VISUAL DIFFERENTIAL GEOMETRY AND FORMS, by Tristan Needham ---------------------------------------------------------- Differential Geometry contains the word Geometry. If A and B depend on a small ε, and their ratio → 1 as ε → 0: A is ultimately equal to B A ≍ B Symbol: ≍ Unicode code point: U+224D Unicode name: “EQUIVALENCE ≈” (also called “equivalence sign”) Needham calls it "ultimate equality" Block: Mathematical Operators This equality holds transitive and other properties. It can also be applied to objects, like triangles. Act I : The Nature of Space Act II : The Metric Act III : Curvature Act IV : Parallel Transport Act V : Forms Act III : Curvature ---> Climax ---> Global Gauss-Bonnet Theorem local geometry <---> global topology Manifold: generalisation to n dimension of 2d surfaces The Riemann tensor measures its curvature. Act V: Exterior calculus ---> differential forms, or just forms - Forms have immense power, reminiscent of complex numbers. - They give back more than they have been put in, a sign they are Platonic Forms. - They unify and clarify all vector calculus. - Green's, Gauss's and Stokes's theorems are != manifestations of a single th. - Undergraduates leaving college w/o knowing this ---> a scandal. - Forms are simple and beatiful: they, and Cartan, deserve more credit. The focus is on intrinsic, not extrinsic geometry. Notation: (equation), [figure] If ugly terms are cancelled, they should never have been there in the first place.