Math You Have Never Seen

This is a super thick book. It is a Mathematical Handbook on Higher Mathematics and it was written by Vygodsky. It was published by MIR Publishers Moscow. This book is out of print and is considered a collectible. It contains math topics that are no longer commonly taught today.
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Thank you:)

[@ioannis2000]

In the seventies, when I was at school in the former USSR, we had 6-8 hours every week with mathematics lessons. After school, we had mathematical club (kruzok), as well as chess, physics, chemistry, and biology. The strongest in classes would sit together with a weaker classmate to explain the difficult parts. Our grades would depend on the daily testing (everybody would get a 5-minute small written test before the lesson starts) and at least 2-3 control exams every 3 months, besides the final control test by the end of the semester.

[@ShadowMind312]

This is why Russians are so extremely intelligent in all disciplines; math is the foundation of everything else. I love all my fellow slavs!

[@GeorgeCGBarbosa]

@CriptotradingMath, I think you missed the point. URSS did this. Russia is behind on everything after capitalism hit them

[@carltoncotter2614]

@@ShadowMind312 No, critical thinking is the foundation of everything. Math grew out of philosophy. And this is why you can ask most STEM majors to cook an omellette and the first thing they will do is double click on Excel.

[@khawar0o7]

​@@carltoncotter2614r/iamverysmart

[@ShadowMind312]

@carltoncotter2614 good points sir!

[@noJobProgrammer]

Author Mark Yakovlevich Vygodsky (Марк Яковлевич Выгодский). That photo at the beginning of the book, is the author himself. This book in Russian cost less than $1 in some post-soviet countries. It was used by engineers as a reference book in CCCP, the book is very concise but covers a lot of areas from mathematics. Actually this book is nothing special, but when you have no computers and google there is no other choice.

[@graywhite1529]

популярней был Бронштейн/Семендяев (проще)😁

[@sdragoff]

@@graywhite1529 Бронштейн и Г. Корн, Т. Корн. Я по ним матан учил

[@jktekkerz8735]

@@sdragoffWhat does this mean? Any translation?

[@sdragoff]

@@jktekkerz8735 Bronshtein and Semendyayev, G. A. Korn, and T. M. Korn. I mostly used these books to learn mathematical analysis (matan in rus) in university.

[@jfverboom7973]

Even when you have Google the book still has worth. There is no guarantee, that googled information is either complete, structured or correct.

[@vijaypoduri7442]

I bought a copy in 1983 or 1984 in India ! Brings back memories of wonderfully cheap and well-written books.

[@TheMathSorcerer]

Wow!

[@leif1075]

​@@TheMathSorcererThanks for all your videos. Donyou think you cN respond to my other question about sum of squares of integers when you can? Thanks very much.

[@pierluigidelfrate1086]

There is also a similar physic book. B.M. Javorskij - A.A. Detlaf, "Physic handbook", MIR, Moscow, 1977, pp. 764. ;)

[@Fekuchand_]

I have that one but paperback edition

[@DeGuerre]

I have that one! I also have four volumes of "Fundamentals of Machine Design".

[@Fekuchand_]

@@DeGuerre i also wanted to buy p orlov fundamentals of machine design but couldn't get it

[@Fekuchand_]

@@DeGuerre there are 5 volumes if I'm not wrong

[@DeGuerre]

@@Fekuchand_As you can see, I'm missing one.

[@tonyjames1980]

I am from Kerala, India; in the 80s and 90s, MIR publishers used to publish books in Malayalam (the language spoken in Kerala) to promote science and maths. It motivated me to take engineering later. I still remember reading Yakov Perelman's physics books published in Malayalam.

[@7777simpleman7777]

Wow,

[@Travelnbites]

ivideyum malayali 😄

[@tonyjames1980]

@@Travelnbites bro

[@biswarupbhatacharjee6537]

Yesss.... Perelman's Physics can be fun started my love for Physics. And I read it in Bengali !!!

[@Nathan-ix9ov]

Malayali pewer monee

[@fenixfyre]

Love your content Math Sorcerer its great to see these gems of books!

[@314calls]

I have this one. Best for quick revision of concepts and formulas, man that final chapter on curves is just beautiful.

