Who's familiar with all: Piskunov, Fichtenhols, and Smirnov?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the comparative analysis of three significant mathematical texts: "Differential and Integral Calculus" by NS Piskunov, "Fundamentals of Mathematical Analysis" by GM Fichtenholz, and "Course of Higher Mathematics" by VI Smirnov. Participants note that while all three texts share similarities in rigor and examples from physics and engineering, they differ in depth and presentation. Piskunov is recognized for its accessibility and problem sets, Fichtenholz is regarded as the most challenging, and Smirnov is praised for its comprehensive coverage and advanced topics. Ultimately, readers can benefit from any of the texts, depending on their specific mathematical needs.

PREREQUISITES
  • Familiarity with calculus and mathematical analysis concepts
  • Understanding of the historical context of Russian mathematical education
  • Knowledge of mathematical pedagogy and its application in physics and engineering
  • Ability to analyze and compare academic texts critically
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore the specific content and structure of "Differential and Integral Calculus" by NS Piskunov
  • Investigate the advanced topics covered in "Course of Higher Mathematics" by VI Smirnov
  • Review the pedagogical approaches in "Fundamentals of Mathematical Analysis" by GM Fichtenholz
  • Compare supplementary mathematical texts that complement these foundational works
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for mathematics students, educators, and anyone interested in the historical and pedagogical aspects of Russian mathematical literature, particularly those seeking a solid foundation in calculus and analysis.

Humanlimits
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I am very interested in the "russian" type of math approach, a mix of rigor with lots of examples from physics and engineering mixed in with the calculus/analysis pedagogy. It also fascinates me that the same texts were studied by both physicists and engineers of the time period; so lauded after, they were translated into many languages and spread outside the eastern bloc. I'm not looking for suggestions but would be happy to hear from anyone who is familiar with the following texts:

Differential and Integral Calculus - NS Piskunov
Fundamentals of Mathematical Analysis - GM Fichtenholz
Course of Higher Mathematics - VI Smirnov (vol 1&2 on calculus)

I would like to know if the texts are in any way markedly different enough to select one over the other. As far as I can tell from the prefaces and tables of contents, it is hard to find a stark contrast between the books; the authors occasionally gave each other suggestions even!

I am especially interested on reading Smirnov because I like the idea of finishing all five volumes as a good mathematical foundation while reading supplementary/specialized content. Thanks in advance for any relevant thoughts.
 
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I used the Piskunov volumes in my undergrad math curriculum at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in the early 80s. Good books with lots of problems, but a bit dry. I still have my copies on my bookshelf.
 
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Fikhtengol'ts is roughly regarded as the best and hardest of the three at the topics it does, but Piskunov sometimes does things in a nicer way and does more on a few things, while Smirnov will skip smaller topics but still do crazy things in Fikhtengol'ts and overall cover way more and sometimes do more advanced versions of the material the others cover, so you can't go wrong with any choice, or choosing them all.
 
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