Differential Geometry cover

Differential Geometry

Rating 4.3
Word count
151K words
Chapters
58
ISBN
9787301107096

Tags

Summary

This is a textbook for the undergraduate course "Differential Geometry," a core foundational course for mathematics majors. The book consists of seven chapters and teaches the basic theories and methods of differential geometry.

Editor's review

Chen Weihuan's Differential Geometry is an undergraduate textbook long refined by Peking University Press, and the 2025 new edition continues its tradition of systematic content and rigorous exposition. Its seven chapters cover the basic framework of curve theory and surface theory, advancing step by step at a course pace from arc-length parametrization, curvature, and torsion to the first and second fundamental forms, Gaussian curvature, and geodesics. Its strength lies in balancing theoretical development with computational training: definitions, theorems, and worked examples are closely connected, and figures help build geometric intuition, making it easy to follow in class and to self-study after. For mathematics majors, it is a reliable bridge from classical differential geometry to subsequent courses on manifolds and Riemannian geometry; for exam preparation, its knowledge system corresponds clearly to common test points. When reading, focus on working through derivations by hand and understand formulas in relation to figures rather than merely memorizing conclusions. As a textbook, its length is limited, and some extended material needs to be supplemented through problem sessions or reference books; overall it is better suited as a semester's main textbook than as a quick-reference manual.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Undergraduate mathematics majors currently taking the core differential geometry course
  • Candidates preparing for mathematics graduate entrance exams who need to systematically review curve and surface theory
  • Self-learners who have studied advanced calculus and linear algebra and want to fill gaps in classical differential geometry
  • University instructors who need a clearly structured course textbook

Not a good fit for

  • Readers with only high school mathematics who have not studied multivariable calculus
  • Popular-science-oriented readers who want a quick grasp of differential geometry ideas without doing formula derivations
  • Researchers who have already systematically studied modern differentiable manifolds and are seeking advanced topics

Reading tips

  1. Read each chapter's introduction first to clarify what geometric problem the chapter addresses, then move on to definitions and theorems
  2. Keep paper and pen ready to re-derive key theorems section by section, understanding quantities such as curvature and torsion in relation to figures
  3. After each chapter, complete the exercises independently and check wrong answers against the corresponding definitions rather than rushing to solutions
  4. When reading alongside a manifolds or Riemannian geometry textbook, record the correspondence between classical results and general theory

About the publisher

Peking University Press China · Founded in 1979

Peking University Press is a comprehensive university press whose publishing areas cover classical literature, popular science, social culture, world history, Western philosophy, and culture. Its catalogue contains 6,031 titles, with representative books including A Dream of Red Mansions, Relativity: The Special and General Theory (15th Edition) (with Einstein's classic papers on unified field theory and other topics), Elements, Conics, The Aristocratic Families of the Eastern Jin, The Philosophy of Mythology (Volume I), The Philosophy of Mythology (Volume II), and The Origin of Continents and Oceans. Representative authors include Cao Xueqin, Zhou Ruchang, Albert Einstein, Euclid, Apollonius, Tian Yuqing, Schelling, and Xian Gang. The press has developed distinctive strengths in classical Chinese literature and in the translation of Western philosophical classics, while also covering scientific classics and social and cultural studies. As public information is limited, this description is based only on the books in the catalogue and offers no further extrapolation.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 内容简介
  3. 作者简介
  4. 前言
  5. 绪论
  6. 第一章 预备知识
  7. 1.1 三维欧氏空间中的标架
  8. 1.2 向量函数
  9. 第二章 曲线论
  10. 2.1 正则参数曲线
  11. 2.2 曲线的弧长
  12. 2.3 曲线的曲率和Frenet标架
  13. 2.4 曲线的挠率和Frenet公式
  14. 2.5 曲线论基本定理
  15. 2.6 曲线参数方程在一点的标准展开
  16. 2.7 存在对应关系的曲线偶
  17. 2.8 平面曲线
  18. 第三章 曲面的第一基本形式
  19. 3.1 正则参数曲面
  20. 3.2 切平面和法线
  21. 3.3 第一基本形式
  22. 3.4 曲面上正交参数曲线网的存在性
  23. 3.5 保长对应和保角对应
  24. 3.6 可展曲面
  25. 第四章 曲面的第二基本形式
  26. 4.1 第二基本形式
  27. 4.2 法曲率
  28. 4.3 Weingarten映射和主曲率
  29. 4.4 主方向和主曲率的计算
  30. 4.5 Dupin标形和曲面参数方程在一点的标准展开
  31. 4.6 某些特殊曲面
  32. 第五章 曲面论基本定理
  33. 5.1 自然标架的运动公式
  34. 5.2 曲面的唯一性定理
  35. 5.3 曲面论基本方程
  36. 5.4 曲面的存在性定理
  37. 5.5 Gauss定理
  38. 第六章 测地曲率和测地线
  39. 6.1 测地曲率和测地挠率
  40. 6.2 测地线
  41. 6.3 测地坐标系和法坐标系
  42. 6.4 常曲率曲面
  43. 6.5 曲面上切向量的平行移动
  44. 6.6 Gauss-Bonnet公式
  45. 第七章 活动标架和外微分法
  46. 7.1 外形式
  47. 7.2 外微分式和外微分
  48. 7.3 E3中的标架族
  49. 7.4 曲面上的正交标架场
  50. 7.5 曲面上的曲线
  51. 7.6 应用举例
  52. 附录
  53. 1 关于微分方程的几个定理
  54. 2 自共轭线性变换的特征值
  55. 3 用MATHEMATICA做的课件
  56. 习题解答和提示
  57. 参考文献
  58. 索引

FAQ

Can I read this book without having studied multivariable calculus?
Not recommended. Differential geometry makes extensive use of partial derivatives, vector analysis, implicit functions, and integration, and the parametrization of curves and surfaces and the computation of fundamental forms all build on these. It is better to master multivariable calculus and linear algebra from advanced mathematics first.
Is this book suitable as the only textbook for graduate exam review?
It can serve as the main textbook but not the only material. It has a complete system and corresponds clearly to course test points, making it good for building foundations; for review, you should also consult the target program's exam scope and past exam formats, supplement with problem sets or notes, and strengthen key chapters.
The book has many computations; how can I read it without getting lost in formulas?
For each geometric quantity introduced, first clarify what property it describes, then memorize the formula. Draw sketches during derivations and relate parameter changes to changes in the figure. When computations become complex, grasp the structure of the steps first and understand why parameters are set this way and why this coordinate system is chosen; formulas then cease to be isolated symbols.

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About the author

陈维桓 Author

Chen Weihuan is an author in the field of Chinese mathematics textbooks. Publicly available information about him is limited, and no clear records of his life, education, or academic positions have been found. Judging from the works held in the collection, he is the author of Differential Geometry and its second edition, which deal with the branch of mathematics known as differential geometry and are textbook-type readings commonly used in university mathematics courses. The publication of a second edition suggests that the first edition was used and received feedback in teaching, and that the author revised and improved the content accordingly. The collection classifies the work under examinations, indicating that the writing emphasizes the organization of key knowledge points and practice, making it suitable for students reviewing for exams. Overall, Chen Weihuan has published only a small number of works; his main contribution lies in presenting the fundamentals of differential geometry in a clear and systematic way, providing learners with a well-structured Chinese textbook that is easy to consult.

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