What Is Mathematics?
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Review
*Praise for the previous edition:
"Without doubt, the work will have great influence. It should be in the hands of everyone, professional or otherwise, who is interested in scientific thinking."--The New York Times
"Should prove a source of great pleasure and satisfaction."--Journal of Applied Physics
"Succeeds brilliantly in conveying the intellectual excitement of mathematical inquiry and in communicating the essential ideas and methods."Journal of Philosophy
"It is a work of high perfection, whether judged by aesthetic, pedagogical or scientific standards. It is astonishing to what extent What is Mathematics? has succeeded in making clear by means of the simplest examples all the fundamental ideas and methods which we mathematicians consider the life blood of our science."--Herman Weyl
New York Times
"Without doubt, the work will have great influence. It should be in the hands of everyone, professional or otherwise, who is interested in scientific thinking."
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
Number is the basis of modern mathematics. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Number is the basis of modern mathematics. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A wide-ranging overview of pure mathematics, first published in the 1940s, now re-issued and brought up to date with an additional chapter by Ian Stewart, this book is at the level of a capable student at the higher end of high school mathematics (A-level in the UK) or the beginning of a mathematics degree.
The scope of this book is awesome, covering number theory, geometry, topology, calculus, and much more. The chapter on projective geometry is a real treat, as it explores a beautiful topic that has dropped out of the modern maths syllabus. The only noticeable omission is group theory, which gets only a passing mention.
The style is clear, although the pace is rapid, and the reader is expected to fill in some details. There is an emphasis throughout on rigour - where this is relaxed for the sake of brevity, this is clearly signalled.
An appendix of problems and exercises (without answers) encourages further exploration of each topic.
A true classic and an enhancement to any mathematician's bookshelf.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Einstein writes..."Easily understandable." And Herman Weyl,..."It is a work of high perfection." It is both for
beginners and for scholars. The first edition by Courant and Robbins, has been revised, with love and care, by Ian Stewart.
Of the sciences, math stands out in the way some central ideas and tools are timeless. Key math ideas from our first mathematical experiences, perhaps early in life, often have more permanence this way. While the fads do change in math, there are some landmarks that remain, and which inspire generations. And they are as useful now as they were at their inception, the fundamentals of numbers, of geometry, of calculus and differential equations. The authors are ambitious in trying to cover the essetials within the span of 500 plus pages. You find the facts, presented in clear and engaging prose, and with lots of illustrations.
beginners and for scholars. The first edition by Courant and Robbins, has been revised, with love and care, by Ian Stewart.
Of the sciences, math stands out in the way some central ideas and tools are timeless. Key math ideas from our first mathematical experiences, perhaps early in life, often have more permanence this way. While the fads do change in math, there are some landmarks that remain, and which inspire generations. And they are as useful now as they were at their inception, the fundamentals of numbers, of geometry, of calculus and differential equations. The authors are ambitious in trying to cover the essetials within the span of 500 plus pages. You find the facts, presented in clear and engaging prose, and with lots of illustrations.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
So Einstein thought this book "easily understandable" ? Well, if you are a beginner at calculus you will not find it "easily understandable", for that would mean you didn't learn a single new thing! Calculus is perhaps the most profound and far-reaching discovery of the millenium, and is certainly not trivial. However, this magical book is the best possible introduction. It is written so that your perplexities will always be accompanied by so beautiful results or promises of results, that you will be more than ready to do the necessary efforts. These come, for instance, in the form of exercises and in the details of the demonstrations, which are all there. There is no cheating. Well, the book is not only about calculus. There are many previous chapters on theory of numbers, geometry, algebra, topology. But I think it culminates with calculus, and the preceding chapters serve as steps of a staircase leading to it. The new edition has the collaboratio! n of Ian Stewart, an inspired writer.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Wonderful coverage but demanding on the reader
The book covers a broad range of topics in (mainly pure) maths. It should be comprehensible to anyone who has done the equivalent of UK "A" Level maths. Read more
Published 14 months ago by M. F. Cayley
Top of my Book List
I was searching for the perfect book in my first year of a 2 year BA Hons in Mathematics Education to really help me to extend my mathematical knowledge but in a readable... Read more
Published 20 months ago by C. Govett
A lucid and exciting introduction indeed
What Courant and Robbins have managed to do is to write a book that not only introduces to some of the most fascinating aspects of mathematics, in a beautiful, challenging way, but... Read more
Published on 2 Nov 2009 by Jamie B.
Not for the beginner
Although well written this book isn't for someone who is looking to get into maths above what they learned at high school. Read more
Published on 8 Nov 2008 by M. Bradshaw
If God had a maths book under his pillow...
Forgiving my blasphemy above, this is an unsurpassably great maths book. This book is about beautiful maths beautifully written: it epitomises the romance and magnetism of... Read more
Published on 10 July 2005 by ksk
The best book on mathematics which I ever read!
This is a "must read" for every student of mathematics, engineering and the sciences. You will not fail to learn something.
Published on 26 Nov 1998
a landmark book in history of teaching
If this book were taught in every high school class, as it should be, most politicians would have a very hard time in fooling people the way they do.
Published on 2 Nov 1998
a landmark book in history of teaching
If this book were taught in every high school class, as it should be, most politicians would have a very hard time in fooling people the way they do.
Published on 2 Nov 1998
a landmark book in history of teaching
If this book were taught in every high school class, as it should be, most politicians would have a very hard time in fooling people the way they do.
Published on 2 Nov 1998
Good book for a math amateur
I am a college student, majoring in math, but not very far along in my major sequence. I found that this book gave me an understandable perspective on what might lie ahead in my... Read more
Published on 16 July 1998
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