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This series consists of textbooks aimed at advanced undergraduates or beginning graduate students. It covers the whole range of pure mathematics, as well as topics in applied mathematics and mathematical physics that involve a substantial use of modern mathematical methods. Topics not of a standard nature though of current interest are also covered by volumes in this series.

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  • Associate Editors: Timothy C. Burness, University of Bristol, Kevin M. Buzzard, Imperial College London, Christina Goldschmidt, University of Oxford, Jean-François Lafont, Ohio State University, Jonathan R. Partington, University of Leeds, John R. Parker, Durham University

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98 results in London Mathematical Society Student Texts

Page 3 of 5

Complex Algebraic Curves
  • Frances Kirwan
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    20 February 1992
  • Complex algebraic curves were developed in the nineteenth century. They have many fascinating properties and crop up in various areas of mathematics, from number theory to theoretical physics, and are the subject of much research. By using only the basic techniques acquired by most undergraduate courses in mathematics, Dr Kirwan introduces the theory, observes the algebraic and topological properties of complex algebraic curves, and shows how they are related to complex analysis. This book grew from a lecture course given by Dr Kirwan at Oxford University and will be an excellent companion for final year undergraduates and graduates who are studying complex algebraic curves.

Undergraduate Algebraic Geometry
  • Miles Reid
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    15 December 1988
  • Algebraic geometry is, essentially, the study of the solution of equations and occupies a central position in pure mathematics. This short and readable introduction to algebraic geometry will be ideal for all undergraduate mathematicians coming to the subject for the first time. With the minimum of prerequisites, Dr Reid introduces the reader to the basic concepts of algebraic geometry including: plane conics, cubics and the group law, affine and projective varieties, and non-singularity and dimension. He is at pains to stress the connections the subject has with commutative algebra as well as its relation to topology, differential geometry, and number theory. The book arises from an undergraduate course given at the University of Warwick and contains numerous examples and exercises illustrating the theory.

LMSST: 24 Lectures on Elliptic Curves
  • J. W. S. Cassels
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    21 November 1991
  • The study of (special cases of) elliptic curves goes back to Diophantos and Fermat, and today it is still one of the liveliest centres of research in number theory. This book, which is addressed to beginning graduate students, introduces basic theory from a contemporary viewpoint but with an eye to the historical background. The central portion deals with curves over the rationals: the Mordell-Weil finite basis theorem, points of finite order (Nagell-Lutz) etc. The treatment is structured by the local-global standpoint and culminates in the description of the Tate-Shafarevich group as the obstruction to a Hasse principle. In an introductory section the Hasse principle for conics is discussed. The book closes with sections on the theory over finite fields (the 'Riemann hypothesis for function fields') and recently developed uses of elliptic curves for factoring large integers. Prerequisites are kept to a minimum; an acquaintance with the fundamentals of Galois theory is assumed, but no knowledge either of algebraic number theory or algebraic geometry is needed. The p-adic numbers are introduced from scratch, as is the little that is needed on Galois cohomology. Many examples and exercises are included for the reader. For those new to elliptic curves, whether they are graduate students or specialists from other fields, this will be a fine introductory text.

Set Theory for the Working Mathematician
  • Krzysztof Ciesielski
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    28 August 1997
  • This text presents methods of modern set theory as tools that can be usefully applied to other areas of mathematics. The author describes numerous applications in abstract geometry and real analysis and, in some cases, in topology and algebra. The book begins with a tour of the basics of set theory, culminating in a proof of Zorn's Lemma and a discussion of some of its applications. The author then develops the notions of transfinite induction and descriptive set theory, with applications to the theory of real functions. The final part of the book presents the tools of 'modern' set theory: Martin's Axiom, the Diamond Principle, and elements of forcing. Written primarily as a text for beginning graduate or advanced level undergraduate students, this book should also interest researchers wanting to learn more about set theoretical techniques applicable to their fields.

