Passage To Abstract Mathematics

Passage to Abstract Mathematics helps students progress from a facility with computational procedures to an understanding of abstract mathematical concepts. Students develop their ability in mathematical communication through reading proofs, constructing proofs, and writing proofs in correct mathematical language. Concise, practical, and highly valuable, the text is ideal for students who have taken lower-division mathematics courses and need the tools requisite to study more advanced, abstract mathematics. The text features material that instructors of upper-level courses in set theory, analysis, topology, and modern algebra presume students have already learned by the time they enter advanced courses. It places emphasis on complete and correct definitions, as well as expressing mathematics in correct syntax. The core material consists of the first five closely knit chapters: Logic, Numbers, Sets, Functions, and Induction. To support active and continuous learning, exercises are embedded within the text material immediately following a definition or theorem. The explanatory comments, hints to solutions, and thought-provoking questions that appear within brackets throughout the text all serve to deepen the student's understanding of the material. In the second edition, the chapter entitled Functions precedes the chapter entitled Induction, and select material has been clarified or corrected. Number theoretic digressions such as Euclid's Algorithm and the Chinese Remainder Theorem have been deleted.

Bond and Keane explicate the elements of logical, mathematical argument to elucidate the meaning and importance of mathematical rigor. With definitions of concepts at their disposal, students learn the rules of logical inference, read and understand proofs of theorems, and write their own proofs all while becoming familiar with the grammar of mathematics and its style. In addition, they will develop an appreciation of the different methods of proof (contradiction, induction), the value of a proof, and the beauty of an elegant argument. The authors emphasize that mathematics is an ongoing, vibrant disciplineits long, fascinating history continually intersects with territory still uncharted and questions still in need of answers. The authors extensive background in teaching mathematics shines through in this balanced, explicit, and engaging text, designed as a primer for higher- level mathematics courses. They elegantly demonstrate process and application and recognize the byproducts of both the achievements and the missteps of past thinkers. Chapters 1-5 introduce the fundamentals of abstract mathematics and chapters 6-8 apply the ideas and techniques, placing the earlier material in a real context. Readers interest is continually piqued by the use of clear explanations, practical examples, discussion and discovery exercises, and historical comments.

Introduction to Abstract Mathematics focuses on the principles, approaches, and operations involved in abstract mathematics, including metric spaces, sets, axiom systems, and open sentences. The book first offers information on logic and set theory, natural numbers, and integers and rational numbers. Discussions focus on rational numbers and ordered fields, ordering, arithmetic, axiom systems and methods of proof, functions of kindred matters, ordered pairs and relations, sets, and statements and open sentences. The text then examines real and complex numbers, metric spaces, and limits. Topics include generalized limits, continuous functions, openness, closedness, and neighborhood systems, definition and basic properties, and construction of R. The publication is a vital reference for mathematicians and students interested in abstract mathematics.

This is a book about mathematics and mathematical thinking. It is intended for the serious learner who is interested in studying some deductive strategies in the context of a variety of elementary mathematical situations. No background beyond single-variable calculus is presumed.

A Bridge to Abstract Mathematics will prepare the mathematical novice to explore the universe of abstract mathematics. Mathematics is a science that concerns theorems that must be proved within the constraints of a logical system of axioms and definitions rather than theories that must be tested, revised, and retested. Readers will learn how to read mathematics beyond popular computational calculus courses. Moreover, readers will learn how to construct their own proofs. The book is intended as the primary text for an introductory course in proving theorems, as well as for self-study or as a reference. Throughout the text, some pieces (usually proofs) are left as exercises. Part V gives hints to help students find good approaches to the exercises. Part I introduces the language of mathematics and the methods of proof. The mathematical content of Parts II through IV were chosen so as not to seriously overlap the standard mathematics major. In Part II, students study sets, functions, equivalence and order relations, and cardinality. Part III concerns algebra. The goal is to prove that the real numbers form the unique, up to isomorphism, ordered field with the least upper bound. In the process, we construct the real numbers starting with the natural numbers. Students will be prepared for an abstract linear algebra or modern algebra course. Part IV studies analysis. Continuity and differentiation are considered in the context of time scales (nonempty, closed subsets of the real numbers). Students will be prepared for advanced calculus and general topology courses. There is a lot of room for instructors to skip and choose topics from among those that are presented.

