Mathematical Ideas and Methods - (Revised Edition)

Author: Zhang Shunyan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-05-01
Features: This edition is a "Key Textbook for the 'Nineteen-Ninety-Five' Project of the Ministry of Education in Ordinary Higher Education." Since its publication in November 1997, it has been widely welcomed by teachers and students. By May 2003, it had sold 27,000 copies. In the revised edition, the author further revised and adjusted the content and structure of the book based on valuable feedback from readers and practical teaching experiences. The sections on "Indefinite Equations" and "Poincaré Model of Hyperbolic Geometry" were removed, while new content related to mathematical quality education, such as "The Status and Role of Mathematics," was added, making it more suitable for teaching needs in the new century.
This is a college-level mathematics textbook for liberal arts majors, covering topics such as: Number Systems and the Second Mathematical Crisis, Continued Fractions and Their Applications in Astronomy, Mathematical Propositions and Proof Methods, Euclidean Geometry, Preliminary Probability Theory, Preliminary Linear Algebra, Spatial Analytic Geometry, Functions and Limits, Single Variable Calculus, Mathematical Models, and The Status and Role of Mathematics.
The book features innovative concepts, rich material, clear explanations, and engaging content. It addresses many practical questions related to daily life, such as: Why is there a leap year every four years but one less leap day every century? How are leap months arranged in the lunar calendar? How to convert the sexagenary cycle to the Gregorian calendar? How can mathematics help in cultivating world-class sports champions? How to allocate votes? How to identify forgeries in famous paintings?
The book constructs the content of higher mathematics from a fresh perspective, emphasizing mathematical thinking training and real-world applications, presenting traditional material in a new light. It can serve as a college-level mathematics textbook for students and postgraduates in humanities, philosophy, and social sciences, as well as a reference book and supplementary reading for social science workers, high school students, and mathematics enthusiasts.