THE COUNTINGBURY TALES
Fun with Mathematics

by Miguel de Guzman (Universidad Complutense de Madrid)

Games and beauty are found in the origin of a major part of mathematics. If mathematicians throughout history have had such a good time playing and contemplating theirgames and their science, why not try to learn mathematics and pass it on through games and beauty?

That is the fundamental idea which underlies the stories and games presented in this book. You will be surprised and enticed by the interesting concepts and the novelty of thebook. The author has intended that you apply to it the same playful spirit with which he has written it. In fact, if you open the book, you will soon find that certain mathematicaldevelopments that may seem at first sight rather imposing can be presented in a way that anybody can understand and contemplate with pleasure. They may even act like abridge in finding the same pleasure in other mathematical endeavors that may look more serious and complicated but, if we look carefully, display basically the same playfulspirit.


Contents:

The Mathematics of a Sandwich
Nim
A Capricious Walk Through Königsberg
A Group for Solitary Players
The Mathematician as a Naturalist
Four Colors Suffice
The Jumping Frog
A Cutoff in the Chessboard
The Secret of the Oval Hall

Readership: General.

130pp (approx.)
Pub. date: Autumn 1999
ISBN 981-02-4032-5
ISBN 981-02-4033-3(pbk)


A COURSE IN ALGEBRA
Volume 1

by Y Fan, Q Y Xiong & Y L Zheng (Wuhan University, P R China)

This volume is based on the lectures given by the authors at Wuhan University and Hubei University in courses on abstract algebra.
It presents the fundamental concepts and basic properties of groups, rings, modules and fields, including the interplay between them
and other mathematical branches and applied aspects.

Contents:

Preliminaries: Sets
Logic
Relations
Maps
Zorn's Lemma
Groups: Transformations and Permutations
Groups
Subgroups
Homomorphisms, Isomorphisms
Cosets
Normal Subgroups, Quotient Groups
Homomorphism Theorems
Cyclic Groups, Orders of Elements
Direct Products
Rings: Fundamentals
Zero Divisors, Inverse Elements
Ideals, Residue Rings
Homomorphism Theorems
Prime Ideals, Maximal Ideals
Direct Sums
Fraction Fields of Integral Domains
Polynomial Rings
Factorial Rings
Polynomial Rings over Factorial Rings
Modules: Modules and Endomorphism Rings of Additive Groups
Submodules, Quotient Modules, and Homomorphisms
Direct Products, Direct Sums
Exact Sequences of Homomorphisms
Free Modules, Matrices over Rings
Vector Spaces and Matrices over Division Rings
Modules and Matrices over Commutative Rings
Algebras over Commutative Rings
Tensor Products
Projective Modules and Injective Modules
Fields: Subfields and Extensions
Single Extensions
Algebraic Extensions
Splitting Field of Polynomials, Normal Extensions
Applications
Separability, Multiple Roots
Finite Fields
Coding
p-adic Numbers
Quaternions

Readership: First- and second-year students in algebra.

280pp (approx.)
Pub. date: Spring 2000
ISBN 981-02-4061-9


PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS

Proceedings of the Conference
Wuhan, China 5 - 9 April 1999

edited by Chen Hua (Wuhan University, China) & L Rodino (UniversitE di Torino, Italy)

This volume reports the recent progress in linear and nonlinear partial differential equations, microlocal analysis,
singular partial differential operators, spectral analysis andhyperfunction theory.

Contents:

On the Asymptotics of the Counting Function for Irregular Drums (Chen Hua)
Formation-Construction of Shock in Compressive Simple Wave of N x N Hyperbolic System (S-X Chen)
Blow-up Curve of Solutions of Semilinear Hyperbolic Equations in One Space Dimension (P J M Godin)
Convergence of Binomial Tree Method for American Options (L Jiang)
Boundary Value Problems for Isometric Embedding in R3 of Surfaces (J-X Hong)
Convolutions of Hyperfunctions of One Variable and Laplace Hyperfunctions (H Komatsu)
Fourier Transforms in Spaces of Hyperfunctions and Hartog's Type Phenomena (O Liess)
Borel Summability of Divergent Solutions of the Cauchy Problem to Non-Kowalevskian Equation (M Miyake)
Hadamard's Fundamental Solution and Conical Refraction (M-Y Qi)
Nonlinear Microlocal Analysis (L Rodino)
Asymptotics of Edge and Corner Distributions (B-W Schulze)
Asymptotic Behaviour for Minimizers of a Ginzburg–Landau-Type Functional (Z-Q Wu)
Traveling Wave Front Solutions for Reaction–Diffusion Systems (Q-X Ye)
Well Posedness of the Cauchy Problem for Nonlinear Weakly Hyperbolic Equations (L Zanghirati)
and other papers

Readership: Graduate students and researchers in the field of partial differential equations.

