Math

The CRC Concise Encyclopedia of Mathematics is a compendium of mathematical definitions, formulas, figures, tabulations, and references. Its informal style makes it accessible to a broad spectrum of readers with a diverse range of mathematical backgrounds and interests. This fascinating, useful book draws connections to other areas of mathematics and science and demonstrates its actual implementation - providing a highly readable, distinctive text diverging from the all-too-frequent specialized jargon and dry, formal exposition.

The Encyclopedic Dictionary of Mathematics, as put out by the Mathematical Society of Japan, is as complete and comprehensive an opus as one could wish for, concisely comprising in its two volumes all significant mathematical results, both pure and applied, elementary to advanced. This second edition is, basically, an English version of the acclaimed Japanese third edition. The EDM2, as it is known, succinctly but thoroughly covers math from A to Z, from Niels Henrik Abel and Abelian groups to Witt vectors and Zeta functions. Within its 2,000-plus pages are elegant explanations of diffusion processes, Fourier series, linear operators, and meromorphic functions. There are pages dedicated to quadratic fields and robust and nonparametric methods, and following each section, all the relevant references are listed. In addition, there are appendices with tables of formulas, numerical tables, and statistical tables, journals, publishers, and special notations, articles listed both systematically and alphabetically, plus a name index and an exhaustive subject index that's 231 pages long. It is a quality product--easily accessible, adhering to rigorous standards, and worth the investment for any school or personal math library. --Stephanie Gold

A particularly useful reference for those in math, science, engineering, and other technical fields. Includes the most-frequently used formulas, tables, transforms, functions, and graphs needed as tools in solving problems. The entire field of special functions is also covered. A large amount of scientific data used by scientists and engineers is also contained in this handbook.

This compendium traces its history back to 1958 and I. N. Bronshtein and K. A. Semendjajew's "Pocketbook of Mathematics," which was translated from Russian to German by V. Ziegler and ran through at least 18 German editions. Now updated in breadth and depth, it summarizes in sometimes great detail a broad spectrum of classical and current mathematics. The chapter on formulas and tables is in itself almost a mini-CRC handbook or short version of Alan Jeffrey's Handbook of Mathematical Formulas and Integrals, 3rd ed. (CH, Mar'05; 42-4074). The book progresses to separate chapters on analysis, algebra, and geometry. Regarding these three as the pillars of mathematics, it follows with chapters on foundations, optimization, stochastics, and scientific computation. The level ranges from basic to advanced; e.g., in analysis, it starts with elementary calculus/analysis and runs through integral transformations, existence results for PDEs, and elliptic integrals. The range is similar within the other chapters. There is also, by chapter, an extensive bibliography of textbooks. With so much mathematics in compact form, the book will be useful as a quick reference for those working in fields such as physics, engineering, and economics, as well as for mathematicians. Reviewed by D. Robbins.

Completely revised and expanded, The Facts On File Dictionary of Mathematics is clear, concise, and informative. Over 200 new terms have been included with an emphasis on those in applied mathematics and computer science.

Darling, who has written books about astronomy and science for young adults, has followed the successful formula found in his Universal Book of Astronomy (Wiley, 2004), to compile an encyclopedia of mathematical terms, concepts, and problems; short biographies of pioneering mathematicians; puzzles; diagrams; pictures; and history. Entries cover subjects ranging from the fairly simple (arithmetic) to the more complex (Cabali-Yau space). The goal is to present "the unusual and the outrageous, the fanciful and the fantastic: a compendium of the mathematics they didn't teach you in school." To this end, the book treats numerous topics one would not expect to find in more academic math dictionaries--illusions, classic chess problems, the 1884 novel Flatland, to give a few examples.