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How to Read and Do Proofs: An Introduction to Mathematical Thought Processes |  | Author: Daniel Solow
Publisher: Wiley
Category: Book
Buy Used: $18.00
as of 7/31/2010 08:25 MDT details
New (13) Used (22) from $18.00
Seller: oneplanetbooks
Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 236918
Media: Paperback
Edition: 4
Pages: 288
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.5
ISBN: 0471680583
Dewey Decimal Number: 511.36
EAN: 9780471680581
ASIN: 0471680583
Publication Date: October 25, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
An easy-to-use guide that shows how to read, understand, and do proofs. - Shows how any proof can be understood as a sequence of techniques.
- Covers the full range of techniques used in proofs, such as the contrapositive, induction, and proof by contradiction.
- Explains how to identify which techniques are used and how they are applied in the specific problem.
- Illustrates how to read written proofs with many step-by-step examples.
- Includes new, expanded appendices related to discrete mathematics, linear algebra, modern algebra and real analysis.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 8
 An Excellent Rescource September 29, 2005
Aaron Rutledge
47 out of 47 found this review helpful
"How to Read and Do Proofs" is a magnificent introduction to mathematical thought processes. If you have always wanted to understand how to read and do your own proofs, this book will definitely provide you with the tools. This book is very thorough, and after having mastered it you will feel very comfortable about your abilities to read and construct proofs. Solow covers what he calls the "foward-backward" method first to give the reader a general understanding of how direct proof works. He then explains direct proof of existential quantifiers (there exists...), direct proof of universal quantifiers, proof by contradiction, proof by contrapositive, mathematical induction and more. He also has added 4 appendices pertaining to Modern Albebra, Analysis, Number Theory, and Linear Algebra. Many answers to exercises are provided either in the book or on-line. An excellent rescource for anyone wanting to learn the methods of mathematical proof.
Outstanding math book, and great intro to proofs March 30, 2006
S. A. Corning (Gurnee, IL USA)
35 out of 35 found this review helpful
This is a great book, and one of my favorite math books. Like the other reviewer, I also wanted to learn how to read and write proofs. I am an engineer, (many years ago), and not a mathematician, (but really enjoy math). The author communicates clearly, and provides lots of good examples. But the heart of the book is the problem sets for each chapter. Most books on proofs spend way too much time on Logic, (or geometry), and not enough on "math" proofs. The book provides problems from a wide variety of math areas. The latest edition added a lot of new material. I struggled at times, since I went through the whole book without an instructor, and worked on all of the problems. So having most of the possible answers in the back of the book, or on the internet helped as a check on my understanding. This book would make a great gift.
A MUST HAVE!!!!! November 7, 2006
CNote (Phila, PA USA)
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
I wish this book was out when I was an undergrad! It is clear and concise. It covers many of the basic areas of math and gives a tremendous amount of insight on which style of proof fits a particular situation. Every example is presented in a very clear way, which gave me confidence in my ability to write proofs. This book should be used by ALL professors who teach an introductory analysis course.
Great text for anyone who in high school or college November 1, 2009
Miguel Andrews (Trinidad)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This text is recommended by Harvard University for a course entitled "Introduction to the Theory of Computation". The text is designed to give its reader, in a concise manner, the toolset required to read and write like a mathematician, provided that you have some knowledge of basic algebra and geometry - the writer is concerned with mathematical proofs as they relate to discrete mathematics(so no calculus).
I believe the text is an excellent tool for learning how to solve problems and think logically. I think that anyone who is comfortable with algebra and geometry should read this text to broaden their understanding of mathematics - regardless of age.
How to think mathematically May 4, 2007
Daniel Connelly (Marietta, GA USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book does a great job of guiding you through the process of developing mathematical reasoning. I used it alongside my transition to higher math course this year and would not have done as well in the course without it.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 8
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