330pp (approx.)
Pub. date: Spring 2000
ISBN 981-02-4059-7


THE DYNAMICAL THEORY OF PATTERN FORMATION

by M I Rabinovich (University of California, San Diego),
A B Ezersky (Russian Academy of Sciences)
& P D Weidman (University of Colorado)

Spirals, vortices, crystalline lattices, and other attractive patterns are prevalent in Nature. How do such beautiful patterns
appear from the initial chaos? What universal dynamical rules are responsible for their formation? What is the dynamical origin
of spatial disorder in nonequilibrium media? Based on the many visual experiments in physics,hydrodynamics, chemistry, and biology,
this invaluable book answers those and related intriguing questions. The mathematical models presented for the dynamical theory of
pattern formation are nonlinear partial differential equations. The corresponding theory is not so accessible to a wide audience.
Consequently, the authors have made every attempt to synthesize long and complex mathematical calculations to exhibit the
underlying physics. The book will be useful for final year undergraduates, but is primarily aimed at graduate students, postdoctoral
fellows, and others interested in the puzzling phenomena of pattern formation.

Contents:

Prelude to a Dynamical Description of Pattern Formation
Examples of Instability
Model Equations
Ginzburg–Landau Equation
'Crystal' Formation
Quasicrystals
Breaking of Order
Localized Patterns
Spirals
Vortices in Soap Films
Patterns in Colonies of Microorganisms
Spatial Disorder
Regular Patterns in Nonregular Media
Living Matter and Dynamics Forms
Short Guide to Nonlinear Dynamics
Key Experiments in Pattern Formation

Readership: Graduate students of mathematical physics and nonlinear science.

350pp (approx.)
Pub. date: Autumn 1999
ISBN 981-02-4055-4
ISBN 981-02-4056-2(pbk)


TOPICS IN LOW-DIMENSIONAL TOPOLOGY
In Honor of Steve Armentrout

Proceedings of the Conference on Low-Dimensional Topology
University Park, Pennsylvania, USA May 1996

edited by A Banyaga, H Movahedi-Lankarani & R Wells (The Pennsylvania State University)

Recent success with the four-dimensional PoincarEconjecture has revived interest in low-dimensional topology,
especially the three-dimensional PoincarEconjecture and other aspects of the problems of classifying three-dimensional
manifolds. These problems have a driving force, and have generated a great body of research, as well as insight.

The main topics treated in this book include a paper by V Poenaru on the PoincarEconjecture and its ramifications,
giving an insight into the herculean work of the author on the subject. Steve Armentrout's paper on "Bing's dogbone space"
belongs to the topics in three-dimensional topology motivated by the PoincarEconjecture. S Singh gives a nice synthesis of
Armentrout's work. Also included in the volume are shorter original papers, dealing with somewhat different aspects of geometry,
and dedicated to Armentrout by his colleagues EAugustin Banyaga (and Jean-Pierre Ezin), David Hurtubise, Hossein
Movahedi-Lankarani and Robert Wells.


Contents:

Mathematics of Steve Armentrout: A Review (S Singh)
Bing's Dogbone Space Is Not Strongly Locally Simply Connected (S Armentrout)
A Program for the PoincarEConjecture and Some of Its Ramifications (V Poénaru)
On the Foundation of Geometry, Analysis, and the Differentiable Structure for Manifolds (D Sullivan)
A Conformal Invariant Characterizing the Sphere (A Banyaga & J-P Ezin)
Spaces of Holomorphic Maps from CP1 to Complex Grassmann Manifolds (D E Hurtubise)
Sets with Lie Isometry Groups (H Movahedi-Lankarani & R Wells)

Readership: Researchers in mathematics and physics.

