Proof by picture:
Apostol used to teach at Caltech (he’s still a Professor here though) in the 1960s, and he was one of the “greats” during the time of Richard Feynman and Linus Pauling. Caltech undergrads know him very well: His two volume books on Calculus are the basis for the core curriculum in Mathematics. His books are very theoretical and technically dense. The book/his approach to teaching math is from the bottom up–proving everything from the very roots of math.
So a few of us freshman got a tip off that he was be at this alumni pizza dinner so we all ran to grab our books so we could get him to sign it. The cool part was: He actually did! He wasn’t as old as I would have thought he’d be, and he was pretty nice too. Although he kind of singled me out and passed my book around since it was the cheap, overseas edition of his book (I’m one of the rare few freshman who have one. I got mine for around $45 while the cost of the full US edition is around $138!). Maybe Apostol thought I was ripping him off or something ^^;;.
The other weird thing is that he dated the signature: 29 October 2009! When I checked with other people, they had 2005. I think he has something against me, really. His book causes me mental pain too.
But in awe/all, I’m learning lots of math.
8 Comments
Omg, I’m so jealous!!1
Oh, people here have those books, too. Not me.
Lol, Euge. Remember one of the reasons why I ultimately decided to come to Caltech was because of the theoretical basis of learning? Apostol’s book was a factor. Reading the book makes me feel smarter even if I don’t really understand anything in it :). I think CMU’s Analysis courses are about equivalent to Ma1 here.
Christina: Wow, I didn’t know Columbia used Apostol too! Well, I suppose that’s not all that surprising since Columbia is also a science powerhouse (except that we don’t hear about that aspect as much despite lots of Nobel Prize winners having connections to Columbia). I did a quick Google search though and found that Columbia’s Math Honors 4 course is using Apostol’s second volume (I’m still on the first volume). So I think they might just be using his second volume instead of the first? Btw, you can still post on your blog even if the asides feature doesn’t work all that great yet…
Yeah, I had the option of taking analysis I xor II, but I decided to just take the calc bc credit and move on to “more advanced” stuff (calc in three dimensions and matrix algebra) right away. Ah, AP credit…one of the reason’s I didn’t choose Caltech ^^;
Actually, I think that’s one of the weaknesses of the CS program here…that they don’t have rigorous core requirements in math and physics. The CS courses are the only really challenging required courses. Though we’re required to take 4 science courses, 4 math courses, and 8 humanities, I and a lot of people I know placed out of most or all of that through AP/IB (I know a kid with over 2 years of units…I have ~1.5 years). The advantage to this is that you can double major easily without taking tons of auxiliary courses.
Though I (surprisingly) won’t be required to take any more pure math classes for my CS degree after this semester, I think I’m going to take various other math and physics courses because they’re useful and interesting…. and of course I’m going to try to double major in ECE.
We don’t use your Californian filth. We use real textbooks. =P
Heh. We use Simmons for Calc 1 & 2. It’s a McGraw Hill book, so it’s not specialized or anything… but our math professors also deal out their own $12 “notes” that we use more frequently than the textbook anyway.
I used Apostol’s books (and Feynman’s 3 volumes ) during my electronic-engineer course in UFPE, Brazil. I’m so regretted for not buying those during that time and I’m looking for purchase them now as souvenirs to remember me that wonderful time. Those books are masterpieces for anyone who likes science in general.
I’m jealous too.
nice book, writed by a nice man…………..^-^
is he alive????? because i don´t know
Well ..
did not know TA had such a fan club. You’re lucky guys to have been tought by him in persona !!
I have the two volumes still mint. They are the XEROX editions ( white BG & blue letters oftback) I dated them 1973 when I firts bought them in Bogota !!!
I’ve recently put new protective covers and one day intend to study them again, ahhmmm.
How could I get TA to sign them here in the UK ?