[@rajm2626]

How exciting! I have Vygodsky's Elementary Mathematics Handbook! So nice to see the higher maths version on your channel. The elementary maths handbook isn't just limited to elementary school maths, as it starts from basic addition and subtraction, but then it goes through algebra and geometry, and all the way up to the basics of limits! Very few workable examples in the book though - a practice book, perhaps a Schaum's Outline, would be needed to accompany it. Lots of great books were published in the Soviet Union. Thanks, Sorcerer!

[@pquirk99]

I have both handbooks - purchased in the late 1970s on the recommendation of a Cuban math professor I knew in Australia.

[@pquirk99]

My copy of Higher Mathematics cost AUD 6.95. Elementary Mathematics cost AUD4.50.

[@stevenhansen5453]

I enjoy math but I love books. I subscribed because of your appreciation of books. Cool video, by a cool guy, thank you!

[@Ramonsito1]

v cool book - and v cool channel. Thank you for your content. I am a professor in linguistics, but next year when I retire, I will pursue mathematics as one of my hobbies.

[@aleembagwan7072]

My late and wonderful mathematician father had this book in his collection. Always stood up from others. Miss you father 😢

[@dizelvinable]

During my school years, a relative gave me Vygodsky’s reference book for the school mathematics course. This was a great guide!

[@MrHaggyy]

I graduated engineering quite recently and it surprised me how this books covers almost everything in the order i got thought it. Would have been a great handbook almost 50 years later.

[@nomadr1349]

I have the original 1966 version of this book, and it is already an 8th edition. And it is a real pocketbook - just 11 by 17 cm (and 4.5 cm thick), or about 4"x7"x2" it is really more a quick reference guide.

[@batner]

mine are from the late 50s. I need to do something to preserve the books but i don't know how.

[@ElChelaila]

@@batnersearch on the internet. Keep them away of water and humidity

[@Andrei-xv1qj]

I've just watched this video and immediately ordered this book for myself. I think I need it, too!

[@scarletevans4474]

I like how you emphasized that the pages are "very thin". Most of people probably have no idea what you mean here, but you just reminded me about certain problem book from mathematical analysis that I had in cyrillic, which had these very thin pages too! Quite pleasant in touch, a really exquisite feeling! 🙂

[@adorp]

The thinnest pages I have ever found are in Taber's Medical dictionary. Next candidate would be Machinery's Handbook. I don't know who started this new trend of thinning books as much as possible. Thick pages last longer, and a chonky book just feels more... bookish. Portability? We have smartphones ffs.

[@MrKennard01]

Thank you for sharing this incredible book. I want one. Also the preceding version as well.

[@jonathanmaylott6273]

The picture in the book, the man is using a compass not a protractor.

[@dmitrybelansky3658]

Absolutely. I had one in my school days. God, it's been so long time ago!

[@lukaklis5192]

Thankyou

[@dont-want-no-wrench]

he has those typical round soviet glasses- you can see it on other photos of the era

[@acedlovesclips]

He is holding the compass but is also using a protractor

[@luisgalleguillos4868]

@@acedlovesclips Ha ha ha . I do not see the protractor .

[@KheraShanu]

This brings so much memories from my IIT JEE preparation time (India): I E Irodov and Krotov physics book problems were so difficult but fun!

[@joannthomases9304]

Loved the reading of that book. That was quite pleasing and interestingly simple to absorb. Enjoyed the raised printing, and your funny sniffing was pretty cool, but mostly i enjoyed how simply the author's explanations were. Very easy to comprehend and quite enjoyable !!!! Wish you could have read that whole book !! I was soooo happily loving it, and pretty sad when you stopped reading. 😭.....😂😂

[@Antonio_Gallego]

MIR Publishers was a soviet company that went bankrupt around 2008. Their books covered math, physics and engineering and were quite cheap, well translated and easily available in Spain in the late 80s and early 90s, There was a bookshop in Madrid, Rubiños, that imported and distributed them.

[@JxH]

Wikipedia: "In 2008, the company faced a bankruptcy case.[4] The case was closed by the Moscow Arbitral Court on June 2, 2009[5] because the publishing house had paid completely the debt to the creditors."

