The Cauchy-Schwarz Master Class: An Introduction to the Art of Mathematical Inequalities

by J. Michael Steele

Overview

This lively, problem-oriented text, first published in 2004, is designed to coach readers toward mastery of the most fundamental mathematical inequalities. With the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality as the initial guide, the reader is led through a sequence of fascinating problems whose solutions are presented as they might have been discovered - either by one of history's famous mathematicians or by the reader. The problems emphasize beauty and surprise, but along the way readers will find systematic coverage of the geometry of squares, convexity, the ladder of power means, majorization, Schur convexity, exponential sums, and the inequalities of Hölder, Hilbert, and Hardy. The text is accessible to anyone who knows calculus and who cares about solving problems. It is well suited to self-study, directed study, or as a supplement to courses in analysis, probability, and combinatorics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781316099322
Publisher:	Mathematical Association of America
Publication date:	04/26/2004
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

J. Michael Steele is C. F. Koo Professor of Statistics at Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of more than 100 mathematical publications including the books, Probability Theory and Combinatorial Optimization and Stochastic Calculus and Financial Applications. He is also the founding editor of the Annals of Applied Probability.

Table of Contents

1. Starting with Cauchy; 2. The AM-GM inequality; 3. Lagrange's identity and Minkowski's conjecture; 4. On geometry and sums of squares; 5. Consequences of order; 6. Convexity - the third pillar; 7. Integral intermezzo; 8. The ladder of power means; 9. Hölder's inequality; 10. Hilbert's inequality and compensating difficulties; 11. Hardy's inequality and the flop; 12. Symmetric sums; 13. Majorization and Schur convexity; 14. Cancellation and aggregation; Solutions to the exercises; Notes; References.

Editorial Reviews

"...this book is a 'must have' for a university's library, and I recommend it highly to its 'ideal audience.' Many other readers are also bound to discover a satisfying number of attractive and less than familiar results."
MAA Reviews

"This eminently readable book will be treasured not only by students and their teachers but also by all those who seek to make sense of the elusive macrocosm of twentieth-century mathematics."
Zentralblatt MATH

"The book is special...A large mathematics department with a functional graduate program could easily consider to offer a master course based on this book."
Tamas Erdelyi, Journal of Approximation Theory

"I believe George Polya would enjoy reading this book, and I recommend it to both the novice and the sophisticate. It is a nice read."
Ingram Olkin, Stanford University for SIAM Review

From the Publisher