# Topology - prerequisites

1. Oct 28, 2008

### Gramsci

Hello,
I'm wondering, is it possible to study topology without having taken a course in multivariable calculus? I'm very eager to learn and my college don't offer too many math courses this spring (I'm moving to a bigger next fall though), so I'm thinking if I should take topology. I can basically put in unlimited time of study to grasp it.

Best regards,
Magnus

2. Oct 28, 2008

### d_leet

Learning topology requires some knowledge of basic set theory, but little more than that.

3. Oct 28, 2008

### HallsofIvy

Staff Emeritus
I would say that the most important "prerequisite" is mathematical maturity which is, basically, the abitility to understand and use specific definitions and to write good proofs.

Last edited: Oct 31, 2008
4. Oct 28, 2008

### quasar987

And if you don't have that mathematical maturity, I can't think of a better way to obtain it than to study topology because most "theorems" in point set topology follow trivially from the definitions...

5. Oct 28, 2008

### mathwonk

try this topology book for high school students:

First Concepts of Topology; The Geometry of Mappings of Segments, Curves, Circles, and Disks
Chinn, W. G.; Steenrod, N. E.

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