[@bearcb]

Same in São Paulo, Brazil

[@user-dv5sn2xv2y]

Thank you. I also like a handbook with beautiful printing and layout. Many textbooks are not easy to carry around.

[@juancarlossanchezveana1812]

Excellent bibliography. Thanks for sharing. Have a nice weekend

[@Research.3735]

Looks awesome and didn't Mir publisher's also published that cool physics book

[@technodromeVBlog]

Oh, this is the Vygodsky handbook! There is also a handbook book on elementary mathematics from this author. In my country, the book is quite popular and easy to buy, but the prices are too high. Perhaps because of the popularity, or because of the volume. Even at work I have one volume lying around, someone left it, sometimes I read it in my free time.

[@AlexpPresley701]

I am ordering this book in Russian, my native language! I've never heard of this mathematician, very interested. Thank you, Math Sorcerer!

[@everythingeverybody6526]

Love your content ^^

[@colsanjaybajpai5747]

I still have both of these. Mathematical handbook and higher Mathematical handbook. Both are fantastic

[@Khayrullah_for_unity]

Thank you for your review. As someone who was born and educated both in USSR and USA cannot agree with you more. Lobachevskiy, Kolmogorov, Perelman, only a few mathematicians among many others made enormous contribution to the advancement of mathematical science.

[@humlakullen]

Very interesting… Thanks for sharing!

[@zentyler1646]

Will you ever cover an AOPS book? I am enjoying their Intermediate Algebra book in that series, and I think you would, too.

[@Mrpallekuling]

I have a similar book bought in 1977: "A Guide Book to Mathematics" by Bronshtein and Semendyayev, published in 1973 (783 pages, translated from Russian to English). It includes lots of fundamental formulas, tables, graphs, and methods. I often consult it just for pleasure

[@harryedwardlawrence598]

Me too

[@Mrpallekuling]

@@harryedwardlawrence598 Nice 😀

[@andrej5861]

I have two editions..first and second

[@guotesuoze]

This is really an extremly cool book.

[@vector8310]

The dimensions of that volume make sense. A handbook should fit in the palm of your hand.

[@BobHooker]

In University Physics we used to use Mir books in Chicago. They are excellent.

[@philpollack8140]

2:00 - It's a compass, not a protractor.

[@innovate888]

I also caught this mistake immediately when I first heard it around 2:00.. but my viewing was 2 weeks after yours. Good you made First Comment. I assumed someone heard it before me so searched for an entry. Congrats for your accurate observation. Agreed: a Compass is Not a Protractor.. :)

[@AlessandroNevola]

I have an Italian translation of this book, bought at the beginning of the 90s. One of my favorites, for the simple presentation of all the topics.

[@vladimirs3456]

The publishing house "Mir" published a colossal amount of scientific literature... and translated a huge number of foreign scientists, including the USA... if you read in Russian you would be amazed what books on mathematics, physics and other natural sciences were published in the USSR, there were even books on mathematics for schoolchildren in the form of stories and novels. Feynman's lectures on physics were published in huge editions... and Vygotsky was a Soviet mathematician, author of many textbooks on mathematicians))

[@Priya-el1ei]

Can you please suggest a good book for mathematical modelling in biology (which contains bifurcation topic in detail)

[@gcloptonAPSU]

Handbook of Mathematics by Bronstein is a really great handbook. Used it throughout undergrad and grad school

[@hokiedevil]

It would be very interesting to see and read. I left mathematics years ago to use applied math in business. I am currently reading a biography of von Neumann and it brings back my early educational journey

[@Godplayzdice]

Mir publishers Moscow. Brings back childhood memories. Some fantastic books i read on physics in school days.

[@tickedoffsheikh8587]

I've recently started collecting very good 'old' books especially in the areas of economics, mathematics and physics and I am very fond of the Soviet era books. Though this channel is about mathematics I was wondering if viewers might be familiar with the great economics/econometrics textbooks by the Soviets as well. Did MIR publishers print economics books too? Or there were other english language publishers for the social sciences? Thanks 🙏🏽

[@kingfrenchtoes5769]

This is really cool! Do you know of a similar type of book that's more modern and accessible?