130pp (approx.)
Pub. date: Autumn 1999
ISBN 981-02-4050-3


BRANCHING SOLUTIONS TO ONE-DIMENSIONAL VARIATIONAL PROBLEMS

by A O Ivanov & A A Tuzhilin (Moscow State University)

This book deals with the new class of one-dimensional variational problems Ethe problems with branching solutions.
Instead of extreme curves (mappings of a segment to a manifold) we investigate extreme networks, which are mappings
of graphs (one-dimensional cell complexes) to a manifold. Various applications of the approach are presented, such as
several generalizations of the famous Steiner problem of finding the shortest network spanning given points of the plane.

Contents:

General Theory: General Notion of Networks
One-Dimensional Variational Problems and Problems of Optimal Control on the Spaces of Networks
Applications: Geometry of Linear Networks in Euclidean Spaces
Local Minimal Networks: The State of the Art
Local Minimal Networks in Manhattan Metric

Readership: Researchers in differential geometry and topology.

400pp (approx.)
Pub. date: Spring 2000
ISBN 981-02-4060-0


THE LORENTZ GROUP, CPT AND NEUTRINOS

Proceedings of the International Workshop
Zacatecas, Mexico 23 - 26 June 1999

edited by Andrew E Chubykalo, Valeri V Dvoeglazov (Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, Mexico), David J Ernst (Vanderbilt University, USA), Vladimir G
Kadyshevsky (Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Russia) & Y S Kim (University of Maryland, USA)

The topics in this volume range from mathematical aspects of the theory of the PoincarEgroup, Clifford algebras and the CPT theorem, through new theoretical physical
constructions and concepts (such as the physical significance of the 4-potential, the interplay between quantum mechanics and gravity, Majorana-like models, the photon as a
composite particle, action-at-a-distance and superluminal phenomena), to experiments in neutrino physics. The book will be of interest to graduate students and researchers
working in fundamental physics and phenomenology, and also to experimentalists.


Readership: Researchers and graduate students in physics, as well as engineers.

350pp (approx.)
Pub. date: Summer 2000
ISBN 981-02-4062-7


LECTURES ON FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS AND APPLICATIONS

by V S Pugachev & I N Sinitsyn (Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow)

This book is intended for those having only a moderate background in mathematics, who need to increase their
mathematical knowledge for development in their areas of work and to read the related mathematical literature. The
material covered, which includes practically all the information on functional analysis that may be necessary for those
working in various areas of applications of mathematics, as well as the simplicity of presentation, differentiates this book
from others. About 300 examples and more than 500 problems are provided to help readers understand and master the
theories presented. The list of references enables readers to explore those topics in which they are interested, and
gather further information about applications used as examples in the book.

Applications: Probability Theory and Statistics, Signal and Image Processing, Systems Analysis and Design.


Contents:

Sets, Spaces and Functions
Measure Theory
Integrals
Topological Spaces
Spaces of Operators and Functionals
Linear Operators
Linear Operators in Hilbert Spaces
Spectral Theory of Linear Operators
Nonlinear Problems of Functional Analysis
Elements of Approximate Methods in Abstract Spaces

Readership: Undergraduates and researchers in applied mathematics, and engineers.

752pp
Pub. date: Jul 1999
ISBN 981-02-3722-7
ISBN 981-02-3723-5(pbk)


Series on Knots and Everything - Vol. 20

THE MYSTERY OF KNOTS

Computer Programming for Knot Tabulation

by Charilaos Aneziris (Brookhaven National Laboratory)

One of the most significant unsolved problems in mathematics is the complete classification of knots. The main purpose of this book is to
introduce the reader to the use of computer programming to obtain the table of knots. The author presents this problem as clearly and
methodically as possible, starting from the very basics. Mathematical ideas and concepts are extensively discussed, and no advanced
background is required.

Contents:

A Knot Theory Primer: From Geometry to Topology to Knot Theory
Showing Knot Equivalence
Showing Knot Inequivalence
The Alexander-Conway Polynomial
The Nonlinear "Colorizations"
The HOMFLYPT Polynomial
The Kauffman Polynomial
The Tabulation of Knots: Defining the Problem
Ordering Notations
Calculating the HOMFLYPT Polynomials
More About Chirality and Orientation Reversal
From Knots to Links
The Table of Knots



Readership: Students and researchers in computer programming and topology.

200pp (approx.)
Pub. date: Autumn 1999
ISBN 981-02-3878-9