100 Best Differential Geometry Books of All Time

We've researched and ranked the best differential geometry books in the world, based on recommendations from world experts, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. Learn more

Featuring recommendations from Aubrey Marcus, John Doerr, Eric Weinstein, and 4 other experts.
2
This little book is especially concerned with those portions of ”advanced calculus” in which the subtlety of the concepts and methods makes rigor difficult to attain at an elementary level. The approach taken here uses elementary versions of modern methods found in sophisticated mathematics. The formal prerequisites include only a term of linear algebra, a nodding acquaintance with the notation of set theory, and a respectable first-year calculus course (one which at least mentions the least upper bound (sup) and greatest lower bound (inf) of a set of real numbers). Beyond this a certain... more
Recommended by Eric Weinstein, and 1 others.

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3

Differential Forms in Algebraic Topology

Developed from a first-year graduate course in algebraic topology, this text is an informal introduction to some of the main ideas of contemporary homotopy and cohomology theory. The materials are structured around four core areas: de Rham theory, the Cech-de Rham complex, spectral sequences, and characteristic classes. By using the de Rham theory of differential forms as a prototype of cohomology, the machineries of algebraic topology are made easier to assimilate. With its stress on concreteness, motivation, and readability, this book is equally suitable for self-study and as a one-semester... more
Recommended by Eric Weinstein, and 1 others.

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5
One of the most widely used texts in its field, this volume introduces the differential geometry of curves and surfaces in both local and global aspects. The presentation departs from the traditional approach with its more extensive use of elementary linear algebra and its emphasis on basic geometrical facts rather than machinery or random details. Many examples and exercises enhance the clear, well-written exposition, along with hints and answers to some of the problems.
The treatment begins with a chapter on curves, followed by explorations of regular surfaces, the geometry of the...
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6

Differential Geometry

An introductory textbook on the differential geometry of curves and surfaces in 3-dimensional Euclidean space, presented in its simplest, most essential form, but with many explanatory details, figures, and examples, and in a manner that conveys the theoretical and practical importance of the different concepts, methods, and results involved. With problems and solutions. Includes 99 illustrations. less

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7
A contrarian argues that modern physicists' obsession with beauty has given us wonderful math but bad science.

Whether pondering black holes or predicting discoveries at CERN, physicists believe the best theories are beautiful, natural, and elegant, and this standard separates popular theories from disposable ones. This is why, Sabine Hossenfelder argues, we have not seen a major breakthrough in the foundations of physics for more than four decades. The belief in beauty has become so dogmatic that it now conflicts with scientific objectivity: observation has been unable to...
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Recommended by Barbara Kiser, and 1 others.

Barbara KiserThis is a firecracker of a book—a shot across the bows of theoretical physics. Sabine Hossenfelder, a theoretical physicist working on quantum gravity and blogger, confronts failures in her field head-on. (Source)

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9

Lectures on Differential Geometry

In 1984, the authors gave a series of lectures on differential geometry in the Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton, USA. These lectures are published in this volume, which describes the major achievements in the field. less

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11
A funny, insightful, and self-contained guide to Einstein's relativity theory and classical field theories--including electromagnetism

Physicist Leonard Susskind and data engineer Art Friedman are back. This time, they introduce readers to Einstein's special relativity and Maxwell's classical field theory. Using their typical brand of real math, enlightening drawings, and humor, Susskind and Friedman walk us through the complexities of waves, forces, and particles by exploring special relativity and electromagnetism. It's a must-read for both devotees of the series and any...
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12
This is the balck and white version of the book. The book, which consists of 260 pages, is about differential geometry of space curves and surfaces. The formulation and presentation are largely based on a tensor calculus approach. It can be used as part of a course on tensor calculus as well as a textbook or a reference for an intermediate-level course on differential geometry of curves and surfaces. The book is furnished with an index, extensive sets of exercises and many cross references, which are hyperlinked for the ebook users, to facilitate linking related concepts and sections. The... more

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13

An Introduction to Manifolds

Manifolds, the higher-dimensional analogs of smooth curves and surfaces, are fundamental objects in modern mathematics. Combining aspects of algebra, topology, and analysis, manifolds have also been applied to classical mechanics, general relativity, and quantum field theory. In this streamlined introduction to the subject, the theory of manifolds is presented with the aim of helping the reader achieve a rapid mastery of the essential topics. By the end of the book the reader should be able to compute, at least for simple spaces, one of the most basic topological invariants of a manifold, its... more

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15
This is a textbook on differential geometry well-suited to a variety of courses on this topic. For readers seeking an elementary text, the prerequisites are minimal and include plenty of examples and intermediate steps within proofs, while providing an invitation to more excursive applications and advanced topics. For readers bound for graduate school in math or physics, this is a clear, concise, rigorous development of the topic including the deep global theorems. For the benefit of all readers, the author employs various techniques to render the difficult abstract ideas herein more... more

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16
This textbook is distinguished from other texts on the subject by the depth of the presentation and the discussion of the calculus of moving surfaces, which is an extension of tensor calculus to deforming manifolds.



Designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, this text invites its audience to take a fresh look at previously learned material through the prism of tensor calculus. Once the framework is mastered, the student is introduced to new material which includes differential geometry on manifolds, shape optimization, boundary perturbation and dynamic...
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17
World-renowned bestselling author Carlos Castaneda's Selection of his wrtings on the shamans of ancient Mexico.

Originally drawn to Yaqui Indian spiritual leader don Juan Matus for his knowledge of mind-altering plants, bestselling author Carlos Castaneda soon immersed himself in the sorcerer’s magical world entirely. Ten years after his first encounter with the shaman, Castaneda examines his field notes and comes to understand what don Juan knew all along—that these plants are merely a means to understanding the alternative realities that one cannot fully embrace on one’s own. In...
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Recommended by Aubrey Marcus, and 1 others.

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18
Gauss's law for electric fields, Gauss's law for magnetic fields, Faraday's law, and the Ampere-Maxwell law are four of the most influential equations in science. In this guide for students, each equation is the subject of an entire chapter, with detailed, plain-language explanations of the physical meaning of each symbol in the equation, for both the integral and differential forms. The final chapter shows how Maxwell's equations may be combined to produce the wave equation, the basis for the electromagnetic theory of light. This book is a wonderful resource for undergraduate and graduate... more

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19
Confusing Textbooks? Missed Lectures? Not Enough Time?

Fortunately for you, there's Schaum's Outlines. More than 40 million students have trusted Schaum's to help them succeed in the classroom and on exams. Schaum's is the key to faster learning and higher grades in every subject. Each Outline presents all the essential course information in an easy-to-follow, topic-by-topic format. You also get hundreds of examples, solved problems, and practice exercises to test your skills.

This Schaum's Outline gives you Practice problems with full explanations that reinforce...
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20
This elegant book by distinguished mathematician John Milnor, provides a clear and succinct introduction to one of the most important subjects in modern mathematics. Beginning with basic concepts such as diffeomorphisms and smooth manifolds, he goes on to examine tangent spaces, oriented manifolds, and vector fields. Key concepts such as homotopy, the index number of a map, and the Pontryagin construction are discussed. The author presents proofs of Sard's theorem and the Hopf theorem. less

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21
This book provides a self-contained introduction to the topology and geometry of surfaces and three-manifolds. The main goal is to describe Thurston's geometrisation of three-manifolds, proved by Perelman in 2002. The book is divided into three parts: the first is devoted to hyperbolic geometry, the second to surfaces, and the third to three-manifolds. It contains complete proofs of Mostow's rigidity, the thick-thin decomposition, Thurston's classification of the diffeomorphisms of surfaces (via Bonahon's geodesic currents), the prime and JSJ decomposition, the topological and geometric... more

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22

Gauge Fields, Knots and Gravity

This is an introduction to the basic tools of mathematics needed to understand the relation between knot theory and quantum gravity. The book begins with a rapid course on manifolds and differential forms, emphasizing how these provide a proper language for formulating Maxwell's equations on arbitrary spacetimes. The authors then introduce vector bundles, connections and curvature in order to generalize Maxwell theory to the Yang-Mills equations. The relation of gauge theory to the newly discovered knot invariants such as the Jones polynomial is sketched. Riemannian geometry is then... more

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23

Methods of Information Geometry

There has been much progress in the field of information geometry in recent years and yet there are few textbooks which reflect these developments, except for those which deal with statistics. Information geometry provides a new method applicable to various areas including information sciences and physical sciences. It has emerged from investigating the geometrical structures of the manifold of probability distributions, and has been applied successfully to statistical inference problems. However, it has been proved that information geometry opens a new paradigm useful for elucidation of... more

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24
This book is an introductory graduate-level textbook on the theory of smooth manifolds. Its goal is to familiarize students with the tools they will need in order to use manifolds in mathematical or scientific research--- smooth structures, tangent vectors and covectors, vector bundles, immersed and embedded submanifolds, tensors, differential forms, de Rham cohomology, vector fields, flows, foliations, Lie derivatives, Lie groups, Lie algebras, and more. The approach is as concrete as possible, with pictures and intuitive discussions of how one should think geometrically about the abstract... more