This undergraduate textbook promotes an active transition to higher mathematics. Problem solving is the heart and soul of this book: each problem is carefully chosen to demonstrate, elucidate, or extend a concept. More than 300 exercises engage the reader in extensive arguments and creative approaches, while exploring connections between fundamental mathematical topics. Divided into four parts, this book begins with a playful exploration of the building blocks of mathematics, such as definitions, axioms, and proofs. A study of the fundamental concepts of logic, sets, and functions follows, before focus turns to methods of proof. Having covered the core of a transition course, the author goes on to present a selection of advanced topics that offer opportunities for extension or further study. Throughout, appendices touch on historical perspectives, current trends, and open questions, showing mathematics as a vibrant and dynamic human enterprise. This second edition has been reorganized to better reflect the layout and curriculum of standard transition courses. It also features recent developments and improved appendices. An Invitation to Abstract Mathematics is ideal for those seeking a challenging and engaging transition to advanced mathematics, and will appeal to both undergraduates majoring in mathematics, as well as non-math majors interested in exploring higher-level concepts. From reviews of the first edition: Bajnok’s new book truly invites students to enjoy the beauty, power, and challenge of abstract mathematics. ... The book can be used as a text for traditional transition or structure courses ... but since Bajnok invites all students, not just mathematics majors, to enjoy the subject, he assumes very little background knowledge. Jill Dietz, MAA Reviews The style of writing is careful, but joyously enthusiastic.... The author’s clear attitude is that mathematics consists of problem solving, and that writing a proof falls into this category. Students of mathematics are, therefore, engaged in problem solving, and should be given problems to solve, rather than problems to imitate. The author attributes this approach to his Hungarian background ... and encourages students to embrace the challenge in the same way an athlete engages in vigorous practice. John Perry, zbMATH

The purpose of this book is to prepare the reader for coping with abstract mathematics. The intended audience is both students taking a first course in abstract algebra who feel the need to strengthen their background and those from a more applied background who need some experience in dealing with abstract ideas. Learning any area of abstract mathematics requires not only ability to write formally but also to think intuitively about what is going on and to describe that process clearly and cogently in ordinary English. Ash tries to aid intuition by keeping proofs short and as informal as possible and using concrete examples as illustration. Thus, it is an ideal textbook for an audience with limited experience in formalism and abstraction. A number of expository innovations are included, for example, an informal development of set theory which teaches students all the basic results for algebra in one chapter.

Beyond calculus, the world of mathematics grows increasingly abstract and places new and challenging demands on those venturing into that realm. As the focus of calculus instruction has become increasingly computational, it leaves many students ill prepared for more advanced work that requires the ability to understand and construct proofs. Introductory Concepts for Abstract Mathematics helps readers bridge that gap. It teaches them to work with abstract ideas and develop a facility with definitions, theorems, and proofs. They learn logical principles, and to justify arguments not by what seems right, but by strict adherence to principles of logic and proven mathematical assertions - and they learn to write clearly in the language of mathematics The author achieves these goals through a methodical treatment of set theory, relations and functions, and number systems, from the natural to the real. He introduces topics not usually addressed at this level, including the remarkable concepts of infinite sets and transfinite cardinal numbers Introductory Concepts for Abstract Mathematics takes readers into the world beyond calculus and ensures their voyage to that world is successful. It imparts a feeling for the beauty of mathematics and its internal harmony, and inspires an eagerness and increased enthusiasm for moving forward in the study of mathematics.