Hilbert Space
  • Compact Operators and the Trace Theorem
  • J. R. Retherford
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    08 July 1993
  • Professor Retherford's aim in this book is to provide the reader with a virtually self-contained treatment of Hilbert space theory, leading to an elementary proof of the Lidskij trace theorem. He assumes the reader is familiar with only linear algebra and advanced calculus, and develops everything needed to introduce the ideas of compact, self-adjoint, Hilbert-Schmidt and trace class operators. Many exercises and hints are included, and throughout the emphasis is on a user-friendly approach. Advanced undergraduates and graduate students will find that this book presents a unique introduction to operators and Hilbert space.

The Prime Number Theorem
  • G. J. O. Jameson
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    17 April 2003
  • At first glance the prime numbers appear to be distributed in a very irregular way amongst the integers, but it is possible to produce a simple formula that tells us (in an approximate but well defined sense) how many primes we can expect to find that are less than any integer we might choose. The prime number theorem tells us what this formula is and it is indisputably one of the great classical theorems of mathematics. This textbook gives an introduction to the prime number theorem suitable for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students. The author's aim is to show the reader how the tools of analysis can be used in number theory to attack a 'real' problem, and it is based on his own experiences of teaching this material.

Logic, Induction and Sets
  • Thomas Forster
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    21 July 2003
  • This is an introduction to logic and the axiomatization of set theory from a unique standpoint. Philosophical considerations, which are often ignored or treated casually, are here given careful consideration, and furthermore the author places the notion of inductively defined sets (recursive datatypes) at the centre of his exposition resulting in a treatment of well established topics that is fresh and insightful. The presentation is engaging, but always great care is taken to illustrate difficult points. Understanding is also aided by the inclusion of many exercises. Little previous knowledge of logic is required of the reader, and only a background of standard undergraduate mathematics is assumed.

Harmonic Maps, Loop Groups, and Integrable Systems
  • Martin A. Guest
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    13 January 1997
  • Harmonic maps are generalisations of the concept of geodesics. They encompass many fundamental examples in differential geometry and have recently become of widespread use in many areas of mathematics and mathematical physics. This is an accessible introduction to some of the fundamental connections between differential geometry, Lie groups, and integrable Hamiltonian systems. The specific goal of the book is to show how the theory of loop groups can be used to study harmonic maps. By concentrating on the main ideas and examples, the author leads up to topics of current research. The book is suitable for students who are beginning to study manifolds and Lie groups, and should be of interest both to mathematicians and to theoretical physicists.

Local Fields
  • J. W. S. Cassels
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    21 August 1986
  • The p-adic numbers, the earliest of local fields, were introduced by Hensel some 70 years ago as a natural tool in algebra number theory. Today the use of this and other local fields pervades much of mathematics, yet these simple and natural concepts, which often provide remarkably easy solutions to complex problems, are not as familiar as they should be. This book, based on postgraduate lectures at Cambridge, is meant to rectify this situation by providing a fairly elementary and self-contained introduction to local fields. After a general introduction, attention centres on the p-adic numbers and their use in number theory. There follow chapters on algebraic number theory, diophantine equations and on the analysis of a p-adic variable. This book will appeal to undergraduates, and even amateurs, interested in number theory, as well as to graduate students.

Nonstandard Analysis and its Applications
  • Nigel Cutland
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    30 September 1988
  • This textbook is an introduction to non-standard analysis and to its many applications. Non standard analysis (NSA) is a subject of great research interest both in its own right and as a tool for answering questions in subjects such as functional analysis, probability, mathematical physics and topology. The book arises from a conference held in July 1986 at the University of Hull which was designed to provide both an introduction to the subject through introductory lectures, and surveys of the state of research. The first part of the book is devoted to the introductory lectures and the second part consists of presentations of applications of NSA to dynamical systems, topology, automata and orderings on words, the non- linear Boltzmann equation and integration on non-standard hulls of vector lattices. One of the book's attractions is that a standard notation is used throughout so the underlying theory is easily applied in a number of different settings. Consequently this book will be ideal for graduate students and research mathematicians coming to the subject for the first time and it will provide an attractive and stimulating account of the subject.

