How to Prove It: A Structured Approach

Velleman, Daniel J.

ISBN 10: 0521446635 / ISBN 13: 9780521446631

Published by Cambridge University Press, 1994

About this Item

There is a small light stain and some light wrinkling in the upper corners of about the first 15 pages or so (see picture). The covers have some creasing and some light wear. There are a small number of pages that have small creases in the corners. The pages are free from markings and highlighting. Nice overall. See pictures for more details.

Seller Inventory # AB25-304

Bibliographic Details

• Title: How to Prove It: A Structured Approach
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication Date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521446635
• ISBN 13: 9780521446631
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: Very Good

About this title

Synopsis

Many students have trouble the first time they take a mathematics course in which proofs play a significant role. This textbook will prepare students to make the transition from solving problems to proving theorems by teaching them the techniques needed to read and write proofs. The book begins with the basic concepts of logic and set theory, to familiarise students with the language of mathematics and how it is interpreted. These concepts are used as the basis for a step-by-step breakdown of the most important techniques used in constructing proofs. The author shows how complex proofs are built up from these smaller steps, using detailed 'scratchwork' sections to expose the machinery of proofs about the natural numbers, relations, functions and infinite sets. Numerous exercises give students the opportunity to construct their own proofs. No background beyond standard high school mathematics is assumed. This book will be useful to anyone interested in logic and proofs: computer scientists, philosophers, linguists, and of course mathematicians.

Review

'... we can warmly advise this excellent book for those who need to get acquainted with or must teach course on formalism and proof techniques.' Acta Scientiarum Mathematicarum