Book
Handbook of Mathematical Functions with Formulas, Graphs, and Mathematical Tables
📖 Overview
The Handbook of Mathematical Functions, published in 1964 by the National Bureau of Standards, serves as a comprehensive reference work for mathematical functions and their properties. The book contains extensive tables of numerical values, series expansions, and graphs for special functions used across mathematics, physics, and engineering.
The volume includes detailed information on elementary transcendental functions, Bessel functions, hypergeometric functions, orthogonal polynomials, and many other specialized mathematical functions. Each chapter provides formulas, computational methods, and numerical examples, supported by rigorous mathematical derivations and references to original sources.
The work represents a collaboration between Milton Abramowitz, Irene Stegun, and numerous contributing mathematicians and scientists from major institutions. Despite its age, the handbook remains a standard reference text in scientific computing and applied mathematics.
This handbook exemplifies the intersection of pure mathematics with practical computation, demonstrating how theoretical foundations can be transformed into useful numerical tools. Its enduring influence speaks to the fundamental role of special functions in scientific and engineering applications.
👀 Reviews
Readers consistently reference this as their go-to reference for mathematical functions and formulas, with many mathematicians and engineers reporting they've used their copies for decades. Multiple reviewers note the book has saved them significant time compared to deriving formulas themselves.
Liked:
- Comprehensive coverage of special functions
- Clear organization and indexing
- High accuracy of numerical values
- Durable binding holds up to heavy use
- Useful for both quick lookups and deeper study
Disliked:
- Small print size strains eyes
- Paper quality in newer printings not as good
- Some notation conventions now outdated
- Limited explanations of formula derivations
- Price ($100+ for new copies)
Ratings:
Goodreads: 4.6/5 (89 ratings)
Amazon: 4.7/5 (168 ratings)
Notable review: "I've had my copy since 1972. The binding is falling apart but the data is still accurate and invaluable." - Amazon reviewer
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🤔 Interesting facts
📚 The "Handbook of Mathematical Functions" was first published in 1964 and became one of the most widely distributed and cited works in the history of mathematics, often called "the mathematician's bible."
🔢 The book contains over 1,000 pages of mathematical formulas, with many originally computed by hand before the widespread use of computers, making it a remarkable feat of human calculation and verification.
👥 Though Milton Abramowitz initiated the project, he passed away before its completion. Irene Stegun took over as editor and brought the work to fruition, though Abramowitz's name remained as lead author in recognition of his vision.
📈 The handbook was originally priced at just $6.50 by the U.S. Government Printing Office, making advanced mathematical knowledge widely accessible to scientists and engineers during the Space Race era.
🌐 In 2010, the book was succeeded by the Digital Library of Mathematical Functions (DLMF), a free online resource that updates and expands upon the original work, bringing this mathematical cornerstone into the digital age.