TY - GEN AU - Stone, Michael AU - Goldbart, Paul TI - Mathematics for Physics : A guided tour for graduate students SN - 9780521854030 (PB) PY - 2009/// CY - United Kingdom PB - Cambridge University Press KW - Physics KW - Mathematics KW - Function spaces KW - Linear ordinary differential equations KW - Green functions KW - Partial differential equations N1 - Includes Index; Includes bibliography (p. 797-798) and references; 1. Calculus of variations 2. Function spaces 3. Linear ordinary differential equations 4. Linear differential operators 5. Green functions 6. Partial differential equations 7. The mathematics of real waves 8. Special functions 9. Integral equations 10. Vectors and tensors 11. Differential calculus on manifolds 12. Integration on manifolds 13. An introduction to differential topology 14. Group and group representations 15. Lie groups 16. The geometry of fibre bundles 17. Complex analysis I 18. Applications of complex variables 19. Special functions and complex variables N2 - An engagingly-written account of mathematical tools and ideas, this book provides a graduate-level introduction to the mathematics used in research in physics. The first half of the book focuses on the traditional mathematical methods of physics – differential and integral equations, Fourier series and the calculus of variations. The second half contains an introduction to more advanced subjects, including differential geometry, topology and complex variables. The authors' exposition avoids excess rigor whilst explaining subtle but important points often glossed over in more elementary texts. The topics are illustrated at every stage by carefully chosen examples, exercises and problems drawn from realistic physics settings. These make it useful both as a textbook in advanced courses and for self-study ER -