Preface
Throughout the preparation of each edition of this dictionary, the guiding ob-jective has been to make it useful for students, scientists, engineers, and others con-cerned with the meaning of mathematical terms. It is intended to be reasonably complete in the coverage of topics frequently included in precollege or undergraduate college mathematics courses. In addition, many other interesting and important mathematical concepts are included. Thus the dictionary is a valuable reference book for both amateur and professional mathematicians.
This edition continues revisions and enlargements as in previous editions, with particular emphasis on updating the coverage of probability and statistics. The major change in the present edition is the introduction of a large number of short biograph-ical statements for persons whose contributions have been particularly important or whose names appear in the dictionary for other reasons. An important feature continued in this edition is the multilingual index in French, German, Russian, and Spanish. The English equivalents of mathematical terms in these languages enable the reader not only to learn the English meaning of a foreign-language mathematical term, but also to find its definition in the body of this book.
Main headings are printed in boldface capitals beginning at the left margin. Each main heading that is also a proper name is followed by the appropriate given names, birth and death dates, and a short biographical statement, to the extent that these have been determinable. As in previous editions, other main headings are followed by the part (or parts) of speech of the main headings—as determined by its definition and its uses in the subheadings that follow. Subheadings are printed in boldface type at the beginning of paragraphs. Citations to subheadings under other main headings give the main heading in small capitals, followed by a dash and then by the subheading, (if giving the subheading seems useful) as: ANGLE—adjacent angle.
Although this is by no means a mere word dictionary, neither is it an encyclo-pedia. It is a correlated condensation of mathematical concepts, designed for time-saving reference work. Nevertheless, the general reader can come to an under-standing of concepts in which he has not been schooled by looking up the unfamiliar terms in the definition at hand and following this procedure down to familiar concepts.
Comments on definitions as well as discussions of any phase of this dictionary are invited. Information concerning possible errors, omissions, and inadequacies will be particularly appreciated.
ROBERT C. JAMES EDWIN F. BECKBNBACH