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26
This series of books in physics and related subjects is designed to meet the needs of graduate students. Although not primarily research texts, they point out the direction which research is currently taking and where it is expected to lead. less

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27
Theodore Frankel explains those parts of exterior differential forms, differential geometry, algebraic and differential topology, Lie groups, vector bundles and Chern forms essential to a better understanding of classical and modern physics and engineering. Key highlights of his new edition are the inclusion of three new appendices that cover symmetries, quarks, and meson masses; representations and hyperelastic bodies; and orbits and Morse-Bott Theory in compact Lie groups. Geometric intuition is developed through a rather extensive introduction to the study of surfaces in ordinary space.... more

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28
Geometry With An Introduction To Cosmic Topology Is Motivated By Questions That Have Ignited The Imagination Of Stargazers Since Antiquity. What Is The Shape Of The Universe? Does The Universe Have An Edge? Is It Infinitely Big? Dr. Hitchman Aims To Clarify This Fascinating Area Of Mathematics And Focuses On The Mathematical Tools Used To Investigate The Shape Of The Universe. The Text Follows The Erlangen Program, Which Develops Geometry In Terms Of A Space And A Group Of Transformations Of That Space. This Approach To Non-Euclidean Geometry Provides Excellent Material By Which Students Can... more

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29

Differential Geometry

Designed for advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate study, this text contains an elementary introduction to continuous groups and differential invariants; an extensive treatment of groups of motions in euclidean, affine, and riemannian geometry; and development of the method of integral formulas for global differential geometry.
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30

Riemannian Geometry

Theory & Applications

Riemannian Geometry is an expanded edition of a highly acclaimed and successful textbook (originally published in Portuguese) for first-year graduate students in mathematics and physics. The author's treatment goes very directly to the basic language of Riemannian geometry and immediately presents some of its most fundamental theorems. It is elementary, assuming only a modest background from readers, making it suitable for a wide variety of students and course structures. Its selection of topics has been deemed "superb" by teachers who have used the text.

A significant...
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31
"An Introduction to Tensors and Group Theory for Physicists" provides both an intuitive and rigorous approach to tensors and groups and their role in theoretical physics and applied mathematics. A particular aim is to demystify tensors and provide a unified framework for understanding them in the context of classical and quantum physics. Connecting the component formalism prevalent in physics calculations with the abstract but more conceptual formulation found in many mathematical texts, the work will be a welcome addition to the literature on tensors and group theory.Advanced undergraduate... more

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32

Differential Topology

Originally published: Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1974. less
Recommended by Eric Weinstein, and 1 others.

Eric WeinsteinFolks frequently ask “What are the books that changed your life?” If I tell them, they are usually radically disappointed. I find that curious. I just cleared out of an office, and these are 4 shelves of spines of books that mattered enough to me to bring home. So here they are. (Source)

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33

Analysis on Manifolds

A readable introduction to the subject of calculus on arbitrary surfaces or manifolds. Accessible to readers with knowledge of basic calculus and linear algebra. Sections include series of problems to reinforce concepts. less

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34
Elementary Differential Geometry presents the main results in the differential geometry of curves and surfaces suitable for a first course on the subject. Prerequisites are kept to an absolute minimum - nothing beyond first courses in linear algebra and multivariable calculus - and the most direct and straightforward approach is used throughout. New features of this revised and expanded second edition include: a chapter on non-Euclidean geometry, a subject that is of great importance in the history of mathematics and crucial in many modern developments. The main results can be reached easily... more

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36

Differential Geometry

Manifolds, Curves, And Surfaces

This book is an introduction to modern differential geometry. The authors begin with the necessary tools from analysis and topology, including Sard's theorem, de Rham cohomology, calculus on manifolds, and a degree theory. The general theory is illustrated and expanded using the examples of curves and surfaces. In particular, the book contains the classical local and global theory of surfaces, including the fundamental forms, curvature, the Gauss-Bonnet formula, geodesics, and minimal surfaces. less

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38
Application-oriented introduction relates the subject as closely as possible to science. In-depth explorations of the derivative, the differentiation and integration of the powers of x, and theorems on differentiation and antidifferentiation lead to a definition of the chain rule and examinations of trigonometric functions, logarithmic and exponential functions, techniques of integration, polar coordinates, much more. Clear-cut explanations, numerous drills, illustrative examples. 1967 edition. Solution guide available upon request. less