[@MattMcIrvin]

A lot of great physics and math texts came out of the USSR: grad students in the US were regularly using Landau and Lifshitz's "Course of Theoretical Physics" texts in the 1990s, and Gradshteyn and Ryzhik's "Table of Integrals, Series, and Products" was the integral table of last resort in the days before everyone was using computer algebra systems for the purpose. If you couldn't find your integral in there you probably couldn't find it anywhere.

[@rameshsnayar]

Landau - Lev Davidovich Landau - Nobel Prize in Physics 1962

[@user-dg9bj1sn4z]

Adding to my library thank you for the recommendation the book is very expensive so if you can find an online version treasure it !!!

[@justjacqueline2004]

Mir texts were invaluable for our A-Level Math course in the 1970s in Belfast ,they were the books our school could just about afford and few could understand.

[@bhagat0001singh]

Great book and great video ❤

[@ryanmckenna2047]

Really nice good. Will you show us all your rare books?

[@edoardosaccenti4829]

They were published in Italy too...I have the complete course of physics by Landau and Lifschitz, the calculus course by Smirnov, tbe one by Piskuniv, and many other on higher mathematics and physics...

[@nukeengineer5214]

I bought this book in early 1981 when I was in undergrad physics. I still have that book, and use it too. He also wrote another Mathematical Handbook "Elementary Mathematics" more a high school level rudimentary book. Mine are yellowed but I still take good care of them. Mir went out of business in early 1990's after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

[@miguelbelbut]

When I was a student, Mir books were much more affordable than most western manuals, and always very good. I have many wonderful physics and mathematics books from Mir, in portuguese, english, spanish and french. They also published many books covering advanced scientific topics targeting a general audience. "Sur la Physique et l'Astrophysique" (V. Ginzburg), "Idées Folles" (I. Radounskaia), "L'Atome de Aà Z" (K. Gladkov), "Au carrefour des Infinis" (E.Parnov), "Au Pays des Quanta" (L. Ponomarev), "Physique Nucléaire Recreative" (C. Moukhine) were a crucial part of my early discovery of particle physics and astrophysics, in high school. Later, I tried to collect all the volumes of the wonderful series "Theoretical Physics" by Landau and Lifschitz. My edition of Higher Algebra by A. Kurosh lists the following other books (besides Vygodsky's): Differential and Integral Calculs (N. Piskunov), Problems in Mathematical Analysis (Ed. B. Demidovich), Theory of functions of a Complex Variable (Sveshnikov and Tikhonov), Problems in the Theory of Functions of a Complex Variable (Volkovysky, Lunts, Aramanovich), Lectures in higher Mathematics (A. Myskis), Problems in Higher Algebra (Faddeev, Sominsky).

[@Fekuchand_]

I have few of tge books that you mentioned but in paperback edituon

[@MuchLowerThanThat]

5:36 Well, my granddad and grandma were engineers, so we had that Handbook of Elementary Mathematics in our home. It's worth more than its weight in gold.

[@Abozacademy]

Thank you for the great book

[@manwork6545]

Very nice book. The MIR edition is old and very rare now. Take good care of this book it's a gem!

[@arthurfrancodelimajunior1747]

Nice vídeo, congrates from Brazil!!!!

[@benjaminharrisiv650]

i click on these videos for the book smelling

[@rikz10]

During the 1980s, specialized book sellers in Buenos Aires offered a selection of math, physics, and engineering books from Mir Publishers. These books were originally written in Russian and translated into Spanish in Cuba.

[@aneesurrahmankhan6798]

I got this book in 1987 when I was in my BSc. I still have it as one of my prized collections. I felt glad recently when I saw my son referring to this book and taking notes.

[@rajeshwarmathpti4211]

I am proud to have this book with me .I bought it in a book fair in 1987 which collected books published by Mir Publication, Moscow.This book is superb and concentrates on many topics which are generally not invluded in other books.

[@Matlockization]

Love the camera work.

[@danielpalmer643]

I have a cool book from MIR Publishers, called 'Exercises in Higher Mathematics' in two volumes. The dust jacket isn't in great shape, but the book itself is very nice.

