Introduction to Geometry (Wiley Classics Library) [Paperback]

H. S. M. Coxeter (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471504580 | ISBN-13: 978-0471504580 | Publication Date: March 9, 1989 | Edition: 2nd

This classic work is now available in an unabridged paperback edition. The Second Edition retains all the characterisitcs that made the first edition so popular: brilliant exposition, the flexibility permitted by relatively self-contained chapters, and broad coverage ranging from topics in the Euclidean plane, to affine geometry, projective geometry, differential geometry, and topology. The Second Edition incorporates improvements in the text and in some proofs, takes note of the solution of the 4-color map problem, and provides answers to most of the exercises.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This classic work is now available in an unabridged paperback edition. The Second Edition retains all the characterisitcs that made the first edition so popular: brilliant exposition, the flexibility permitted by relatively self-contained chapters, and broad coverage ranging from topics in the Euclidean plane, to affine geometry, projective geometry, differential geometry, and topology. The Second Edition incorporates improvements in the text and in some proofs, takes note of the solution of the 4-color map problem, and provides answers to most of the exercises.

Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 2nd edition (March 9, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471504580
• ISBN-13: 978-0471504580
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #435,941 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of illustrations and exercises-with answers at the back, January 10, 2004

By 

Craig Matteson (Saline, MI) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Introduction to Geometry (Wiley Classics Library) (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book. It isn't for mathematical beginners, but it isn't opaque either. It requires a student to think, experiment and to learn by puzzling things out in one's mind rather than simple memorization and regurgitation. Nor does it follow the all too common modern method of over simplifying things to allow people to pretend they have learned math while only dabbling in a few basic topics.

This book is amply illustrated with many exercises (answers are provided at the back for all the exercises). The book also has some humor and wit with the quotes it distributes throughout the book to help liven things up.

There is also a list of helpful references and an index. When reading the book, don't be afraid of going to a dictionary or the web or some other math books for clarification of some terms or more basic concepts. It is essential to have everything clear in your mind before moving on or you will stumble. As in all math, it is like a building with the next stage being built on the present one which is built on the previous one. You can't skip steps very successfully very often.

This is a great volume to have in your library, but even better to work through.

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best survey of geometry., June 27, 2000

By 

D. Briggs (outside of Boston) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Introduction to Geometry (Wiley Classics Library) (Paperback)

This is Coxeter best book. Introduction to Geometry covers a wide range of topics and is the first book that I will look at for any geometry topic. It is now a little dated but only in the topics that it does not cover. Like all of Coxeter works each topic is clear and to the point. If you only buy one book on geometry this is it.

62 of 72 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars this is not an introduction, July 22, 2000

By 

Charles R. Williams - See all my reviews

This review is from: Introduction to Geometry (Wiley Classics Library) (Paperback)

A better title for this book would be "Advanced Topics in Geometry". The chapters are pretty much self-contained.

This book presumes a thorough, rigorous knowledge of high school geometry such as you might get in a college geometry course designed for future teachers along with considerable mathematical maturity.