GIAM (a Gentle Introduction to the Art of Mathematics) is a free, open-source textbook -- the current version is 3.0. GIAM covers several topics in the foundations of mathematics (logic, sets, relations, functions and cardinality) and introduces the reader to many techniques of mathematical proof (direct, indirect, contradiction, contrapositive, mathematical induction, combinatorial proofs and magic).

A Gentle Introduction to the Art of Mathematics (GIAM for short) is a textbook for a "transitions" course.Transitions courses (also known as "foundations" or "intro to proofs" courses) are typically taken after the Calculus sequence and before upper-division coursework in the mathematics major. Their purpose is to acclimatize the student to some of the culture and terminology of mathematics and to begin developing in them a proficiency at reading and writing mathematical proofs. GIAM has chapters on Logic, Set theory, Relations and Cardinality interspersed with chapters on proofs -- direct and indirect arguments, induction, combinatorial reasoning and "magic". This is version 3.1SN. The 'S' flag indicates that the symbol used for logical negation is ~. The 'N' flag indicates that the convention that 1 (not 0) is the smallest natural number is maintained throughout.

This lighthearted work uses a variety of practical applications and puzzles to take a look at today's mathematical trends. In nine chapters, Professor Pedoe covers mathematical games, chance and choice, automatic thinking, and more.

This book is a gentle introduction to the enumerative part of combinatorics suitable for study at the advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate level. In addition to covering all the standard techniques for counting combinatorial objects, the text contains material from the research literature which has never before appeared in print, such as the use of quotient posets to study the Möbius function and characteristic polynomial of a partially ordered set, or the connection between quasisymmetric functions and pattern avoidance. The book assumes minimal background, and a first course in abstract algebra should suffice. The exposition is very reader friendly: keeping a moderate pace, using lots of examples, emphasizing recurring themes, and frankly expressing the delight the author takes in mathematics in general and combinatorics in particular.

A straightforward, enjoyable guide to the mathematics of Einstein's relativity To really understand Einstein's theory of relativity – one of the cornerstones of modern physics – you have to get to grips with the underlying mathematics. This self-study guide is aimed at the general reader who is motivated to tackle that not insignificant challenge. With a user-friendly style, clear step-by-step mathematical derivations, many fully solved problems and numerous diagrams, this book provides a comprehensive introduction to a fascinating but complex subject. For those with minimal mathematical background, the first chapter gives a crash course in foundation mathematics. The reader is then taken gently by the hand and guided through a wide range of fundamental topics, including Newtonian mechanics; the Lorentz transformations; tensor calculus; the Einstein field equations; the Schwarzschild solution (which gives a good approximation of the spacetime of our Solar System); simple black holes, relativistic cosmology and gravitational waves. Special relativity helps explain a huge range of non-gravitational physical phenomena and has some strangely counter-intuitive consequences. These include time dilation, length contraction, the relativity of simultaneity, mass-energy equivalence and an absolute speed limit. General relativity, the leading theory of gravity, is at the heart of our understanding of cosmology and black holes. "I must observe that the theory of relativity resembles a building consisting of two separate stories, the special theory and the general theory. The special theory, on which the general theory rests, applies to all physical phenomena with the exception of gravitation; the general theory provides the law of gravitation and its relations tothe other forces of nature." – Albert Einstein, 1919 Understand even the basics of Einstein's amazing theory and the world will never seem the same again. Contents: Preface Introduction 1 Foundation mathematics 2 Newtonian mechanics 3 Special relativity 4 Introducing the manifold 5 Scalars, vectors, one-forms and tensors 6 More on curvature 7 General relativity 8 The Newtonian limit 9 The Schwarzschild metric 10 Schwarzschild black holes 11 Cosmology 12 Gravitational waves Appendix: The Riemann curvature tensor Bibliography Acknowledgements January 2019. This third edition has been revised to make the material even more accessible to the enthusiastic general reader who seeks to understand the mathematics of relativity.