Vectors, Matrices and
Complex Numbers
with International Baccalaureate problems

by Jean-Paul Ginestier and John Egsgard

Now payable by credit card

• Over 1500 exercises and problems, including International Baccalaureate questions, with answers
• Summary and Inventory at the end of each chapter for self-testing
• Full Index, Formula and Notation Appendix, Glossary
• Unique in its scope and level
• A more-than-complete introductory course on Vectors, Matrices and Complex Numbers suitable for College or Advanced Pre-College programs such as the International Baccalaureate
• Extra depth "In Search Of" sections in each chapter
• The most lucid explanations of the essence of Vectors, Matrices and Complex Numbers
• Both authors have extensive experience as IB examiners
• View sample pages and full list of contents below

The International Baccalaureate is a high quality programme of study that tries to bring together the best features inspired from various educational systems around the world; the IB Diploma is recognized for university entrance in most countries. In this book, past IB examination questions can be found in each of the Review Exercises and in the Problem Supplement. The questions have been selected from papers for Standard Level Mathematical Studies (SMS), Mathematical Methods (S) and Higher Level Mathematics (H).

The original edition of this book, published by Gage (Canada Publishing Corporation) in 1989 was designed primarily to cover the Ontario Academic Credit called Algebra and Geometry. It so happens that this course was almost entirely a subset of IB Higher Level Mathematics at that time. The coverage of Vectors and Complex Numbers is thorough, and clearly explained for students in their last years of secondary education.

Teachers will find that the most relevant chapters for vectors in the IB HL Mathematics course are 1, 3, 5 and 6, although some of the notions in chapter 2 are necessary. All Matrix and Transformation work is found in chapter 7, and all Complex Numbers in chapter 10. Chapter 9 on Induction also covers a section of the IB HL Mathematics syllabus. Although transformations have been removed from the new IB syllabus for exams from 2006, the authors think these are the best approach to understanding matrices. 

One characteristic of this book is that it tries to pay tribute, both by taking a historical approach where appropriate (as in the case of Complex Numbers), and by mentioning their names, to the many mathematicians who have led the evolution of these ideas for the last 500 years or so.

The book was reprinted with modifications in 1994. Although it has become the norm to publish entirely new textbooks as often as possible, then to discard them as quickly as possible, the authors believe that the best textbooks are those that are continuously revised, corrected, and updated.