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39

Differential Geometric Structures

Useful for independent study and as a reference work, this introduction to differential geometry features many examples and exercises. It defines geometric structure by specifying the parallel transport in an appropriate fiber bundle, focusing on the simplest cases of linear parallel transport in a vector bundle.
The treatment opens with an introductory chapter on fiber bundles that proceeds to examinations of connection theory for vector bundles and Riemannian vector bundles. Additional topics include the role of harmonic theory, geometric vector fields on Riemannian manifolds, Lie...
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  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
41

Foundations of Differential Geometry, Volume 1

This two-volume introduction to differential geometry, part of Wiley's popular Classics Library, lays the foundation for understanding an area of study that has become vital to contemporary mathematics. It is completely self-contained and will serve as a reference as well as a teaching guide. Volume 1 presents a systematic introduction to the field from a brief survey of differentiable manifolds, Lie groups and fibre bundles to the extension of local transformations and Riemannian connections. The second volume continues with the study of variational problems on geodesics... more

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43

Elements of Differential Geometry

This text is intended for an advanced undergraduate (having taken linear algebra and multivariable calculus). It provides the necessary background for a more abstract course in differential geometry. The inclusion of diagrams is done without sacrificing the rigor of the material. For all readers interested in differential geometry. less

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44
This is a self-contained introductory textbook on the calculus of differential forms and modern differential geometry. The intended audience is physicists, so the author emphasises applications and geometrical reasoning in order to give results and concepts a precise but intuitive meaning without getting bogged down in analysis. The large number of diagrams helps elucidate the fundamental ideas. Mathematical topics covered include differentiable manifolds, differential forms and twisted forms, the Hodge star operator, exterior differential systems and symplectic geometry. All of the... more

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45
Confusing d104books? Missed Lectures?

Not Enough Time? Fortunately for you, there's Schaum's.

More than 40 million students have trusted Schaum's to help them succeed in the classroom and on exams. Schaum's is the key to faster learning and higher grades in every subject. Each Outline presents all the essential course information in an easy-to-follow, topic-by-topic format. You also get hundreds of examples, solved problems, and practice exercises to test your skills.

This Schaum's Outline gives you


Practice problems with...
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46

Riemannian Geometry

In his classic work of geometry, Euclid focused on the properties of flat surfaces. In the age of exploration, mapmakers such as Mercator had to concern themselves with the properties of spherical surfaces. The study of curved surfaces, or non-Euclidean geometry, flowered in the late nineteenth century, as mathematicians such as Riemann increasingly questioned Euclid's parallel postulate, and by relaxing this constraint derived a wealth of new results. These seemingly abstract properties found immediate application in physics upon Einstein's introduction of the general theory of... more

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47
Synthetic Differential Geometry is a method of reasoning in differential geometry and differential calculus, based on the assumption of sufficiently many nilpotent elements on the number line, in particular numbers d such that d2=0. The use of nilpotent elements allows one to replace the limit processes of calculus by purely algebraic calculations and notions. For the first half of the book, first published in 2006, familiarity with differential calculus and abstract algebra is presupposed during the development of results in calculus and differential geometry on a purely axiomatic/synthetic... more

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48

Manifolds, Tensors, and Forms

Providing a succinct yet comprehensive treatment of the essentials of modern differential geometry and topology, this book's clear prose and informal style make it accessible to advanced undergraduate and graduate students in mathematics and the physical sciences. The text covers the basics of multilinear algebra, differentiation and integration on manifolds, Lie groups and Lie algebras, homotopy and de Rham cohomology, homology, vector bundles, Riemannian and pseudo-Riemannian geometry, and degree theory. It also features over 250 detailed exercises, and a variety of applications revealing... more

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49
This volume covers local as well as global differential geometry of curves and surfaces. less

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50
The scion of a political dynasty ushers in the era of big government

Politics was in Benjamin Harrison's blood. His great-grandfather signed the Declaration and his grandfather, William Henry Harrison, was the ninth president of the United States. Harrison, a leading Indiana lawyer, became a Republican Party champion, even taking a leave from the Civil War to campaign for Lincoln. After a scandal-free term in the Senate-no small feat in the Gilded Age-the Republicans chose Harrison as their presidential candidate in 1888. Despite losing the popular vote, he trounced the...
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51

Introduction to Arithmetic Groups

This book provides a gentle introduction to the study of arithmetic subgroups of semisimple Lie groups. This means that the goal is to understand the group SL(n, Z) and certain of its subgroups. Among the major results discussed in the later chapters are the Mostow Rigidity Theorem, the Margulis Superrigidity Theorem, Ratner's Theorems, and the classification of arithmetic subgroups of classical groups. As background for the proofs of these theorems, the book provides primers on lattice subgroups, arithmetic groups, real rank and Q-rank, ergodic theory, unitary representations, amenability,... more

