Groups and Symmetry: A Guide to Discovering Mathematics (Mathematical World, Vol. 5)

In most mathematics textbooks, the most exciting part of mathematics--the process of invention and discovery--is completely hidden from the reader. The aim of Groups and Symmetry is to change all that. By means of a series of carefully selected tasks, this book leads readers to discover some real mathematics. There are no formulas to memorize; no procedures to follow. The book is a guide: Its job is to start you in the right direction and to bring you back if you stray too far. Discovery is left to you.

Suitable for a one-semester course at the beginning undergraduate level, there are no prerequisites for understanding the text. Any college student interested in discovering the beauty of mathematics will enjoy a course taught from this book. The book has also been used successfully with nonscience students who want to fulfill a science requirement.