathematicians of the twentieth century. He did essential research in number theory and analysis, held professorships at Cambridge and Oxford, wrote important textbooks as well as the classic A Mathematician's Apology, and famously collaborated with J. E. Littlewood and Srinivasa Ramanujan. Hardy was a colorful character with remarkable expository skills. This book is a feast of G. H. Hardy's writing. There are selections of his mathematical papers, his book reviews, his tributes to departed colleagues. Some articles are serious, whereas others display a wry sense of humor. And there are recollections by those who knew Hardy, along with biographical and mathematical pieces written explicitly for this collection. Fans of Hardy should find much here to like. And for those unfamiliar with his work, The G. H. Hardy Reader provides an introduction to this extraordinary individual.

Tikhonov regularization is the most popular general-purpose method for regularization, a mathematical technique to suppress the effect of noise in data, and uses much of the machinery of Hilbert space theory. This book develops the theory of Tikhonov regularization for a certain class of linear inverse problems which are defined on Hilbert spaces. To explain why and how Tikhonov regularization works, the singular value expansion for compact operators is introduced. Tikhonov regularization with seminorms is also analyzed and for this purpose, densely defined unbounded operators are addressed and their basic properties presented. In addition, the author provides readers with a quick but thorough review of Hilbert space theory and a brief introduction to weak derivatives and Sobolev spaces. Intended as an expository work for those interested in inverse problems and Tikhonov regularization, including graduates and researchers, the author presents the theory in an engaging and straightforward style.

Several optical phenomena can occur when the sun is near the horizon, some of which can actually be seen, for instance as a dark strip in the middle of the solar disk, or as a green flash. These are a result of the way the atmosphere affects the geometry of light rays. In this book, Broer uses the Fermat principle to deduce laws for refraction and reflection. By expressing these as conservation laws, he can handle both the case of inhomogeneous layers of air and the case of continuous variation in the refraction index. Building from this elementary theory, more advanced mathematical theories are discussed, including how the Fermat Principle leads to a Riemannian metric whose geodesics are the paths of light rays, thus demonstrating the physical applicability of Riemannian geometry. Intended for teachers and professors to enlighten their courses, or for students and researchers in mathematics, science and engineering.

Algebraic structures have come to be ubiquitous in mathematics, with almost all mathematicians encountering groups, rings, fields or more exotic related objects during the course of their research. This book presents an overview of some of the most important algebraic structures in modern mathematics, with an emphasis on creating a coherent picture of how they all interact. In addition to the standard material on groups, rings, modules, fields and Galois theory, the book includes discussions of other important topics, including linear groups, group representations, Artinian rings, projective, injective and flat modules, Dedekind domains and central simple algebras. All of the important theorems are discussed, typically without proofs, but often with a discussion of the intuitive ideas behind those proofs. This insightful guide is ideal for both graduate students in mathematics who are beginning their studies, and researchers who wish to understand the bigger picture of the algebraic structures they encounter.

Functional analysis is an abstract and powerful modern theory that occupies a central role in mathematics. This book provides a quick but precise introduction to the subject, covering everything that a beginning graduate student needs to know. The subject has its roots in the theory of infinite-dimensional vector spaces which is where the book begins, with preliminaries from the theory of normed linear spaces, Hilbert spaces, operator algebras and distributions. The reader will then encounter more advanced topics such as spectral theory, convexity and fixed-point theorems. It contains plenty of examples and exercises, making it an ideal basis for advanced undergraduate and graduate level courses in a subject that has become an essential part of every analyst's toolkit.