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52
Differential geometry has become a standard tool in the analysis of statistical models, offering a deeper appreciation of existing methodologies and highlighting the issues that can be hidden in an algebraic development of a problem. This volume is the first to apply these techniques to econometrics. An introductory chapter provides a brief tutorial for those unfamiliar with the tools of differential geometry. The following chapters offer applications of geometric methods to practical solutions and offer insight into problems of econometric inference. less

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53
The main motivation for this book lies in the breadth of applications in which a statistical model is used to represent small departures from, for example, a Poisson process. Our approach uses information geometry to provide a c- mon context but we need only rather elementary material from di?erential geometry, information theory and mathematical statistics. Introductory s- tions serve together to help those interested from the applications side in making use of our methods and results. We have available Mathematica no- books to perform many of the computations for those who wish to pursue... more

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54

Differential Manifolds

The concepts of differential topology form the center of many mathematical disciplines such as differential geometry and Lie group theory. Differential Manifolds presents to advanced undergraduates and graduate students the systematic study of the topological structure of smooth manifolds. Author Antoni A. Kosinski, Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at Rutgers University, offers an accessible approach to both the h-cobordism theorem and the classification of differential structures on spheres.
"How useful it is," noted the Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society, "to...
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55
In recent years the methods of modern differential geometry have become of considerable importance in theoretical physics and have found application in relativity and cosmology, high-energy physics and field theory, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics and mechanics. This textbook provides an introduction to these methods - in particular Lie derivatives, Lie groups and differential forms - and covers their extensive applications to theoretical physics. The reader is assumed to have some familiarity with advanced calculus, linear algebra and a little elementary operator theory. The advanced physics... more

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56
This is the first volume of a three-volume introduction to modern geometry which emphasizes applications to other areas of mathematics and theoretical physics. Topics covered include tensors and their differential calculus, the calculus of variations in one and several dimensions, and geometric field theory. This new edition offers substantial revisions, and the material is written in concrete language with terminology acceptable to physicists. less
Recommended by Eric Weinstein, and 1 others.

Eric Weinstein[Eric Weinstein recommended this book on Twitter.] (Source)

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57

Modern Calculus and Analytic Geometry

A self-contained text for an introductory course, this volume places strong emphasis on physical applications. Key elements of differential equations and linear algebra are introduced early and are consistently referenced, all theorems are proved using elementary methods, and numerous worked-out examples appear throughout. The highly readable text approaches calculus from the student's viewpoint and points out potential stumbling blocks before they develop. A collection of more than 1,600 problems ranges from exercise material to exploration of new points of theory — many of the answers are... more

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58

Riemannian Geometry

Intended for a one year course, this volume serves as a single source, introducing students to the important techniques and theorems, while also containing enough background on advanced topics to appeal to those students wishing to specialize in Riemannian geometry. This is one of the few works to combine both the geometric parts of Riemannian geometry and the analytic aspects of the theory, while also presenting the most up-to-date research. This book will appeal to readers with a knowledge of standard manifold theory, including such topics as tensors and Stokes theorem. Various exercises... more

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59

Lectures on Differential Geometry

This book is a translation of an authoritative introductory text based on a lecture series delivered by the renowned differential geometer, Professor S S Chern in Beijing University in 1980. The original Chinese text, authored by Professor Chern and Professor Wei-Huan Chen, was a unique contribution to the mathematics literature, combining simplicity and economy of approach with depth of contents. The present translation is aimed at a wide audience, including (but not limited to) advanced undergraduate and graduate students in mathematics, as well as physicists interested in the diverse... more

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60

The Geometry of Kerr Black Holes

This unique monograph by a noted UCLA professor examines in detail the mathematics of Kerr black holes, which possess the properties of mass and angular momentum but carry no electrical charge. Suitable for advanced undergraduates and graduate students of mathematics, physics, and astronomy as well as professional physicists, the self-contained treatment constitutes an introduction to modern techniques in differential geometry.
The text begins with a substantial chapter offering background on the mathematics needed for the rest of the book. Subsequent chapters emphasize physical...
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61
This text is designed for a one-quarter or one-semester graduate course on Riemannian geometry. It focuses on developing an intimate acquaintance with the geometric meaning of curvature and thereby introduces and demonstrates all the main technical tools needed for a more advanced study of Riemannian manifolds. The book begins with a careful treatment of the machinery of metrics, connections, and geodesics, and then introduces the curvature tensor as a way of measuring whether a Riemannian manifold is locally equivalent to Euclidean space. Submanifold theory is developed next in order to give... more

