Description
Among the traditional purposes of such an introductory course is the training of a student in the conventions of pure mathematics: acquiring a feeling for what is considered a proof, and supplying literate written arguments to support mathematical propositions. To this extent, more than one proof is included for a theorem – where this is considered beneficial – so as to stimulate the students’ reasoning for alternate approaches and ideas. The second half of this book, and consequently the second semester, covers differentiation and integration, as well as the connection between these concepts, as displayed in the general theorem of Stokes. Also included are some beautiful applications of this theory, such as Brouwer’s fixed point theorem, and the Dirichlet principle for harmonic functions. Throughout, reference is made to earlier sections, so as to reinforce the main ideas by repetition. Unique in its applications to some topics not usually covered at this level.