Presentations of Groups
  • 2nd edition
  • D. L. Johnson
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    15 May 1997
  • The aim of this book is to provide an introduction to combinatorial group theory. Any reader who has completed first courses in linear algebra, group theory and ring theory will find this book accessible. The emphasis is on computational techniques but rigorous proofs of all theorems are supplied. This new edition has been revised throughout, including new exercises and an additional chapter on proving that certain groups are infinite.

Introductory Lectures on Rings and Modules
  • John A. Beachy
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    22 April 1999
  • The focus of this book is the study of the noncommutative aspects of rings and modules, and the style will make it accessible to anyone with a background in basic abstract algebra. Features of interest include an early introduction of projective and injective modules; a module theoretic approach to the Jacobson radical and the Artin-Wedderburn theorem; the use of Baer's criterion for injectivity to prove the structure theorem for finitely generated modules over a principal ideal domain; and applications of the general theory to the representation theory of finite groups. Optional material includes a section on modules over the Weyl algebras and a section on Goldie's theorem. When compared to other more encyclopedic texts, the sharp focus of this book accommodates students meeting this material for the first time. It can be used as a first-year graduate text or as a reference for advanced undergraduates.

Aspects of Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime
  • Stephen A. Fulling
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    24 August 1989
  • The theory of quantum fields on curved spacetimes has attracted great attention since the discovery, by Stephen Hawking, of black-hole evaporation. It remains an important subject for the understanding of such contemporary topics as inflationary cosmology, quantum gravity and superstring theory. This book provides, for mathematicians, an introduction to this field of physics in a language and from a viewpoint which such a reader should find congenial. Physicists should also gain from reading this book a sound grasp of various aspects of the theory, some of which have not been particularly emphasised in the existing review literature. The topics covered include normal-mode expansions for a general elliptic operator, Fock space, the Casimir effect, the 'Klein' paradox, particle definition and particle creation in expanding universes, asymptotic expansion of Green's functions and heat kernels, and renormalisation of the stress tensor. The style is pedagogic rather than formal; some knowledge of general relativity and differential geometry is assumed, but the author does supply background material on functional analysis and quantum field theory as required. The book arose from a course taught to graduate students and could be used for self-study or for advanced courses in relativity and quantum field theory.

Young Tableaux
  • With Applications to Representation Theory and Geometry
  • William Fulton
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    28 December 1996
  • The aim of this book is to develop the combinatorics of Young tableaux and to show them in action in the algebra of symmetric functions, representations of the symmetric and general linear groups, and the geometry of flag varieties. The first part of the book is a self-contained presentation of the basic combinatorics of Young tableaux, including the remarkable constructions of 'bumping' and 'sliding', and several interesting correspondences. In Part II these results are used to study representations with geometry on Grassmannians and flag manifolds, including their Schubert subvarieties, and the related Schubert polynomials. Much of this material has never appeared in book form.There are numerous exercises throughout, with hints or answers provided. Researchers in representation theory and algebraic geometry as well as in combinatorics will find Young Tableaux interesting and useful; students will find the intuitive presentation easy to follow.

A Brief Guide to Algebraic Number Theory
  • H. P. F. Swinnerton-Dyer
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    22 February 2001
  • This is a 2001 account of Algebraic Number Theory, a field which has grown to touch many other areas of pure mathematics. It is written primarily for beginning graduate students in pure mathematics, and encompasses everything that most such students are likely to need; others who need the material will also find it accessible. It assumes no prior knowledge of the subject, but a firm basis in the theory of field extensions at an undergraduate level is required, and an appendix covers other prerequisites. The book covers the two basic methods of approaching Algebraic Number Theory, using ideals and valuations, and includes material on the most usual kinds of algebraic number field, the functional equation of the zeta function and a substantial digression on the classical approach to Fermat's Last Theorem, as well as a comprehensive account of class field theory. Many exercises and an annotated reading list are also included.