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63
One of the most cited books in mathematics, John Milnor's exposition of Morse theory has been the most important book on the subject for more than forty years. Morse theory was developed in the 1920s by mathematician Marston Morse. (Morse was on the faculty of the Institute for Advanced Study, and Princeton published his Topological Methods in the Theory of Functions of a Complex Variable in the Annals of Mathematics Studies series in 1947.) One classical application of Morse theory includes the attempt to understand, with only limited information, the large-scale structure of an... more

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65

Foundations of Differential Geometry, Volume 2

This two-volume introduction to differential geometry, part of Wiley's popular Classics Library, lays the foundation for understanding an area of study that has become vital to contemporary mathematics. It is completely self-contained and will serve as a reference as well as a teaching guide. Volume 1 presents a systematic introduction to the field from a brief survey of differentiable manifolds, Lie groups and fibre bundles to the extension of local transformations and Riemannian connections. The second volume continues with the study of variational problems on geodesics... more

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66
The modern subject of differential forms subsumes classical vector calculus. This text presents differential forms from a geometric perspective accessible at the undergraduate level. The book begins with basic concepts such as partial differentiation and multiple integration and gently develops the entire machinery of differential forms. The author approaches the subject with the idea that complex concepts can be built up by analogy from simpler cases, which, being inherently geometric, often can be best understood visually. Each new concept is presented with a natural picture that students... more

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67
8th Grade Common Core Math: Practice Workbook - Practice Questions, Answers & Explanations - Recommended by Teachers - Ace Academic Publishing-Based on Common Core State Standards: Similar to a standardized exam, you can find questions of all types, including multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, true or false, match the correct answer and free-response questions.-High Standards of Questions: Each of these questions are divided into Chapters and Sub-Topics. The contents of this Math workbook include multiple chapters and units covering all the required Common Core Standards for this grade... more

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68
Written by a towering figure of twentieth-century mathematics, this classic examines the mathematical background necessary for a grasp of relativity theory. Tullio Levi-Civita provides a thorough treatment of the introductory theories that form the basis for discussions of fundamental quadratic forms and absolute differential calculus, and he further explores physical applications.
Part one opens with considerations of functional determinants and matrices, advancing to systems of total differential equations, linear partial differential equations, algebraic foundations, and a geometrical...
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69
In 1905, Albert Einstein offered a revolutionary theory--special relativity--to explain some of the most troubling problems in current physics concerning electromagnetism and motion. Soon afterwards, Hermann Minkowski recast special relativity essentially as a new geometric structure for spacetime. These ideas are the subject of the first part of the book. The second part develops the main implications of Einstein's general relativity as a theory of gravity rooted in the differential geometry of surfaces. The author explores the way an individual observer views the world and how a pair of... more

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70

Lectures on Symplectic Geometry

These notes approximately transcribe a 15-week course on symplectic geometry I taught at UC Berkeley in the Fall of 1997. The course at Berkeley was greatly inspired in content and style by Victor Guillemin, whose masterly teaching of beautiful courses on topics related to s- plectic geometry at MIT, I was lucky enough to experience as a graduate student. I am very thankful to him! That course also borrowed from the 1997 Park City summer courses on symplectic geometry and topology, and from many talks and discussions of the symplectic geometry group at MIT. Among the regular participants in... more

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Don't have time to read the top Differential Geometry books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

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  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
71
George Polya was a Hungarian mathematician. Born in Budapest on 13 December 1887, his original name was Polya Gyorg. He wrote perhaps the most famous book of mathematics ever written, namely "How to Solve It." However, "How to Solve It" is not strictly speaking a math book. It is a book about how to solve problems of any kind, of which math is just one type of problem. The same techniques could in principle be used to solve any problem one encounters in life (such as how to choose the best wife ). Therefore, Polya wrote the current volume to explain how the techniques set forth in "How to... more

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72

Elementary Differential Geometry

Written primarily for students who have completed the standard first courses in calculus and linear algebra, ELEMENTARY DIFFERENTIAL GEOMETRY, REVISED SECOND EDITION, provides an introduction to the geometry of curves and surfaces.

The Second Edition maintained the accessibility of the first, while providing an introduction to the use of computers and expanding discussion on certain topics. Further emphasis was placed on topological properties, properties of geodesics, singularities of vector fields, and the theorems of Bonnet and Hadamard.

This revision of the Second Edition...

