Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences (1966)

Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences is a 1966 textbook by mathematician Mary L. Boas intended to develop skills in mathematical problem-solving needed for junior to senior-graduate courses in engineering, physics, and chemistry. The book provides a comprehensive survey of analytic techniques and provides careful statements of important theorems while omitting most detailed proofs. Each section contains a large number of problems, with selected answers. Numerical computational approaches using computers are outside the scope of the book.

The book, now in its third edition, was still widely used in university classrooms as of 1999 and is frequently cited in other textbooks and scientific papers.

Chapters

Infinite series, power series

Complex numbers

Linear algebra

Partial differentiation

Multiple integrals

Vector analysis

Fourier series and transforms

Ordinary differential equations

Calculus of variations

Tensor analysis

Special functions

Series solution of differential equations; Legendre, Bessel, Hermite, and Laguerre functions

Partial differential equations

Functions of a complex variable

Integral transforms

Probability and statistics