[@henrikstenlund5385]

I used this book in the 1970's and also its companion book, handbook of physics. They are comprehensive and writen in a smart way. I still use them as reference books. I am not sure if they can be purchased anymore.

[@ShaunLovesMaths]

Interesting stuff!

[@mirbooks]

❤❤❤❤❤ Ithink you have both Elementary Mathematics and Higher Mayhematics handbooks

[@LVVghost]

Zorich's "Mathematical Analysis" is also popular in Russia. You can find translations, too.

[@bleeder1999]

Cool book! Do you also read the math books or you just collect them?

[@akalvi]

I love mathematics and have never pursued any degree with as much devotion and passion as my Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. I also enjoy reading books on math and physics.

[@cornucopiahouse4204]

Did you do a review of handbook of analysis and foundation by Eric Schechter already? I'd like to know what you think about it.

[@ralhmcc47]

Do you think that a math book that was published in 1942 is a good learning tool? I for one need answers? I enjoy your your videos Ralph

[@mcd123]

What do you think is a good modern day version of this book? Or something that has similar content that I can actually purchase today? Thank you!!

[@juliocesarvasconcellos9979]

Piskunov and Demidovitch books are also excellent. Great suggestion !!!!

[@Pedritox0953]

Great video!

[@alevyts3523]

Vygodsky wrote one of the best books on calculus, Foundations of Infinitesimal Calculus. Who wants to understand calculus, I recommend his book.

[@user-te9yg8nl5h]

Thanks for recommendations. I think we should ask math sorcerer for a review

[@DavidThomas-fb8bq]

Internet archive

[@64MilestotheGallon]

Is that like smooth infinitesimal analysis? Idk if I’d recommend that as a first calc book

[@alevyts3523]

@@64MilestotheGallon No, the author simply decided to title the book that way.

[@khalilurehman5969]

Can you provide a link to pdf, I can't find it online

[@RK_Stats]

I have this book ( plus a few more ), given to me by my dad, who was a mathematician. Been having this since the last 50 years. I still refer to this sometimes. I plotted some of the curves as per the last chapter using geogebra and the results were spectacular. One other use I found is that after the curve was plotted, you can feed in the scatter values to a Machine Learning program and train the system to see if they can recreate the curves. Of course you will get an algebraic power series expansion that closely models these curves but the curves themselves are remarkable. The chapter itself is called "Some remarkable curves" beginning on page 756... Never seen those curves in any other single book... By the way, the book was priced at Rs 12/- , about 20 cents at today's exchange rate !!

[@lexolexoh]

Fucking communism !!!!!! I love it

[@DudeBroEasy]

Why ​@@lexolexoh

[@user-re4mw8zm4u]

Do you know about Kostrikin and Manin's book on linear algebra and geometry? quite rare and cool one.

[@JLchevz]

This is fascinating.

[@PrasannaSimhaM]

I ahd this and another volume (of Vygodsky) during my school days. There were a lot of excellent books from Mir Publishers

[@mfaracing]

I just got a pdf copy from the internet archive and gave them a donation. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@Hidrobyte]

Hi thanks for the Introduction of this Book, I am living in Germany and I just was curious if there is a German translation of the Book and discovered, that it is still published and available in Germany, with the latest edition published in 2023

[@DBear789]

Amazing - the fact is even from a country that no longer exist makes it rare but also it’s one the limited translations outside of native language . Amazing book

[@ChalkEater419]

We always love the books.

[@pubbliwebb]

Mr. Sorcerer Have you made reviews of advanced calculus books like Courant-John, Edwards ?

[@dro56789]

Same author has a book called Mathematical Handbook Elementary Mathematics. Don't know if there's an English version, but it's definitely worth checking.

[@Fekuchand_]

I have that one

[@maksimvialkov6303]

One of my favorite math books.

[@user-pc4i8ege55]

Mir Publishing was also famous in USSR for their high quality sci-fi translations.

[@mepo5673]

Priceless, incomparable, unrivaled.

