Functional Analysis for Physics and Engineering: An Introduction

by Hiroyuki Shima

This book provides an introduction to functional analysis for non-experts in mathematics. As such, it is distinct from most other books on the subject that are intended for mathematicians. Concepts are explained concisely with visual materials, making it accessible for those unfamiliar with graduate-level mathematics. Topics include topology, vector spaces, tensor spaces, Lebesgue integrals, and operators, to name a few. Each chapter explains, concisely, the purpose of the specific topic and the benefit of understanding it. Researchers and graduate students in physics, mechanical engineering, and information science will benefit from this view of functional analysis.

286 pages, Hardcover

Published December 23, 2015

Reviews

[Trahflow · Rating 3 out of 5]

The (apparent) translation from Japanese to English is less than perfect, and some sentences are less precise than they presumably would be in Japanese. Most of the time the meaning can be guessed though.
Some chapters leave a feeling like they were written independently (e.g. the author uses definitions or theorems that were treated in earlier chapters, without referencing those eralier chapters and instead giving much more sloppy explanations in a footnote).

[Denis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best thing about this book is its relatively easy readability—one could easily finish it within a week. However, I had expected to gain more from it, as I was already familiar with most of the concepts in algebra and partial differential equations (PDEs). I had hoped functional analysis would introduce entirely new ideas, but that wasn’t the case. Still, I must acknowledge that the book is exceptionally well-written and offers highly intuitive explanations.