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Handbook of Mathematics

I. N. Bronshtein, K. A. Semendyayev, G. Musiol, and H. Mühlig
Publisher: 
Springer
Publication Date: 
2015
Number of Pages: 
1207
Format: 
Paperback
Edition: 
6
Price: 
129.00
ISBN: 
9783662462201
Category: 
Handbook
[Reviewed by
Miklós Bóna
, on
02/29/2016
]

The book is a huge collection of facts, formulas and very brief descriptions of methods. When I realized that, I became skeptical, thinking that in the age of the internet, there are faster ways to look up needed data than finding them in a 1200-page book. Is there any advantage of using this book over the internet, I asked myself.

The answer is yes, if you have some time. And the reason for that answer is that the book has so much information that you are virtually guaranteed to find something interesting that you were not looking for, in addition to what you did want to find.

The book has a certain bias towards older parts of mathematics, such as Calculus, Differential Equations, Linear Algebra, and Geometry. More modern parts, such as Combinatorics and the Theory of Algorithms or Complexity Theory are mentioned only in passing. Still, in the mentioned classic subjects, there is a wealth of information therein.


Miklós Bóna is Professor of Mathematics at the University of Florida.