David M. Bressoud
MacAlester College, Minnesota

A Radical Approach to Real Analysis, 2nd Edition

Series: Classroom Resource Material
Hardback (ISBN-13: 9780883857472)

In the second edition of this MAA classic, exploration continues to be an essential component. More than 60 new exercises have been added, and the chapters on infinite summations, differentiability and continuity, and convergence of infinite series have been reorganized to make it easier to identify the key ideas. A Radical Approach to Real Analysis is an introduction to real analysis, rooted in and informed by the historical issues that shaped its development. It can be used as a textbook, or as a resource for the instructor who prefers to teach a traditional course, or as a resource for the student who has been through a traditional course yet still does not understand what real analysis is about and why it was created.

* The historically motivated approach provides context and insight

* Shows that experimentation is an essential component in the growth of mathematics

* Extra web resources including Maple and Mathematica commands, hints and selected solutions to exercises, and additional exercises and projects, can be found at www.macalester.edu/aratra

Contents

Preface; 1. Crisis in mathematics: Fourier's series; 2. Infinite summations; 3. Differentiability and continuity; 4. The convergence of infinite series; 5. Understanding infinite series; 6. Return to Fourier series; 7. Epilogue; A. Explorations of the infinite; B. Bibliography; C. Hints to selected exercises.

Reviews

1st edition: 'The past decade or so has witnessed the appearance of a substantial number of 'bridge the gap' introductions to real analysis, which lead the students at a gentler pace through the fundamentals of real analysis according to the traditional syllabus. It is well worth considering whether students in their undergraduate real analysis course might be better served by a radical approach such as Bressoud's.' G. A. Heuer, Mathematical Reviews

1st edition: 'It will appeal as a text; it should be in every library as a reference.' Wayne Roberts, Choice


Owen O'Shea /Underwood Dudley

The Magic Numbers of the Professor

Series: Spectrum
Hardback (ISBN-13: 9780883855577)

The Professor in Owen O'Shea's book is the imaginary American Richard Stein. As Owen O'Shea and the Professor travel through Ireland, O'Shea notes the Professor's collection of amazing magic numbers in fascinating detail. His mathematical curiosities are wide ranging, concerning the 1915 sinking of the Lusitania to coincidences about Apollo 11 to the first moon walk to new numerical curiosities. The new curiosities, among many others, center on Presidents Lincoln and Kennedy; the USA and Ireland; the two World Wars; the King James Version of the Bible, and James Joyce. The Number of the Beast, 666, is discussed as well, as are many new equations involving that famous number - all appearing here for the first time. And for those fascinated by games and gambling, a number of curious proposition bets involving dice, darts, and playing cards, and various mathematical puzzles are scattered throughout this singularly entertaining book.

* A fascinating collection of numerical curiosities and wonders

* Foreword by Martin Gardner

* Many mathematical puzzles are posed and answers are provided to each of these stimulating conundrums

Contents

Foreword by Martin Gardner; Introduction; 1. Digit curiosities; 2. The 9/11 atrocities; 3. The Professor speaks on the U. S. and Ireland; 4. Curiosities in armed conflicts; 5. Number and word palindromes; 6. The U. S.-Iraq war; 7. The number of the Beast; 8. Curios of the Lusitania and other curious matters; 9. Wordplay and other curiosities; 10. New coincidences on Lincoln and Kennedy; 11. Dart and card curiosities; 12. The Professor gives some number patterns; 13. The King James Bible and some currency curiosities; 14. The Professor at the university; Index; About the authors.

Reviews

'Owen O'Shea, more than anyone, has the uncanny ability to find remarkable coincidences everywhere he looks. How he does it is a mystery. Some (not all!) of his astounding discoveries are packed into this entertaining mind bewildering book.' Martin Gardner

From the Number of the Beast and triangular numbers to Friedman numbers and pandigital squares, this smorgasbord of mathematical puzzles, curiosities and coincidences is sure to delight readers of all level of mathematical sophistication.' Clifford A. Pickover, author of The Mobius Strip and A Passion for Mathematics

Edited by Alan H. Schoenfeld
University of California, Berkeley

Assessing Mathematical Proficiency

Series: Mathematical Sciences Research Institute Publications
Hardback (ISBN-13: 9780521874922)
Paperback (ISBN-13: 9780521697668)

Testing matters! It can determine kids' and schools' futures. In a conference at the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute, mathematicians, maths education researchers, teachers, test developers, and policymakers gathered to work through critical issues related to mathematics assessment. They examined:

* The challenges of assessing student learning in ways that support instructional improvement;

* Ethical issues related to assessment, including the impact of testing on urban and high-poverty schools;

* The different (and sometimes conflicting) needs of the different groups; and

* Different frameworks, tools, and methods for assessment, comparing the kinds of information they offer about students' mathematical proficiency.

