Mathematics Book Recommendations

In summary, when it comes to mathematics book recommendations, there are several popular and highly recommended titles. These include "A Mathematician's Apology" by G.H. Hardy, "How to Solve It" by George Pólya, "The Art of Problem Solving" by Richard Rusczyk, and "The Princeton Companion to Mathematics" edited by Timothy Gowers. Each of these books offers unique insights and perspectives on the world of mathematics and is highly recommended for both beginners and advanced mathematicians alike.
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  • #2
There's this one by some Russian authors. I haven't read it.
 
  • #3
Daverz said:
There's this one by some Russian authors. I haven't read it.

Thank you! Good suggestion!
 
  • #4
Gentlemen,
Sorry, rather than opening new thread, please let me post this question in this thread.
What book(s) would you recommend for physics student studying Functional Analysis?
Is strong background in real analysis a must prerequisite before doing Fuctional Analysis?
I observe Rudin's book is quite widely used, how about the one by Peter D. Lax?
Is it a good one? It seems it covers more topics than Rudin's does.
Any suggestion would be highly appreciated.

urkel
 
  • #5
Urkel said:
Gentlemen,
Sorry, rather than opening new thread, please let me post this question in this thread.
What book(s) would you recommend for physics student studying Functional Analysis?
Is strong background in real analysis a must prerequisite before doing Fuctional Analysis?
I observe Rudin's book is quite widely used, how about the one by Peter D. Lax?
Is it a good one? It seems it covers more topics than Rudin's does.
Any suggestion would be highly appreciated.

urkel

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0125850506/?tag=pfamazon01-20 by Reed and Simon is a well-known classic. Don't be fooled by the title, this is a real mathematics at about the same level as Rudin. It has very interesting and useful end-of-chapter notes.

A background in real analysis certainly helps.

Even though several real analysis courses were prerequisites for the functional analysis course that I took, the textbook for this course, https://www.amazon.com/dp/0471504599/?tag=pfamazon01-20 by Kreyszig, does not really require analysis. This book is a pedagogical masterpiece (read the reviews!) that is very readable; a favourite of mine. It is, however, not quite at the level of the other books mentioned, and it does not contain a treatment of distributions (e.g., Dirac delta "functions".)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #6
I recommend going thru the first 5 chapters (at least) of Rudin's Real and Complex Analysis before tackling Rudin's Functional Analysis. I made the mistake of jumping from Royden's Real Analysis to Rudin's Functional Analysis (on self-study). Real and Complex Analysis provides some good examples and applications of some "basic" functional analysis.

I also like Hunter's Applied Analysis for motivation and examples while tackling Rudin.

http://www.math.ucdavis.edu/~hunter/book/pdfbook.html
 
  • #7
Does anybody who gave advice on functional analysis books have any advice for my original question? 'Daverz' gave a really good suggestion!
 

What is the best mathematics book for beginners?

The best mathematics book for beginners would depend on the individual's interests and level of mathematical knowledge. Some popular recommendations include "Mathematics: Its Content, Methods and Meaning" by A.N. Kolmogorov, "A First Course in Mathematical Analysis" by David Alexander Brannan, and "The Joy of x: A Guided Tour of Math, from One to Infinity" by Steven Strogatz.

What is the best mathematics book for advanced readers?

For advanced readers, some recommended mathematics books include "Principles of Mathematical Analysis" by Walter Rudin, "The Foundations of Mathematics" by Ian Stewart and David Tall, and "Introduction to Topology" by Bert Mendelson.

Are there any mathematics books specifically for high school students?

Yes, there are several mathematics books specifically designed for high school students, such as "The Manga Guide to Calculus" by Hiroyuki Kojima and Shin Togami, "Making Sense of Mathematics for Teaching Grades 9-12" by Edward D. Burger and Michael Starbird, and "The Art of Problem Solving: Volume 1: The Basics" by Sandor Lehoczky and Richard Rusczyk.

What are some recommended mathematics books for self-study?

Some popular mathematics books for self-study include "How to Prove It: A Structured Approach" by Daniel J. Velleman, "Concrete Mathematics: A Foundation for Computer Science" by Ronald L. Graham, Donald E. Knuth, and Oren Patashnik, and "The Princeton Companion to Mathematics" edited by Timothy Gowers.

Are there any mathematics books that focus on real-world applications?

Yes, there are several mathematics books that focus on real-world applications, such as "How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking" by Jordan Ellenberg, "The Math Book: From Pythagoras to the 57th Dimension, 250 Milestones in the History of Mathematics" by Clifford A. Pickover, and "The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail-but Some Don't" by Nate Silver.

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