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This Very Short Introduction invites readers to revisit algebra and appreciate the elegance and power of equations and inequalities. Offering a clear explanation of algebra through theory and example, Higgins shows how equations lead to complex numbers, matrices, groups, rings, and fields.

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Algebra marked the beginning of modern mathematics, moving it beyond arithmetic, which involves calculations featuring given numbers, to problems where some quantities are unknown. Now, it stands as a pillar of mathematics, underpinning the quantitative sciences, both social and physical.

This Very Short Introduction explains algebra from scratch. Over the course of ten logical chapters, Higgins offers a step by step approach for readers keen on developing their understanding of algebra. Using theory and example, he renews the reader´s aquaintance with school mathematics, before taking them progressively further and deeper into the subject.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

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Peter M. Higgins is a Professor in Pure Mathematics at the University of Essex. He is the inventor of the Circular Sudoku puzzle type that now features in numerous newspapers, magazines and computer games. He has written extensively on the subject of mathematics, including Numbers: A Very Short Introduction (OUP, 2011) and Nets, Puzzles, and Postmen (OUP, 2007), which won the 2012 Premio Peano prize for the best book on mathematics, published inItalian.

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