🐻 Cornell Mathematics unofficial reading list, fall 2026
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The department publishes an official textbook list
Freshman level
Modeling w/ Calculus for the Life Sciences MATH 1106
- Modeling Life: The Mathematics of Biological Systems by Garfinkel et al.
Calculus I MATH 1110 / II MATH 1120
- Active Calculus: Single Variable by Boelkins et al.
Calculus for Engineers MATH 1910 / Multivariable Calculus for Engineers MATH 1920
- Calculus by Rogawski et al.
Sophomore level
Linear Algebra MATH 2210
- Linear Algebra w/ Applications by W. Keith Nicholson
Multivariable Calculus MATH 2220
- Multivariable Calculus by Don Shimamoto
Theoretical Linear Algebra & Vector Calculus I MATH 2230
- Vector Calculus, Linear Algebra & Differential Forms: A Unified Approach by Hubbard & Hubbard
Differential Equations for Engineers MATH 2930
- Elementary Differential Equations & Boundary Value Problems by Boyce et al.
Linear Algebra for Engineers MATH 2940
- Linear Algebra & Its Applications by Lay et al.
Junior level
Introduction to Analysis MATH 3110
- Understanding Analysis by Stephen Abbott
Manifolds & Differential Forms MATH 3210
- Manifolds & Differential Forms by Reyer Sjamaar
Intro. to Ordinary Differential Equations MATH 3270
- A Textbook on Ordinary Differential Equations by Ahmad & Ambrosetti
Senior level
Patterns, Proofs & Problems MATH 4040
- The Art & Craft of Problem Solving by Paul Zeitz
Honors Intro. to Analysis I MATH 4130
- The Way of Analysis by Robert S. Strichartz
Nonlinear Dynamics & Chaos MATH 4210
- Differential Equations, Dynamical Systems & an Intro. to Chaos by Hirsch et al.
- Nonlinear Dynamics & Chaos: W/ Applications to Physics, Biology, Chemistry & Engineering by Steven H. Strogatz
Applied Complex Analysis MATH 4220/5220
- Complex Analysis w/ Applications by Asmar & Grafakos
Numerical Analysis & Differential Equations MATH 4250/5250
- Numerical Analysis: Mathematics of Scientific Computing by Kincaid & Cheney
- Numerical Computing with MATLAB by Cleve B. Moler
Linear Algebra MATH 4310
- Linear Algebra by Friedberg et al.
- Adv. Linear Algebra by Bruce Cooperstein
Honors Linear Algebra MATH 4330
- Adv. Linear Algebra by Steven Roman
Computational Algebra MATH 4370
- Ideals, Varieties & Algorithms: An Intro. to Computational Algebraic Geometry & Commutative Algebra by Cox et al.
- Concrete Abstract Algebra: From Numbers to Gröbner Bases by Niels Lauritzen
Intro. to Combinatorics I MATH 4410/5410
- Basic Graph Theory by Bollobás & Morris
Intro. to Topology MATH 4530
- Basic Topology by M.A. Armstrong
- Counterexamples in Topology by Steen & Seebach
Basic Probability MATH 4710
- Intro. to Probability by Anderson et al.
Theory of Statistics MATH 4720
- Probability & Statistics by DeGroot & Schervish
Mathematical Logic MATH 4810
- Mathematical Logic by Ebbinghaus et al.
Doctoral level
Real Analysis MATH 6110
- Real Analysis: Measure Theory, Integration & Hilbert Spaces by Stein & Shakarchi
Measure Theory & Lebesgue Integration MATH 6210
- Measure, Integration & Real Analysis by Sheldon Axler
- An Introduction to Measure Theory by Terence Tao
Algebra MATH 6310
- Algebra by Serge Lang
- Algebra: Chapter 0 by Paolo Aluffi
Noncommutative Algebra MATH 6330
- Associative Algebras by Richard S. Pierce
- Noncommutative Algebra by Farb & Dennis
- Graduate Algebra: Noncommutative View by Louis Halle Rowen
- A 1st Course in Noncommutative Rings by T.Y. Lam
Lie Groups & Lie Algebras MATH 6390
- An Intro. to Lie Groups & Lie Algebras by Alexander Kirillov, Jr.
- Differential Geometry & Symmetric Spaces by Sigurdur Helgason
- Foundations of Differentiable Manifolds & Lie Groups by Frank W. Warner
- Introduction to Lie Algebras & Representation Theory by James E. Humphreys
- Linear Algebraic Groups by T.A. Springer
Enumerative Combinatorics MATH 6410
- A Course in Enumeration by Martin Aigner
- A Course in Combinatorics by van Lint & Wilson
Probability Theory I MATH 6710
- Probability: Theory & Examples by Rick Durrett
Set Theory MATH 6870
- The Higher Infinite: Large Cardinals in Set Theory from Their Beginnings by Akihiro Kanamori
Topics in Dynamical Systems MATH 7280
- Advanced Mathematical Methods for Scientists & Engineers: Asymptotic Methods & Perturbation Theory by Bender & Orszag