Geometry from a differentiable viewpoint

Bibliographic Information

Geometry from a differentiable viewpoint

John McCleary

Cambridge University Press, 1994

  • : pbk

Available at  / 43 libraries

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Note

Includes bibliography (p. 297-302), and symbol, name and subject indexes

Description and Table of Contents

Description

Differential geometry has developed in many directions since its beginnings with Euler and Gauss. This often poses a problem for undergraduates: which direction should be followed? What do these ideas have to do with geometry? This book is designed to make differential geometry an approachable subject for advanced undergraduates. The text serves as both an introduction to the classical differential geometry of curves and surfaces and as a history of the non-Euclidean plane. The book begins with the theorems of non-Euclidean geometry, then introduces the methods of differential geometry and develops them towards the goal of constructing models of the hyperbolic plane. Interesting diversions are offered, such as Huygens' pendulum clock and mathematical cartography; however, the focus of the book is on the models of non-Euclidean geometry and the modern ideas of abstract surfaces and manifolds. Although the main use of this text is as an advanced undergraduate course book, the historical aspect of the text should appeal to most mathematicians.

Table of Contents

  • Prelude and themes
  • Part I. Synthetic Methods and Results: 1. Spherical geometry
  • 2. Euclid
  • 3. The theory of parallels
  • 4. Non-Euclidean geometry I
  • 5. Non-Euclidean geometry II
  • Part II. Development: Differential Geometry: 6. Curves
  • 7. Curves in space
  • 8. Surfaces
  • 9. Curvature for surfaces
  • 10. Metric equivalence of surfaces
  • 11. Geodesics
  • 12. The Gauss-Bonnet theorem
  • 13. Constant curvature surfaces
  • Part III. Recapitulation
  • 14. Abstract surfaces
  • 15. Modelling non-Euclidean geometry
  • 16. Coda: generalizations.

by "Nielsen BookData"

Details

  • NCID
    BA25092782
  • ISBN
    • 052141430X
    • 0521424801
  • LCCN
    93046525
  • Country Code
    uk
  • Title Language Code
    eng
  • Text Language Code
    eng
  • Place of Publication
    Cambridge [England] ; New York
  • Pages/Volumes
    xii, 308 p.
  • Size
    26 cm
  • Classification
  • Subject Headings
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