Mathematical methods for economic theory 1 (Q1962888)

This textbook is the first of a two-volume work intended to graduate students in economics as well as a reference work for economic scholars with a strong interest in microeconomic theorie. The required mathematical background corresponds to that of a second-year graduate student in economics. In each section there are one or more entries labeled `Examples/Exercises', as well as exercises at the end of each section. The exercises at the end of a section are for the purpose of providing a self-test. The material in these two volumes is recommended to be studied in the order presented. Volume 1 covers six sections: Section 1: Set theory and properties of \(\mathbb{R}^n\) with basic notations and concepts. Section 2: Sequences and infinite series; efficient allocation in a simple growth model. Section 3: Continuity and compactness, continuity of vector-valued functions, semi-continuous functions, transformation functions, sequences of functions and limit functions; production and cost functions. Section 4: Linear spaces, linear combinations and subspaces, linear transformations and functionals, normed linear spaces, inner product spaces, product spaces, direct sums, affine sets. Section 5: Convex sets and functions, extreme points of convex sets, projection theorems, basic separation theorems in \(\mathbb{R}^n\), convex and concave functions, quasi-convex and quasi-concave functions. Section 6: Applications of convexity; basic product and cost theory, distance and support functions, duality of cost and production, homotheticity, `fundamentals of welfare economics', constraint extrema and saddle points. For Vol. 2 see the following review (Zbl 0936.91002).