Preface xiToronto, for a grant to hire a student to check over the manuscript. Miss
Azita Bassiji, a Toronto undergraduate, has been helpful with her sugges-
tions.
Various colleagues have looked through the material and offered useful
advice, in particular Peter Borwein of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova
Scotia, Tony Gardiner of the University of Birmingham in England, Abe
Shenitzer of York University in Toronto, Ontario, and John Wilker of the
University of Toronto. I am also thankful to the many students and teachers
who functioned as guinea pigs, especially, to Jim Farintosh, a teacher at the
George S. Henry Academy in North York, Ontario, for his enthusiasm and
insights and to Ravi Vakil, currently an undergraduate at the University
of Toronto, for his comments on an early draft.
I heartily praise Paul Halmos, the general editor of the series to which this
book belongs, for his open-hearted acceptance of the concept of the book
and his encouragement in bringing it to fruition. While I was preparing
the manuscript, University College of the University of Toronto provided
access to a word processor and printer. With pleasure, I acknowledge the
understanding and efficiency of Springer-Verlag in preparing the book for
publication, notably those in the Editorial and Production departments.
Finally, I wish to express my deep appreciation to my wife, Eileen, and
children, Judy and Paul, for their support and encouragement over the
many years that this project was maturing.
E.J. Barbeau