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Geometry and Billiards Serge Tabachnikov

Geometry and Billiards By Serge Tabachnikov

Geometry and Billiards by Serge Tabachnikov


$29.68
Condition - Very Good
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Summary

Describes billiards and their relation with differential geometry, classical mechanics, and geometrical optics. This book covers such topics as variational principles of billiard motion, and symplectic geometry of rays of light and integral geometry. It is suitable for students interested in ergodic theory and geometry.

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Geometry and Billiards Summary

Geometry and Billiards by Serge Tabachnikov

Mathematical billiards describe the motion of a mass point in a domain with elastic reflections off the boundary or, equivalently, the behavior of rays of light in a domain with ideally reflecting boundary. From the point of view of differential geometry, the billiard flow is the geodesic flow on a manifold with boundary. This book is devoted to billiards in their relation with differential geometry, classical mechanics, and geometrical optics. Topics covered include variational principles of billiard motion, symplectic geometry of rays of light and integral geometry, existence and nonexistence of caustics, optical properties of conics and quadrics and completely integrable billiards, periodic billiard trajectories, polygonal billiards, mechanisms of chaos in billiard dynamics, and the lesser-known subject of dual (or outer) billiards.The book is based on an advanced undergraduate topics course. Minimum prerequisites are the standard material covered in the first two years of college mathematics (the entire calculus sequence, linear algebra). However, readers should show some mathematical maturity and rely on their mathematical common sense. A unique feature of the book is the coverage of many diverse topics related to billiards, for example, evolutes and involutes of plane curves, the four-vertex theorem, a mathematical theory of rainbows, distribution of first digits in various sequences, Morse theory, the Poincare recurrence theorem, Hilbert's fourth problem, Poncelet porism, and many others. There are approximately 100 illustrations. The book is suitable for advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers interested in ergodic theory and geometry.

Table of Contents

Motivation: Mechanics and optics Billiard in the circle and the square Billiard ball map and integral geometry Billiards inside conics and quadrics Existence and non-existence of caustics Periodic trajectories Billiards in polygons Chaotic billiards Dual billiards Bibliography Index.

Additional information

CIN0821839195VG
9780821839195
0821839195
Geometry and Billiards by Serge Tabachnikov
Used - Very Good
Paperback
American Mathematical Society
2005-09-15
176
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us

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