This volume presents the results of the discussions. It highlights the kinds of information that different assessments can offer, including many examples of some of the best mathematics assessments worldwide. A special feature is an interview with a student about his knowledge of fractions and a demonstration of what interviews (versus standardized tests) can reveal.

* Offers examples of very different ways to understand what students know in mathematics

* A 'live' interview with a student and what it reveals about understanding

* Reveals what testing does and does not tell you and can tell you

Contents

Preface Alan H. Schoenfeld; Part I. The Big Picture: 1. Issues and tensions in the assessment of mathematical proficiency Alan H. Schoenfeld; 2. Crucial contemporary social, political, and cultural issues in mathematical assessment in the United States Judith Ramaley; 3. Crucial contemporary social, political, and cultural issues in mathematical assessment in the United States Susan Sclafani; Part II. Perspectives on Mathematical Proficiency: 4. What is mathematical proficiency? R. James Milgram; 5. What is mathematical proficiency (and how can it be assessed)? Alan H. Schoenfeld; Part III. What Does Assessment Assess? Issues and Examples: 6. Assessing mathematical proficiency: what is important? Hugh Burkhardt; 7. Aspects of the art of assessment design Jan de Lange; 8. Mathematical proficiency for citizenship Bernard Madison; 9. Learning from assessment Richard Askey; 10. Using assessment to design professional development David Foster; Part IV. The Case of Algebra: 11. Context and learning: an assessment of 'real world' mathematics tasks Ann Shannon; 12. Making meaning in algebra: examining students’ understandings and misconceptions David Foster; 13. Assessing the strands of student proficiency in elementary algebra William McCallum; Part V. What Do Different Assessments Assess?: 14. Learning about fractions from assessment Linda Fisher; 15. Brandon interview and commentary, plus CD of interview Deborah Ball; Part VI. The Importance of Context: 16. Assessment of mathematics learning in France Michele Artigue; 17. Assessment to improve learning in mathematics: the BEAR assessment system Mark Wilson and Claus Carstensen; 18. English learners and math learning: language issues for the math educators to consider Lily W. Fillmore; 19. Beyond words to mathematical content: assessing English language learners in the mathematics classroom Judit Moschkovich; 20. Assessment in the real world: the case of New York city Elizabeth Taleporos; 21. Perspectives on state assessments in California Elizabeth Stage; Part VII. What Do We Need To Know?: 22. Research agenda emerging from the conference.


Janice R. Matthews /Scientific Editing Services, Athens, Georgia
Robert W. Matthews /University of Georgia

Successful Scientific Writing, 3rd Edition.
A Step-by-Step Guide for the Biological and Medical Sciences

Paperback (ISBN-13: 9780521699273)



The detailed, practical, step-by-step advice in this user-friendly guide will help students and researchers to communicate their work more effectively through the written word. Covering all aspects of the writing process, this concise, accessible resource is critically acclaimed, well-structured, comprehensive, and entertaining. Self-help exercises and abundant examples from actual typescripts draw on the authors' extensive experience working both as researchers and with them. Whilst retaining the user-friendly and pragmatic style of earlier editions, this third edition has been updated and broadened to incorporate such timely topics as guidelines for successful international publication, ethical and legal issues including plagiarism and falsified data, electronic publication, and text-based talks and poster presentations. With advice applicable to many writing contexts in the majority of scientific disciplines, this book is a powerful tool for improving individual skills and an eminently suitable text for classroom courses or seminars.

* Offers extremely pragmatic and comprehensive step-by-step coverage of all aspects of scientific presentation, in a well-structured, entertaining style

* The advice is practical, having arisen from the authors' own cumulative experience as working scientists, editors, and mentors

* Self-help exercises based on actual scientific manuscripts reinforce concepts and allow writers to practice the techniques that are presented

Contents

1. Preparing to write; 2. Composing a first draft; 3. Visual support for the written word; 4. Visual support for the spoken word; 5. Revising to increase coherence; 6. The second revision: word choice and style; 7. Attending to grammar, numbers and other mechanics; 8. The rest of the story.

Reviews

'This book is beyond reproach and should be regarded as compulsory reading for all biomedical and science undergraduate and postgraduate students and all others likely to have to write or edit scientific reports.' Times Higher Education Supplement

'… very well organized and easy to scan for useful tips … will soon become one of the more well-thumbed volumes on our laboratory bookshelf.' Trends in Neuroscience

'… pragmatic, well-written and comprehensive … each stage - from marshalling ideas through bashing out a first draft, revising it, honing it for publication and correcting it in proof - is demystified with exercises and examples.' New Scientist

Bernard Le Stum / University of Rennes I, France

Rigid Cohomology

Series: Cambridge Tracts in Mathematics (No. 172)
Hardback (ISBN-13: 9780521875240)



Dating back to work of Berthelot, rigid cohomology appeared as a common generalization of Monsky-Washnitzer cohomology and crystalline cohomology. It is a p-adic Weil cohomology suitable for computing Zeta and L-functions for algebraic varieties on finite fields. Moreover, it is effective, in the sense that it gives algorithms to compute the number of rational points of such varieties. This is the first book to give a complete treatment of the theory, from full discussion of all the basics to descriptions of the very latest developments. Results and proofs are included that are not available elsewhere, local computations are explained, and many worked examples are given. This accessible tract will be of interest to researchers working in arithmetic geometry, p-adic cohomology theory, and related cryptographic areas.