Beginning with one of the most remarkable ecological collapses of recent times, that of the passenger pigeon, this book surveys collapse processes across the entire spectrum of the natural and man-made world. The reader is taken through extreme weather events, crashing financial markets and companies, the chaotic nature of Earth's orbit, revolutionary political change, the spread of disease and many other fascinating cases. The author's key observation is the consistent occurrence of one or more of six fundamental dynamics ('six sources of collapse'), all of which can be best described and investigated using fundamental mathematical concepts which include low probability events, group dynamics, evolutionary games, instability, nonlinearity and network effects. The exposition assumes a minimal mathematical background, but even professional mathematicians are likely to get rich insights from the range of examples. This book will also be of interest to readers in business and finance, engineering, ecology and political science.

C. Edward Sandifer has been studying Euler for decades and is one of the world's leading experts on his work. This book is the second collection of Sandifer's 'How Euler Did It' columns. Each is a jewel of historical and mathematical exposition. The sum total of years of work and study of the most prolific mathematician in history, this volume will leave the reader marveling at Euler's clever inventiveness, which Sandifer explicates and puts in context.

What do mathematicians think of themselves, and what do others think of them? These musings, the theme of a special session at the San Jose MathFest of 2007, resonate with a large and diverse group of mathematicians and students, for these are the questions that govern the way that mathematicians live. A large and diverse group of mathematicians and mathematical people were assembled to offer their views on these matters. The contributions represent a vast array of perspectives on the psychology of the mathematician. It is hoped that readers will find the thoughts assembled here stimulating and cause for further rumination.

The set of real numbers is one of the fundamental concepts of mathematics. This book surveys alternative number systems: systems that generalise the real numbers yet stay close to the properties that make the reals central to mathematics. There are many alternative number systems, such as multidimensional numbers (complex numbers, quarternions), infinitely small and infinitely large numbers (hyperreal numbers) and numbers that represent positions in games (surreal numbers). Each system has a well-developed theory with applications in other areas of mathematics and science. They all feature in active areas of research and each has unique features that are explored in this book. Alternative number systems reveal the central role of the real numbers and motivate some exciting and eccentric areas of mathematics. What Numbers Are Real? will be an illuminating read for anyone with an interest in numbers, but specifically for advanced undergraduates, graduate students and teachers of university-level mathematics.

This volume is a republication and expansion of the much-loved Wohascum County Problem Book, published in 1993. The original 130 problems have been retained and supplemented by an additional 78 problems. The puzzles contained within, which are accessible but never routine, have been specially selected for their mathematical appeal, and detailed solutions are provided. The reader will encounter puzzles involving calculus, algebra, discrete mathematics, geometry and number theory, and the volume includes an appendix identifying the prerequisite knowledge for each problem. A second appendix organises the problems by subject matter so that readers can focus their attention on particular types of problems if they wish. This collection will provide enjoyment for seasoned problem solvers and for those who wish to hone their skills.

Mistakes in mathematical reasoning can range from outlandish blunders to deep and subtle oversights that evade even the most watchful eye. This book represents the second collection of such errors to be compiled by Edward Barbeau. Like Barbeau's previous book, Mathematical Fallacies, Flaws and Flimflam, material is drawn from a variety of sources including the work of students, textbooks, the media, and even professional mathematicians. The errors presented here serve both to entertain, and to emphasise the need to subject even the most 'obvious' assertions to rigorous scrutiny, as intuition and facile reasoning can often be misleading. Each item is carefully analysed and the source of the error is exposed. All students and teachers of mathematics, from school to university level, will find this book both enlightening and entertaining.

Misfortune struck one June day in 1944, when a five-year-old boy was blinded following an accident with a paring knife. That boy, Larry W. Baggett, grew up to become an internationally renowned research mathematician and a successful university professor. At every stage in his life, Baggett broke new ground: he was the first blind student enrolled in the Orlando public school system, the first blind student admitted to Davidson College, and the first blind doctoral student in mathematics at the University of Washington. This memoir describes his successes and failures as a blind person living and learning in the sighted world. In addition, he reflects on his two great passions in life - mathematics and music - with short musings on both topics, such as discussing how to figure out how many dominoes are in a set, the intricacies of jazz chord progressions, and the mysterious Comma of Pythagoras.