The book is aimed particularly at students and researchers who do not have the traditional prerequisites (for example, real analysis) for a first course in functional analysis, and are interested in the applications of this subject to areas such as partial differential equations and the finite element method. The selection, presentation and organization of material are guided by the principle that abstract concepts should be conveyed in a carefully structured and well-placed manner, in order to make these readily accessible to the target readership.

Assumes only elementary knowledge of linear algebra, vector analysis, and differential equations New concepts made more accessible by copious use of concrete worked examples Descriptive approach favored over detailed mathematical argument Chapter end with exercises to consolidate the material Solutions included

Inhalt
Contents.- Introduction.- Linear Functional Analysis.- Sets.- The algebra of sets.- Sets of numbers.- Rn and its subsets.- Relations, equivalence classes and Zorn's lemma.- Theorem-proving.- Bibliographical remarks.- Exercises.- Sets of functions and Lebesgue integration.- Continuous functions.- Meansure of sets in Rn.- Lebesgue integration and the space Lp(_).- Bibliographical remarks .- Exercises.- Vector spaces, normed and inner product spaces.