* First book to give a complete treatment of the theory of rigid cohomology, from full proofs for all the basics, to discussion of the most recent developments

* Essential for specialists: contains proofs and results not available elsewhere

* Accessible for non-specialists: written from a practical point of view, with many worked examples

Contents

Introduction; 1. Prologue; 2. Tubes; 3. Strict neighborhoods; 4. Calculus; 5. Overconvergent sheaves; 6. Overconvergent calculus; 7. Overconvergent isocrystals; 8. Rigid cohomology; 9. Epilogue; Index; Bibliography.

Yuri Suhov / University of Cambridge
Mark Kelbert / University of Wales, Swansea

Probability and Statistics by Example
Volume 2, Markov Chains: A Primer in Random Processes and their Applications

Hardback (ISBN-13: 9780521847674)
Paperback (ISBN-13: 9780521612340)


orem proving. Because of this, students can find it very difficult to make a successful transition from lectures to examinations to practice, since the problems involved can vary so much in nature. Since the subject is critical in many modern applications such as mathematical finance, quantitative management, telecommunications, signal processing, bioinformatics, as well as traditional ones such as insurance, social science andengineering, the authors have rectified deficiencies in traditional lecture-based methods by collecting together a wealth of exercises with complete solutions, adapted to needs and skills of students. Following on from the success of Probability and Statistics by Example: Basic Probability and Statistics, the authors here concentrate on random processes, particularly Markov processes, emphasising modelsrather than general constructions. Basic mathematical facts are supplied as and when they are needed andhistorical information is sprinkled throughout.

* Enables readers to develop effective techniques for learning about and developing a deeper understanding of probability and statistics

* Contains a substantial number of Cambridge exam questions, and solutions to help students prepare for examinations

* Will also aid students from other disciplines such as engineering and social sciences - and those who need a background in random processes for careers in finance, insurance, actuarial studies and economics

Contents

Preface; Introduction: Andrei Markov and his time; 1. Discrete-time Markov chains; 2. Continuous-time Markov chains: basic theory; 3. Statistics of discrete-time Markov chains; Afterword: Pearson, Maxwell and other famous Cambridge Wranglers of the past: some lessons to be learned; Bibliography; Appendix; Index.

S. Peszat / Polish Academy of Sciences
J. Zabczyk / Polish Academy of Sciences

Stochastic Partial Differential Equations with Levy Noise
An Evolution Equation Approach

Series: Encyclopedia of Mathematics and its Applications (No. 113)
Hardback (ISBN-13: 9780521879897)

Recent years have seen an explosion of interest in stochastic partial differential equations where the driving noise is discontinuous. In this comprehensive monograph, two leading experts detail the evolution equation approach to their solution. Most of the results appear here for the first time in book form, and the volume is sure to stimulate further research in this important field. The authors start with a detailed analysis of Levy processes in infinite dimensions and their reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces; cylindrical Levy processes are constructed in terms of Poisson random measures; stochastic integrals are introduced. Stochastic parabolic and hyperbolic equations on domains of arbitrary dimensions are studied, and applications to statistical and fluid mechanics and to finance are also investigated. Ideal for researchers and graduate students in stochastic processes and partial differential equations, this self-contained text will also interest those working on stochastic modeling in finance, statistical physics and environmental science.

* The first book to detail the evolution equation approach to the solution of stochastic partial differential equations with Levy noise

* Rapidly growing topic - majority of results appear here for the first time

* Great potential for applications to finance, statistical mechanics and fluid dynamics

Contents

Introduction; Part I. Foundations: 1. Why equations with Levy noise?; 2. Analytic preliminaries; 3. Probabilistic preliminaries; 4. Levy processes; 5. Levy semigroups; 6. Poisson random measures; 7. Cylindrical processes and reproducing kernels; 8. Stochastic integration; Part II. Existence and Regularity: 9. General existence and uniqueness results; 10. Equations with non-Lipschitz coefficients; 11. Factorization and regularity; 12. Stochastic parabolic problems; 13. Wave and delay equations; 14. Equations driven by a spatially homogeneous noise; 15. Equations with noise on the boundary; Part III. Applications: 16. Invariant measures; 17. Lattice systems; 18. Stochastic Burgers equation; 19. Environmental pollution model; 20. Bond market models; Appendix 1. Operators on Hilbert spaces; Appendix 2. C0-semigroups; Appendix 3. Regularization of Markov processes; Appendix 4. Ito formulae; Appendix 5. Levy-Khinchin on [0,+ ); Appendix 6. Proof of Lemma; List of symbols; Bibliography; Index.