Algebraic and Differential Topology presents in a clear, concise, and detailed manner the fundamentals of homology theory. It first defines the concept of a complex and its Betti groups, then discusses the topolgoical invariance of a Betti group. The book next presents various applications of homology theory, such as mapping of polyhedrons onto other polyhedrons as well as onto themselves. The third volume in L.S. Pontryagin's Selected Works, this book provides as many insights into algebraic topology for today's mathematician as it did when the author was making his initial endeavors into...

The fourth and final volume in this comprehensive set presents the maximum principle as a wide ranging solution to nonclassical, variational problems. This one mathematical method can be applied in a variety of situations, including linear equations with variable coefficients, optimal processes with delay, and the jump condition. As with the three preceding volumes, all the material contained with the 42 sections of this volume is made easily accessible by way of numerous examples, both concrete and abstract in nature.

Among the finest achievements in modern mathematics are two of L.S. Pontryagin's most notable contributions: Pontryagin duality and his general theory of characters of a locally compact commutative group. This book, the first in a four-volume set, contains the most important papers of this eminent mathematician, those which have influenced many generations of mathematicians worldwide. They chronicle the development of his work in many areas, from his early efforts in homology groups, duality theorems, and dimension theory to his later achievements in homotopic topology and optimal control...

Offering the insights of L.S. Pontryagin, one of the foremost thinkers in modern mathematics, the second volume in this four-volume set examines the nature and processes that make up topological groups. Already hailed as the leading work in this subject for its abundance of examples and its thorough explanations, the text is arranged so that readers can follow the material either sequentially or schematically. Stand-alone chapters cover such topics as topological division rings, linear representations of compact topological groups, and the concept of a lie group.