Alan F. Beardon

Describing two cornerstones of mathematics, this basic textbook presents a unified approach to algebra and geometry. It covers the ideas of complex numbers, scalar and vector products, determinants, linear algebra, group theory, permutation groups, symmetry groups and aspects of geometry including groups of isometries, rotations, and spherical geometry. The book emphasises the interactions between topics, and each topic is constantly illustrated by using it to describe and discuss the others. Many ideas are developed gradually, with each aspect presented at a time when its importance becomes clearer. To aid in this, the text is divided into short chapters, each with exercises at the end. The related website features an HTML version of the book, extra text at higher and lower levels, and more exercises and examples. It also links to an electronic maths thesaurus, giving definitions, examples and links both to the book and to external sources.

"How do mathematicians approach a problem, explore the possibilities, and develop an understanding of a whole area around it? The issue is not simply about obtaining 'the answer'; rather, Beardon explains that a mathematical problem is just one of many related ones that should be simultaneously investigated and discussed at various levels, and that understanding this is a crucial step in becoming a creative mathematician. The book begins with some good advice about procedure, presentation, and organization that will benefit every mathematician, budding, teaching or practiced. In the rest of the book, Beardon presents a series of simple problems, then, through discussion, consideration of special cases, computer experiments, and so on, the reader is taken through these same problems, but at an increasing level of sophistication and generality. Mathematics is rarely a closed book, and seemingly innocent problems, when examined and explored, can lead to results of significance."--Publisher's website.