The perfect introductory topology textbook, Understanding Topology requires only a knowledge of calculus and a general familiarity with set theory and logic. Equally approachable and rigorous, the book?s clear organization, worked examples, and concise writing style support a thorough understanding of basic topological principles. Professor Shaun V. Ault?s unique emphasis on fascinating applications, from mapping DNA to determining the shape of the universe, will engage students in a way traditional topology textbooks do not.
This groundbreaking new text:
? presents Euclidean, abstract, and basic algebraic topology
? explains metric topology, vector spaces and dynamics, point-set topology, surfaces, knot theory, graphs and map coloring, the fundamental group, and homology
? includes worked example problems, solutions, and optional advanced sections for independent projects
Following a path that will work with any standard syllabus, the book is arranged to help students reach that ?Aha!? moment, encouraging readers to use their intuition through local-to-global analysis and emphasizing topological invariants to lay the groundwork for algebraic topology.
