What is the theory of shape?

Abstract

This expository article on Shape Theory contains the main concepts of this theory with a formulation of the most important results of this theory and also with some open problems. The proofs are omitted, however the article gives references to the hooks and papers, in which the reader can find the proofs. For simplicity, we formulate several theorems only in the form which clearly gives their geometric sense, even if there are known more general results with rather complicated formulations. The reader more interested in details, can find them in the original papers quoted in the list of references. © 1980, Australian Mathematical Society. All rights reserved.