A Primer of Real Functions (Mathematical Association of America Textbooks) (Hardcover)

~ Ralph P. Boas (Author), Harold P. Boas (Editor) "1. Sets. In order to read anything about our subject, you will have to learn the language that is used in it..." (more)
Key Phrases: universal chord theorem, pure jump function, horizontal chord, American Mathematical Monthly, New York, Duke Mathematical Journal (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

'It is a great pleasure to see the new, the fourth edition of this gem which is well-known all over the world where mathematicians live. This is an important work especially for teachers and even for (trained) students.' Acta. Sci. Math.

Product Description

This is a revised, updated, and augmented edition of a classic Carus monograph with a new chapter on integration and its applications. Earlier editions covered sets, metric spaces, continuous functions, and differentiable functions. To that, this edition adds sections on measurable sets and functions and the Lebesgue and Stieltjes integrals. The book retains the informal chatty style of the previous editions. It presents a variety of interesting topics, many of which are not commonly encountered in undergraduate textbooks, such as the existence of continuous everywhere-oscillating functions; two functions having equal derivatives, yet not differing by a constant; application of Stieltjes integration to the speed of convergence of infinite series. For readers with a background in calculus, the book is suitable either for self-study or for supplemental reading in a course on advanced calculus or real analysis. Students of mathematics will find here the sense of wonder that was associated with the subject in its early days.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 319 pages
• Publisher: The Mathematical Association of America; 4 edition (January 30, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 088385029X
• ISBN-13: 978-0883850299
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,431,937 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "must have" book if you love real analysis., August 19, 2005

By	Luis F. Moreno (Vestal, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've always enjoyed Ralph Boas' mathematical writing style. He is at his best in this small book. He covers topics in introductory and intermediate real analysis of one variable, but with an enthusiasm that pulls you along, like a good novel. This does not mean, however, that Boas skimps on theory and proof. This is an excellent resource for undergraduate/graduate study. The "Notes" section is a cornucopia of references to advanced topics by leaders in the field. And every exercise is answered, or at least addressed.