Sets, functions, and logic: Basic concepts of university mathematics

The purpose of this book is to provide the student beginning undergraduate mathematics with a solid foundation in the basic logical concepts necessary for most of the subjects encountered in a university mathematics course. The main distinction between most school mathematics and university mathematics lies in the degree of rigour demanded at university level. In general, the new student has no experience of wholly rigorous definitions and proofs, with the result that, although competent to handle quite difficult problems in, say, the differential calculus, he/she is totally lost when presented with a rigorous definition oflimits and derivatives. In effect, this means that in the first few weeks at university the student needs to master what is virtually an entire new language {'the language of mathematics'} and to adopt an entirely new mode ofthinking. Needless to say, only the very ablest students come through this process without a great deal of difficulty.