Recent content by n-dimensions

Thanks. That's cool that you taught from the book. I'm currently enrolled in a distance learning class, but it basically amounts to structured self-study. I'm in my early 30's, in the past year I've developed a hunger to know some math (as in, a solid undergraduate pure math level of exposure)...

The Courant book is actually by Richard Courant and Fritz John, 'Introduction to Calculus and Analysis I'. While I think it's fantastic, it might or might not be for you depending on your goals. What I find interesting about the book is that, rather than turning Calculus into 'Analysis lite'...

Wow, that was a pretty flippant answer by your professor. The definition of a Limit, which founds Calculus, wasn't even around until the mid-19th century. So Calculus has probably been firmly founded for a little over 100 years, but not at all 'hundreds of years'. Mathwonk would be able to set...

Interesting Mathwonk. In fact the 9th Edition that I'm working from is the blue hardcover one with the lighthouse. The layout has a sturdy feel to it - kind of a middle road between an older approach and the abominable glossy magazine-layout of comtemporary texts. The presentation seems more...

p.s. I just reread this thread and I wanted to be clear that my post wasn't directed toward anyone in particular. Perhaps I reflexively get anxious when this conversation comes up, because it really is pandora's box. Regarding mathematical proof, it's not at all inconceivable that a proof could...

Well there are a ton of loose ideas here and anyone of them has probably been the subject of numerous Phd dissertations in Philosophy of Science, Mathematical Logic, etc... In other words, you start talking about this stuff and you'd better realize you're in the Big Leagues. Want to see how...

This is a frivolous thread about the Menger sponge. Actually it's totally serious, but with respect to mathematics, my concern in this thread is frivolous. If you're not into frivolous riffs on the 'human side' of math, you've been warned (i.e. no need to play Math Cop on me). So: I recently...

I'm using the 9th edition of Thomas for a distance learning course. It's a good, sturdy presentation. I'm reading Richard Courant's Calculus and Analysis Vol.I concurrently because I plan on studying higher math down the road and I want to get my feet wet with some more rigor. That's not...