Undergraduate Texts in Mathematics

reason for delaying its study has to do with the question of mathematical maturity. * No use is made here of trigonometric, logarithmic, or expo­ nential functions except in occasional optional material indicating how such functions can be handled. A perceptive remark made by George P6lya suggests how we can simultaneously learn mathematics and learn "about" mathematics-i.e., about the nature of mathematics and how it is developed: If the learning of mathematics reflects to any degree the invention of mathematics, it must have a place for guessing, for plausible inference. The reader will find plenty of opportunity here for guessing. The early chapters go at a gentle pace and invite the reader to enter into the spirit of the investigation. Exercises asking the reader to "make a guess" should be taken in this spirit-as simply an invitation to speculate about what is the likely truth in a given situation without feeling any pressure to guess "correctly". Readers will soon realize that a matter about which they are asked to guess will likely be a topic of serious discussion later on.