Do formulas exist for the solution to algebraical equations in one variable of any degree like the formulas for quadratic equations? The main aim of this book is to give new geometrical proof of Abel's theorem, as proposed by Professor V.I. Arnold. The theorem states that for general algebraical equations of a degree higher than 4, there are no formulas representing roots of these equations in terms of coefficients with only arithmetic operations and radicals. A secondary, and more important aim of this book, is to acquaint the reader with two very important branches of modern mathematics: group theory and theory of functions of a complex variable. This book also has the added bonus of an extensive appendix devoted to the differential Galois theory, written by Professor A.G. Khovanskii. As this text has been written assuming no specialist prior knowledge and is composed of definitions, examples, problems and solutions, it is suitable for self-study or teaching students of mathematics, from high school to graduate.

Do formulas exist for the solution to algebraical equations in one variable of any degree like the formulas for quadratic equations? The main aim of this book is to give new geometrical proof of Abel's theorem, as proposed by Professor V.I. Arnold. The theorem states that for general algebraical equations of a degree higher than 4, there are no formulas representing roots of these equations in terms of coefficients with only arithmetic operations and radicals. A secondary, and more important aim of this book, is to acquaint the reader with two very important branches of modern mathematics: group theory and theory of functions of a complex variable. This book also has the added bonus of an extensive appendix devoted to the differential Galois theory, written by Professor A.G. Khovanskii. As this text has been written assuming no specialist prior knowledge and is composed of definitions, examples, problems and solutions, it is suitable for self-study or teaching students of mathematics, from high school to graduate.

The intellectual and human story of a mathematical proof that transformed our ideas about mathematics. In 1824 a young Norwegian named Niels Henrik Abel proved conclusively that algebraic equations of the fifth order are not solvable in radicals. In this book Peter Pesic shows what an important event this was in the history of thought. He also presents it as a remarkable human story. Abel was twenty-one when he self-published his proof, and he died five years later, poor and depressed, just before the proof started to receive wide acclaim. Abel's attempts to reach out to the mathematical elite of the day had been spurned, and he was unable to find a position that would allow him to work in peace and marry his fiancé. But Pesic's story begins long before Abel and continues to the present day, for Abel's proof changed how we think about mathematics and its relation to the "real" world. Starting with the Greeks, who invented the idea of mathematical proof, Pesic shows how mathematics found its sources in the real world (the shapes of things, the accounting needs of merchants) and then reached beyond those sources toward something more universal. The Pythagoreans' attempts to deal with irrational numbers foreshadowed the slow emergence of abstract mathematics. Pesic focuses on the contested development of algebra—which even Newton resisted—and the gradual acceptance of the usefulness and perhaps even beauty of abstractions that seem to invoke realities with dimensions outside human experience. Pesic tells this story as a history of ideas, with mathematical details incorporated in boxes. The book also includes a new annotated translation of Abel's original proof.

Problems in Set Theory, Mathematical Logic and the Theory of Algorithms by I. Lavrov & L. Maksimova is an English translation of the fourth edition of the most popular student problem book in mathematical logic in Russian. It covers major classical topics in proof theory and the semantics of propositional and predicate logic as well as set theory and computation theory. Each chapter begins with 1-2 pages of terminology and definitions that make the book self-contained. Solutions are provided. The book is likely to become an essential part of curricula in logic.

In many fields of application of mathematics, progress is crucially dependent on the good flow of information between (i) theoretical mathematicians looking for applications, (ii) mathematicians working in applications in need of theory, and (iii) scientists and engineers applying mathematical models and methods. The intention of this book is to stimulate this flow of information. In the first three chapters (accessible to third year students of mathematics and physics and to mathematically interested engineers) applications of Abel integral equations are surveyed broadly including determination of potentials, stereology, seismic travel times, spectroscopy, optical fibres. In subsequent chapters (requiring some background in functional analysis) mapping properties of Abel integral operators and their relation to other integral transforms in various function spaces are investi- gated, questions of existence and uniqueness of solutions of linear and nonlinear Abel integral equations are treated, and for equations of the first kind problems of ill-posedness are discussed. Finally, some numerical methods are described. In the theoretical parts, emphasis is put on the aspects relevant to applications.

This book provides a detailed and largely self-contained description of various classical and new results on solvability and unsolvability of equations in explicit form. In particular, it offers a complete exposition of the relatively new area of topological Galois theory, initiated by the author. Applications of Galois theory to solvability of algebraic equations by radicals, basics of Picard–Vessiot theory, and Liouville's results on the class of functions representable by quadratures are also discussed. A unique feature of this book is that recent results are presented in the same elementary manner as classical Galois theory, which will make the book useful and interesting to readers with varied backgrounds in mathematics, from undergraduate students to researchers. In this English-language edition, extra material has been added (Appendices A–D), the last two of which were written jointly with Yura Burda.

Written in a clear and accurate language that students can understand, Trench's new book minimizes the number of explicitly stated theorems and definitions. Instead, he deals with concepts in a conversational style that engages students. He includes more than 250 illustrated, worked examples for easy reading and comprehension. One of the book's many strengths is its problems, which are of consistently high quality. Trench includes a thorough treatment of boundary-value problems and partial differential equations and has organized the book to allow instructors to select the level of technology desired. This has been simplified by using symbols, C and L, to designate the level of technology. C problems call for computations and/or graphics, while L problems are laboratory exercises that require extensive use of technology. Informal advice on the use of technology is included in several sections and instructors who prefer not to emphasize technology can ignore these exercises without interrupting the flow of material.

Vladimir Arnold, an eminent mathematician of our time, is known both for his mathematical results, which are many and prominent, and for his strong opinions, often expressed in an uncompromising and provoking manner. His dictum that "Mathematics is a part of physics where experiments are cheap" is well known. This book consists of two parts: selected articles by and an interview with Vladimir Arnold, and a collection of articles about him written by his friends, colleagues, and students. The book is generously illustrated by a large collection of photographs, some never before published. The book presents many a facet of this extraordinary mathematician and man, from his mathematical discoveries to his daredevil outdoor adventures.

Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing worth knowing can be taught. Oscar Wilde, “The Critic as Artist,” 1890. Analysis is a profound subject; it is neither easy to understand nor summarize. However, Real Analysis can be discovered by solving problems. This book aims to give independent students the opportunity to discover Real Analysis by themselves through problem solving. ThedepthandcomplexityofthetheoryofAnalysiscanbeappreciatedbytakingaglimpseatits developmental history. Although Analysis was conceived in the 17th century during the Scienti?c Revolution, it has taken nearly two hundred years to establish its theoretical basis. Kepler, Galileo, Descartes, Fermat, Newton and Leibniz were among those who contributed to its genesis. Deep conceptual changes in Analysis were brought about in the 19th century by Cauchy and Weierstrass. Furthermore, modern concepts such as open and closed sets were introduced in the 1900s. Today nearly every undergraduate mathematics program requires at least one semester of Real Analysis. Often, students consider this course to be the most challenging or even intimidating of all their mathematics major requirements. The primary goal of this book is to alleviate those concerns by systematically solving the problems related to the core concepts of most analysis courses. In doing so, we hope that learning analysis becomes less taxing and thereby more satisfying.