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73
Suitable for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of mathematics, physics, and engineering, this text employs vector methods to explore the classical theory of curves and surfaces. Subsequent topics include the basic theory of tensor algebra, tensor calculus, the calculus of differential forms, and elements of Riemannian geometry. 1959 edition. less

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74
Excellent brief introduction presents fundamental theory of curves and surfaces and applies them to a number of examples. Topics include curves, theory of surfaces, fundamental equations, geometry on a surface, envelopes, conformal mapping, minimal surfaces, more. Well-illustrated, with abundant problems and solutions. Bibliography.
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75

Geometry and Physics

"Geometry and Physics" addresses mathematicians wanting to understand modern physics, and physicists wanting to learn geometry. It gives an introduction to modern quantum field theory and related areas of theoretical high-energy physics from the perspective of Riemannian geometry, and an introduction to modern geometry as needed and utilized in modern physics. Jurgen Jost, a well-known research mathematician and advanced textbook author, also develops important geometric concepts and methods that can be used for the structures of physics. In particular, he discusses the Lagrangians of the... more

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76
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. less

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77

Topics in Physical Mathematics

This title adopts the view that physics is the primary driving force behind a number of developments in mathematics. Previously, science and mathematics were part of natural philosophy and many mathematical theories arose as a result of trying to understand natural phenomena. This situation changed at the beginning of last century as science and mathematics diverged. These two fields are collaborating once again; 'Topics in Mathematical Physics' takes the reader through this journey.

The author discusses topics where the interaction of physical and mathematical theories has led to...
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78
Author is well-known and established book author (all Serge Lang books are now published by Springer); Presents a brief introduction to the subject; All manifolds are assumed finite dimensional in order not to frighten some readers; Complete proofs are given; Use of manifolds cuts across disciplines and includes physics, engineering and economics less

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80

The Concept of a Riemann Surface

This classic on the general history of functions was written by one of the twentieth century's best-known mathematicians. Hermann Weyl, who worked with Einstein at Princeton, combined function theory and geometry in this high-level landmark work, forming a new branch of mathematics and the basis of the modern approach to analysis, geometry, and topology.
The author intended this book not only to develop the basic ideas of Riemann's theory of algebraic functions and their integrals but also to examine the related ideas and theorems with an unprecedented degree of rigor. Weyl's two-part...
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Don't have time to read the top Differential Geometry books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

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81
This invaluable book, based on the many years of teaching experience of both authors, introduces the reader to the basic ideas in differential topology. Among the topics covered are smooth manifolds and maps, the structure of the tangent bundle and its associates, the calculation of real cohomology groups using differential forms (de Rham theory), and applications such as the Poincaré-Hopf theorem relating the Euler number of a manifold and the index of a vector field. Each chapter contains exercises of varying difficulty for which solutions are provided. Special features include examples... more

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82
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute... more

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84

Projective Geometry

In Euclidean geometry, constructions are made with ruler and compass. Projective geometry is simpler: its constructions require only a ruler. In projective geometry one never measures anything, instead, one relates one set of points to another by a projectivity. The first two chapters of this book introduce the important concepts of the subject and provide the logical foundations. The third and fourth chapters introduce the famous theorems of Desargues and Pappus. Chapters 5 and 6 make use of projectivities on a line and plane, respectively. The next three chapters develop a self-contained... more

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85

Curvature in Mathematics and Physics

This original Dover textbook is based on an advanced undergraduate course taught by the author for more than 50 years. It introduces semi-Riemannian geometry and its principal physical application, Einstein's theory of general relativity, using the Cartan exterior calculus as a principal tool. Prerequisites include linear algebra and advanced calculus. 2012 edition.
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86

Regular Polytopes

Foremost book available on polytopes, incorporating ancient Greek and most modern work done on them. Beginning with polygons and polyhedrons, the book moves on to multi-dimensional polytopes in a way that anyone with a basic knowledge of geometry and trigonometry can easily understand. Definitions of symbols. Eight tables plus many diagrams and examples. 1963 edition.
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87
Elementary introduction pays special attention to aspects of tensor calculus and relativity that students find most difficult. Contents include tensors in curved spaces and application to general relativity theory; black holes; gravitational waves; application of general relativity principles to cosmology. Numerous exercises. Solution guide available upon request. 1982 edition. less

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88
Our first knowledge of differential geometry usually comes from the study of the curves and surfaces in $I\!\!R^3$ that arise in calculus. Here we learn about line and surface integrals, divergence and curl, and the various forms of Stokes' Theorem. If we are fortunate, we may encounter curvature and such things as the Serret-Frenet formulas. With just the basic tools from multivariable calculus, plus a little knowledge of linear algebra, it is possible to begin a much richer and rewarding study of differential geometry, which is what is presented in this book. It starts with an introduction... more

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90
* Provides an elegant introduction to the geometric concepts that are important to applications in robotics