[@MrTJKearns]

At 5:11 under SOME REMARKABLE CURVES item 505, "Leaf of Descartes" is pronounced like 'daycart', and not 'dezzcarr'. Descartes was a seminal figure in philosophy, science, and mathematics. He was known (in mathematics) for his work in Analytic Geometry (Cartesian Coordinates -- look up his work: "La Geometrie"), and greatly influenced the young Issac Newton.

[@bearcb]

There was a bookshop in São Paulo, Brazil that only sold soviet books, most of them by Mir publisher, in English and Spanish, even some in Portuguese. They were incredibly inexpensive for the quality (both content and paper/hardcover). Some of them were adopted in Universities. Unfortunately the bookshop no longer exists.

[@user-xx2qb4hw2z]

Thanks for sharing :)

[@sergeyd5777]

A good book is like a good web site. It is a collection of organized information. The creators assembled the collection, they did not create the content. The short-lived soviets did have a very good system of mass/public education, and an acceptable mathematics school. Thanks for the presentation and send me a link if you see one of these books for sale.

[@mariehart4294]

Fascinating review. (BTW, the device the author was holding is a compass, not a protractor.)

[@rkalle66]

"Handbook" derives from having something at hand when looking for information. Most important is the index when retrieving information as you won't want to read the complete book.

[@AuraOP]

Question how many of the books do you actually read? I just want to know so I can get inspired or something

[@markmillonas1896]

I did my BS and PhD in Physics (in the US, late 80s to early 90s) and have probably 50 english MIR published books on my shelves - mostly mathematics, and few physics. They were always the cheapest to buy at the campus bookstore - they were often printed with extremely cheap, thin paper, but after getting to know a few of them it became part of the charm. The company was state funded by the Soviet government, and I believe the translations were looked at partially as a form of outreach, so they published books that where useful, or particularly good, not specifically to make money. Though given the exchange rates and difficulty of getting tradable currency there was probably a financial incentive in there somewhere - it was just one that worked very differently, and got somewhat different results, than it would have in the west. I’m sure they produced some dross as well, but when I saw one on the shelf I would usually check it out because there we so many great ones. I just did a quick check and they survived the soviet “empire” by some years, but looks like they went bankrupt more than a decade ago, so a bit ironic. Some of them were simply the best overview and reference books around, like this one. Many of those were probably “commissioned” because there was a specific need. Others were just particularly good textbooks. The style was very different than a lot of western textbooks - they tended to be both laconic and very thorough at the same time, a style I came to appreciate and even love. A few years later when I came to work with many expat Soviet-trained physicists I learned the style was at least in part a cultural thing - one I came to appreciate. There is one Mir published book on complex analysis that is still very precious to me that even in translation I find to be just the most beautiful, spare but thorough thing I have ever read, then or since, covering a mathematical subject.

[@TheGTP1995]

I can't find the other channel, "the fitness sorcerer", could someone please give me a link?

[@nrqed]

I had many MIR physics books in physics and math when I was undergraduate (and still have most of them). They were actually quite cheap! These were French versions.

[@onetruekeeper]

There is a free PDF version available in the Internet Archives. There are also tons of other mathematical and science books posted by the same person.

[@WJV9]

The author is holding a 'Compass' or a 'Divider', not a 'Protractor'. A compass is a drafting tool used to draw circles or arcs and has one point for setting the center of rotation and then a lead or ink holder for drawing arcs or circles. A 'Divider' has two sharp points and is used to divide a line or arc or circle into parts and also to replicate a dimension to another part of the drawing. Before CAD all engineering students had to take a couple of drafting courses and had to purchase a drafting tool set for lead or ink drawings. I still have mine from 1960 as well as my slide rule. I also have a mathematics handbook I purchased for advanced mathematics class in high school back in 1959. The CRC Standard Mathematic Tables book served me well with 4 and 5 place Logarithms, Trig Functions, Differentials, Integrals, Fourier Transforms, Infinite Series, Statistics, etc. Of course most of the tables in the book are built into calculators but the solutions to many math equations & functions still makes the book a good reference. The newer editions contain a lot more information that is relevant to the computer and graphing calculator users.

[@sergeydukman5832]

What is the equation of the graph shown on the cover of this book?