Overview

This text prepares undergraduate mathematics students to meet two challenges in the study of mathematics, namely, to read mathematics independently and to understand and write proofs. The book begins by teaching how to read mathematics actively, constructing examples, extreme cases, and non-examples to aid in understanding an unfamiliar theorem or definition (a technique famililar to any mathematician, but rarely taught); it provides practice by indicating explicitly where work with pencil and paper must interrupt reading. The book then turns to proofs, showing in detail how to discover the structure of a potential proof from the form of the theorem (especially the conclusion). It shows the logical structure behind proof forms (especially quantifier arguments), and analyzes, thoroughly, the often sketchy coding of these forms in proofs as they are ordinarily written. The common introductroy material (such as sets and functions) is used for the numerous exercises, and the book concludes with a set of ""Laboratories"" on these topics in which the student can practice the skills learned in the earlier chapters. Intended for use as a supplementary text in courses on introductory real analysis, advanced calculus, abstract algebra, or topology, the book may also be used as the main text for a ""transitions"" course bridging the gab between calculus and higher mathematics.

Full Product Details

Author:   George R. Exner
Publisher:   Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
Imprint:   Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
Edition:   1st ed. 1996. Corr. 3rd printing 1999
Dimensions:   Width: 15.50cm , Height: 1.20cm , Length: 23.50cm
Weight:   1.090kg
ISBN:  

9780387946177

ISBN 10:   0387946179
Pages:   200
Publication Date:   05 January 1996
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Undergraduate
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Awaiting stock  
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Table of Contents

1 Examples.- 1.1 Propaganda.- 1.2 Basic Examples for Definitions.- 1.3 Basic Examples for Theorems.- 1.4 Extended Examples.- 1.5 Notational Interlude.- 1.6 Examples Again: Standard Sources.- 1.7 Non-examples for Definitions.- 1.8 Non-examples for Theorems.- 1.9 Summary and More Propaganda.- 1.10 What Next?.- 2 Informal Language and Proof.- 2.1 Ordinary Language Clues.- 2.2 Real-Life Proofs vs. Rules of Thumb.- 2.3 Proof Forms for Implication.- 2.4 Two More Proof Forms.- 2.5 The Other Shoe, and Propaganda.- 3 For mal Language and Proof.- 3.1 Propaganda.- 3.2 Formal Language: Basics.- 3.3 Quantifiers.- 3.4 Finding Proofs from Structure.- 3.5 Summary, Propaganda, and What Next?.- 4 Laboratories.- 4.1 Lab I: Sets by Example.- 4.2 Lab II: Functions by Example.- 4.3 Lab III: Sets and Proof.- 4.4 Lab IV: Functions and Proof.- 4.5 Lab V: Function of Sets.- 4.6 Lab VI: Families of Sets.- A Theoretical Apologia.- B Hints.- References.

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