Companion for Rudin?

1. Sep 11, 2010

mynameisfunk

Companion for Rudin??

Hey guys,
I am taking a real analysis or advanced calculus is what we call it here, and we are using Rudin's Intro to Math Analysis book which is notoriously not user-friendly. I have been using a book called Set Theory and metric spaces by Irving Kaplansky to help better understand basic properties of metric spaces and another book which I cannot remember the name of for properties complex variables, but I am thinking I might need something else to help me get through the class and do well. If anyone has any good reccomendations if they have taken a class where they use this book I would be thankful! I haven't taken anything but a basic class on set theory and linear algebra and 3 semesters of calculus as far as my math background goes. No abstract algebra or topology or anything like that.

2. Sep 12, 2010

Matthollyw00d

Re: Companion for Rudin??

Actually I believe that "Baby Rudin" is known as the most user-friendly text in basic analysis. It is the standard text for a reason. I can't think of anything better but the standard text for Reals would be Real Analysis by Royden. It covers many of the same things, so perhaps another nice approach could be helpful. And since both are very widely used, the solutions to many of the problems can easily be found online. Working through the problems is how you learn the material so I wouldn't suggest just using the solutions unless you are completely stuck on something (in which case this site would also be helpful).

Also technically speaking, you shouldn't need an algebra or topology class going into Rudin, and he even covers basic set theory and reals construction if I remember correctly.