Lectures on Lie Groups and Lie Algebras
  • Roger W. Carter, Ian G. MacDonald, Graeme B. Segal
  • Foreword by M. Taylor
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    17 August 1995
  • In this excellent introduction to the theory of Lie groups and Lie algebras, three of the leading figures in this area have written up their lectures from an LMS/SERC sponsored short course in 1993. Together these lectures provide an elementary account of the theory that is unsurpassed. In the first part Roger Carter concentrates on Lie algebras and root systems. In the second Graeme Segal discusses Lie groups. And in the final part, Ian Macdonald gives an introduction to special linear groups. Anybody requiring an introduction to the theory of Lie groups and their applications should look no further than this book.

Clifford Algebras: An Introduction
  • D. J. H. Garling
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    23 June 2011
  • Clifford algebras, built up from quadratic spaces, have applications in many areas of mathematics, as natural generalizations of complex numbers and the quaternions. They are famously used in proofs of the Atiyah–Singer index theorem, to provide double covers (spin groups) of the classical groups and to generalize the Hilbert transform. They also have their place in physics, setting the scene for Maxwell's equations in electromagnetic theory, for the spin of elementary particles and for the Dirac equation. This straightforward introduction to Clifford algebras makes the necessary algebraic background - including multilinear algebra, quadratic spaces and finite-dimensional real algebras - easily accessible to research students and final-year undergraduates. The author also introduces many applications in mathematics and physics, equipping the reader with Clifford algebras as a working tool in a variety of contexts.

Undergraduate Commutative Algebra
  • Miles Reid
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    30 November 1995
  • Commutative algebra is at the crossroads of algebra, number theory and algebraic geometry. This textbook is affordable and clearly illustrated, and is intended for advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate students with some previous experience of rings and fields. Alongside standard algebraic notions such as generators of modules and the ascending chain condition, the book develops in detail the geometric view of a commutative ring as the ring of functions on a space. The starting point is the Nullstellensatz, which provides a close link between the geometry of a variety V and the algebra of its coordinate ring A=k[V]; however, many of the geometric ideas arising from varieties apply also to fairly general rings. The final chapter relates the material of the book to more advanced topics in commutative algebra and algebraic geometry. It includes an account of some famous 'pathological' examples of Akizuki and Nagata, and a brief but thought-provoking essay on the changing position of abstract algebra in today's world.

Representations of Finite Groups of Lie Type
  • François Digne, Jean Michel
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    26 April 1991
  • This book is based on a graduate course taught at the University of Paris. The authors aim to treat the basic theory of representations of finite groups of Lie type, such as linear, unitary, orthogonal and symplectic groups. They emphasise the Curtis–Alvis duality map and Mackey's theorem and the results that can be deduced from it. They also discuss Deligne–Lusztig induction. This will be the first elementary treatment of this material in book form and will be welcomed by beginning graduate students in algebra.

Introduction to Compact Riemann Surfaces and Dessins d’Enfants
  • Ernesto Girondo, Gabino González-Diez
  • Published online:
    05 January 2012
    Print publication:
    22 December 2011
  • Few books on the subject of Riemann surfaces cover the relatively modern theory of dessins d'enfants (children's drawings), which was launched by Grothendieck in the 1980s and is now an active field of research. In this 2011 book, the authors begin with an elementary account of the theory of compact Riemann surfaces viewed as algebraic curves and as quotients of the hyperbolic plane by the action of Fuchsian groups of finite type. They then use this knowledge to introduce the reader to the theory of dessins d'enfants and its connection with algebraic curves defined over number fields. A large number of worked examples are provided to aid understanding, so no experience beyond the undergraduate level is required. Readers without any previous knowledge of the field of dessins d'enfants are taken rapidly to the forefront of current research.

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