A Gateway to Modern Mathematics: Adventures in Iteration I is the first of a two-volume work on iterations in the RMS series Little Mathematical Treasures. The books in this series address senior secondary school students who are interested in exploring mathematics a little beyond what the school curriculum offers.

Iterations is an exciting topic of study and should interest both the amateur as well as the professional. Many of the iterations in elementary mathematics offer scope for extended investigation. They are like a gateway to important themes of modern mathematics such as fractals and chaos and offer a route for experiencing the experimental and visually aesthetic side of mathematics.

This book, which is at an elementary level, introduces the idea of iteration. It also explores various associated notions like fixed points, orbits, cycles, limit points, convergence, solution of equations and cobwebbing. It contains a large number of illustrative examples from the world of arithmetic, algebra and geometry.

Students preparing for the mathematical Olympiads will benefit from a study of the book, and teachers who run mathematics clubs will find here a rich source of material.

Shailesh A Shirali