Functional Inequalities: From Analysis to Probability
21-317 Topics in Analysis · Fall 2026
Functional Inequalities
From Analysis to Probability
A course on the inequalities that connect geometry, probability, and dynamics—and on how to read, explain, and write research-level mathematics.
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Welcome to 21-317
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The course develops Poincaré, Sobolev, logarithmic Sobolev, and isoperimetric inequalities together with selected applications. We will move among Euclidean, Gaussian, and discrete settings, emphasizing spectral gaps, concentration of measure, entropy methods, and convergence to equilibrium for Markov processes.
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This course is supported by the National Science Foundation through grant DMS-2441170. See the official CMU course description and prerequisites.