[H-GEN] Recommendation on a Maths Textbook

[Andrae Muys]

On 19/09/2005, at 11:48 AM, Russell Stuart wrote:

> [ Humbug *General* list - semi-serious discussions about Humbug  
> and     ]
> [ Unix-related topics. Posts from non-subscribed addresses will  
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>
> I am hoping someone can recommend a good Maths Textbook to me.
> I have recently taken an interest in Kernel Vector Machines,
> and am trying to understand how they work.  I bought a book
> on the subject, "An Introduction to Support Vector Machines",
> which seems to cover the subject fairly well.  Unfortunately
> it uses math I have not covered in any depth before: group
> & field theory, hilbert spaces, gram matrices and the
> like.  I am gradually picking it up from the 'net, but it is
> hard going as Wikipedia and the like are reference works,
> not text books.  Can someone recommend a text book that
> covers the area.

I must agree, having had to learn abstract algebra recently myself (I  
came to it via categories), I must admit being disappointed at the  
lack of such subjects available to me when I did my degree (not that  
I would have appreciated their importance then ;).

As far as references to consider, look into some of the Dover books.   
They cover a wide range of pure maths, and include my primary  
reference to such things "Introduction to Algebraic Structures",  
which will cover a fair bit of what you're after.  By the looks of  
things you will also need some topology, unfortunately all I can say  
is that I've seen such titles in Dover's collection, I haven't read  
any of them.

Dover also has a nice thin volume on graph theory which is quite  
good, although rather introductory.  I have also bought "Abstract  
Algebra", a thicker, more formidable read that I will tackle once  
I've finished a couple of the other books on my to-read list :).

I'll be back in Brisbane mid-Oct' if you want to discuss such topics,  
not sure how soon after that my gf will be willing to surrender a  
saturday night to humbug though ;).

HTH,

Andrae (Who is constantly amazed at just how applicable some of this  
'pure' maths really is)

--
Andrae Muys
andrae at internode.on.net
Principal Kowari Consultant
Netymon Pty Ltd