The Mathematics Companion – Essential and Advanced Mathematics for Scientists and Engineers

Citation

Hutton, D.M. (2007), "The Mathematics Companion – Essential and Advanced Mathematics for Scientists and Engineers", Kybernetes, Vol. 36 No. 2, pp. 274-274. https://doi.org/10.1108/03684920710743457

In earlier book reviews and reports, this journal has recommended many handbooks and reference books which have helped readers not only “brush‐up” their mathematics, but indeed learn new concepts and methods. Whilst mathematicians obviously need to be “up‐to‐date” with all the new advances in the subject, there is a tendency for the rest of us to rely on our earlier studies. A mathematics companion would therefore be a boon to working cyberneticians, systemists and management scientists with problems to solve that are better tackled using current mathematics. Like the curate's egg, it is good in parts that is it meets the needs of those who want a true companion who is easily interrogated and provides a ready answer. Whilst the good part of the text is the reminder it gives about the mathematical concepts we once were familiar with. The more advanced part covers material that maybe new to some practitioners. We all seem to end up with projects that require a sound knowledge of both ordinary and partial differential equations (ODEs and PDEs) and the second part of the book gives good coverage. Other topics are also included and the compact, but essential information about complex functions, numerical methods and our old favourites: Fourier Series and Laplace Transforms, etc. are discussed.

Readers, however, need to be reminded that the “Advanced” prefix used in the second part for the “mathematics” to be covered does not imply that the topics chosen are above the standard of first year university courses. Even so, the book does what the author intended, which was to provide a companion text that is easy to use and can remind its readers of some of the very basic mathematics of their undergraduate days. Before buying this book, it is essential that intending readers are able to match their own standard of mathematics with that of the text. It could, indeed, be a good companion and meet the mathematical needs of many potential users.