Mathematical Preparations

Abstract

The basic differential and integral calculus are normally part of the content of curriculum in secondary school. However, experience has shown that the knowledge of basic mathematics has a large variation from student to student. The things which are completely clear or even trivial to one can pose high barriers to another. Therefore, in this introductory chapter the most important elements of differential and integral calculus will e recapitulated which are vital for the following course of Theoretical Physics. It is clear that this cannot replace the precise representation of a mathematics course. It is to understand only as an ‘auxiliary program’ to provide the basic tools for starting Theoretical Physics. The reader who is familiar with elementary differential and integral calculus may either use Sects. 1.1 and 1.2 as a revision for a kind of self-examination or simply skip them.