Functions and Graphs

Gelfand Correspondence Program in Mathematics

by Israel M. Gelfand

The need for improved mathematics education at the high school and college levels has never been more apparent than in the 1990's. As early as the 1960's, I.M. Gelfand and his colleagues in the USSR thought hard about this same question and developed a style for presenting basic mathematics in a clear and simple form that engaged the curiosity and intellectual interest of thousands of high school and college students. These same ideas, this same content, unchanged by over thirty years of experience and mathematical development, are available in the following books to any student who is willing to read, to be stimulated, and to learn. "Functions and Graphs" provides instruction in transferring formulas and data into geometrical form. Thus, drawing graphs is shown to be one way to "see" formulas and functions and to observe the ways in which they change. This skill is fundamental to the study of calculus and other mathematical topics. Teachers of mathematics will find here a fresh understanding of the subject and a valuable path to the training of students in mathematical concepts and skills.

Genres: Mathematics, Textbooks, Nonfiction, Education, Science

116 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1965

About the author

Israel Moiseevich Gelfand, also written Israïl Moyseyovich Gel'fand, or Izrail M. Gelfand (Yiddish: ישראל געלפֿאַנד‎, Russian: Израиль Моисеевич Гельфанд ; 2 September [O.S. 20 August] 1913 – 5 October 2009) was a prominent Soviet mathematician. He made significant contributions to many branches of mathematics, including group theory, representation theory and functional analysis. The recipient of many awards, including the Order of Lenin and the Wolf Prize, he was a Fellow of the Royal Society and professor at Moscow State University and, after immigrating to the United States shortly before his 76th birthday, at Rutgers University.

Reviews

[Maxim Perepelitsyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book. Probably it should not come as a surprise considering who the authors are.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite of Gelfand's four pre-calculus books. It required a very close reading, multiple close readings. He introduced a variety of concepts and all of them were accessible.

[Xinyu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for kids

[Eric Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little basic, but it was still a very good read when I was teaching myself math.