Mathematical Treasure: Sturm’s Cours d’Analyse

Author(s):

Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University)

Charles Sturm (1803-1855) was a Swiss mathematician who, early in his life, became involved with the French scientific and mathematical community. He eventually became a French citizen and from 1838 until his death taught at the elite École Polytechnique in Paris. He was admired for the strength and clarity of his teaching and, after his death, his lecture notes were collected and published as a formal text, Cours d’Analyse de l’École Polytechnique, in two volumes (1857-1863). The work was republished many times, the fifth edition appearing in 1877.

Title page of Cours d'Analyse by Charles Sturm, fifth edition, published in 1877

The table of contents for the first volume reveals the calculus topics studied at the École Polytechnique in the nineteenth century.

First page of table of contents of Cours d'Analyse by Charles Sturm, fifth edition, published in 1877

Second page of table of contents of Cours d'Analyse by Charles Sturm, fifth edition, published in 1877

Third page of table of contents of Cours d'Analyse by Charles Sturm, fifth edition, published in 1877

Fourth page of table of contents of Cours d'Analyse by Charles Sturm, fifth edition, published in 1877

Fifth page of table of contents of Cours d'Analyse by Charles Sturm, fifth edition, published in 1877

Sixth page of table of contents of Cours d'Analyse by Charles Sturm, fifth edition, published in 1877

These images were obtained through the courtesy of the University of California’s Digital Library. The book may be viewed in its entirety in the Internet Archive.

Index to Mathematical Treasures

Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University), "Mathematical Treasure: Sturm’s Cours d’Analyse," Convergence (March 2018)

Convergence

Tags:

Calculus