* Includes significant state-of-the art material that reflects important advances, connecting robotics back to mathematical fundamentals in group theory and geometry

* An invaluable reference that serves a wide audience of grad students and researchers in mechanical engineering, computer science, and applied mathematics
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Don't have time to read the top Differential Geometry books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

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  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
91

Riemannian Geometry (Universitext)

This book covers the topics of differential manifolds, Riemannian metrics, connections, geodesics and curvature, with special emphasis on the intrinsic features of the subject. It treats in detail classical results on the relations between curvature and topology. The book features numerous exercises with full solutions and a series of detailed examples are picked up repeatedly to illustrate each new definition or property introduced. less

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92
Starting from undergraduate level, this book systematically develops the basics of - Analysis on manifolds, Lie groups and G-manifolds (including equivariant dynamics) - Symplectic algebra and geometry, Hamiltonian systems, symmetries and reduction, - Integrable systems, Hamilton-Jacobi theory (including Morse families, the Maslov class and caustics). The first item is relevant for virtually all areas of mathematical physics, while the second item provides the basis of Hamiltonian mechanics. The last item introduces to important special areas. Necessary background knowledge on topology is... more

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93

Geometry of Manifolds

The authors' purpose in writing this title is to put material which they found stimulating and interesting as graduate students into form. It is intended for individual study and for use as a text for graduate level courses such as the one from which this material stems, given by Professor W. Ambrose at MIT in 1958-1959. Previously the material had been organized in roughly the same form by him and Professor I.M. Singer, and they in turn drew upon the work of Ehresmann, Chern, and E. Cartan. The authors' contributions have been primarily to fill out the material with details, asides and... more

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94
This book explains and helps readers to develop geometric intuition as it relates to differential forms. It includes over 250 figures to aid understand and enable readers to visualize the concepts being discussed. The author gradually builds up to the basic ideas and concepts so that definitions, when made, do not appear out of nowhere, and both the importance and role that theorems play is evident as or before they are presented. With a clear writing style and easy-to- understand motivations for each topic, this book is primarily aimed at second- or third-year undergraduate math and physics... more

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95
De Rham cohomology is the cohomology of differential forms. This book offers a self-contained exposition to this subject and to the theory of characteristic classes from the curvature point of view. It requires no prior knowledge of the concepts of algebraic topology or cohomology.The first 10 chapters study cohomology of open sets in Euclidean space, treat smooth manifolds and their cohomology and end with integration on manifolds. The last 11 chapters cover Morse theory, index of vector fields, Poincare duality, vector bundles, connections and curvature, Chern and Euler classes, and Thom... more

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96

Tensor Calculus

Fundamental introduction for beginning student of absolute differential calculus and for those interested in applications of tensor calculus to mathematical physics and engineering. Topics include spaces and tensors; basic operations in Riemannian space, curvature of space, special types of space, relative tensors, ideas of volume, and more. less

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97
Central topics covered include curves, surfaces, geodesics, intrinsic geometry, and the Alexandrov global angle comparision theorem

Many nontrivial and original problems (some with hints and solutions)

Standard theoretical material is combined with more difficult theorems and complex problems, while maintaining a clear distinction between the two levels
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98
The second edition of An Introduction to Differentiable Manifolds and Riemannian Geometry, Revised has sold over 6,000 copies since publication in 1986 and this revision will make it even more useful. This is the only book available that is approachable by beginners in this subject. It has become an essential introduction to the subject for mathematics students, engineers, physicists, and economists who need to learn how to apply these vital methods. It is also the only book that thoroughly reviews certain areas of advanced calculus that are necessary to understand the subject. less

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99

Algebraic Topology

A First Course

To the Teacher. This book is designed to introduce a student to some of the important ideas of algebraic topology by emphasizing the re- lations of these ideas with other areas of mathematics. Rather than choosing one point of view of modem topology (homotopy theory, simplicial complexes, singular theory, axiomatic homology, differ- ential topology, etc.), we concentrate our attention on concrete prob- lems in low dimensions, introducing only as much algebraic machin- ery as necessary for the problems we meet. This makes it possible to see a wider variety of important features of the subject... more

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100
The remarkable developments in differential topology and how these recent advances have been applied as a primary research tool in quantum field theory are presented here in a style reflecting the genuinely two-sided interaction between mathematical physics and applied mathematics. The author, following his previous work (Nash/Sen: Differential Topology for Physicists, Academic Press, 1983), covers elliptic differential and pseudo-differential operators, Atiyah-Singer index theory, topological quantum field theory, string theory, and knot theory. The explanatory approach serves to illuminate... more

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Don't have time to read the top Differential Geometry books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.