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Hans Weinberger

Hans Weinberger is a mathematics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Hans Weinberger rather than just read about it. In short: Hans F. Weinberger (September 27, 1928 in Vienna – September 15, 2017 in Durham, North Carolina) was an Austrian-American mathematician, known for his contributions to variational methods for eigenvalue problems, partial differential equations, and fluid dynamics.

Key takeaways

  • Hans Weinberger belongs to mathematics; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Hans Weinberger to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Hans Weinberger from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Hans F. Weinberger (September 27, 1928 in Vienna – September 15, 2017 in Durham, North Carolina) was an Austrian-American mathematician, known for his contributions to variational methods for eigenvalue problems, partial differential equations, and fluid dynamics. He obtained an M.S. in physics from Carnegie Institute of Technology (1948) where he also got his Sc.D. on the thesis Fourier Transforms of Moebius Series advised by Richard Duffin (1950). He then worked at the institute for Fluid Dynamics at University of Maryland, College Park (1950–60), and as professor at University of Minnesota (1961–98) where he was department head (1967–69) and now is Professor Emeritus (1998–). Weinberger was the first director of Institute for Mathematics and its Applications (1981–87). Weinberger served as the IMA's first director from 1982 to 1987, and under his leadership, the IMA quickly became known for cutting-edge scientific programs, a collaborative atmosphere, and as a training ground for postdoctoral researchers. During his tenure, Weinberger was very engaged in scientific life at the IMA, attending lectures and collaborating with visitors and postdocs. His presence at these lectures usually meant that the toughest and most penetrating questions were asked. While well known for his contributions to the analysis of partial differential equations, especially eigenvalue problems, Weinberger turned his attention to mathematical biology later in his career. He remained active in research throughout his life and authored several papers after his retirement in 1998. Weinberger was elected a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1986 and was in the inaugural class of the American Mathematical Society Fellows in 2012 American Mathematical Society.

Selected articles Weinberger, H. F. (1952). "An inequality with alternating signs". Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 38 (7): 611–613. Bibcode:1952PNAS...38..611W. doi:10.1073/pnas.38.7.611. PMC 1063623. PMID 16589155. with J. B. Diaz: Weinberger, H. F. (1952). "Error estimation in the Weinstein method for eigenvalues". Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 3 (4): 643–646. doi:10.1090/s0002-9939-1952-0050177-5. MR 0050177. Diaz, J. B.; Weinberger, H. F. (1953). "A solution of the singular initial value problem for the Euler-Poisson-Darboux equation". Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 4 (5): 703–715. doi:10.1090/s0002-9939-1953-0058099-1. MR 0058099. Weinberger, H.F. (1960). "Error bounds in the Rayleigh-Ritz approximation of eigenvectors" (PDF). Journal of Research of the National Bureau of Standards. 64B (4): 216–225. doi:10.6028/jres.064b.023. Weinberger, H. F. (1964). "On bounding harmonic functions by linear interpolation". Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 70 (4): 525–529. doi:10.1090/s0002-9904-1964-11183-6. MR 0162953. with M. H. Protter: Protter, M. H.; Weinberger, H. F. (1966). "On the spectrum of general second order operators". Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 72 (2): 251–255. doi:10.1090/s0002-9904-1966-11485-4. MR 0190527.

Books A First Course in Partial Differential Equations (Dover, 1995) Maximum Principles in Differential Equations (Prentice-Hall, 1967; Springer, 1985). With Murray H. Protter. Variational Methods for Eigenvalue Approximation, C.B.M.S. Regional Conference Series in Applied Mathematics #15, S.I.A.M., Philadelphia, 1974.

See also Davis–Kahan–Weinberger dilation theorem

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Hans Weinberger

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Hans Weinberger claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In mathematics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Hans Weinberger before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Hans Weinberger ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Hans Weinberger

In research
Hans Weinberger appears in mathematics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Hans Weinberger in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Hans Weinberger is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1928 births, 2017 deaths, 20th-century American mathematicians, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Hans Weinberger outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
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How to study Hans Weinberger in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Hans Weinberger means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Hans Weinberger out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Hans Weinberger in simple terms?

Hans F. Weinberger (September 27, 1928 in Vienna – September 15, 2017 in Durham, North Carolina) was an Austrian-American mathematician, known for his contributions to variational methods for eigenvalue problems, partial differential equations, and fluid dynamics.

Why does Hans Weinberger matter?

Because it connects several mathematics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Hans Weinberger?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Hans Weinberger.

Tags

  • 1928 births
  • 2017 deaths
  • 20th-century American mathematicians
  • American people of Austrian descent
  • Austrian mathematicians
  • Carnegie Mellon University alumni
  • Fellows of the American Mathematical Society
  • Scientists from Vienna
  • University of Maryland, College Park faculty
  • University of Minnesota faculty

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