The field of partial differential equations is an extremely important component of modern mathematics. It has great intrinsic beauty and virtually unlimited applications. This book, written for graduate-level students, grew out of a series of lectures the late Professor Petrovsky gave at Moscow State University. The first chapter uses physical problems to introduce the subjects and explains its division into hyperbolic, elliptic, and parabolic partial differential equations. Each of these three classes of equations is dealt with in one of the remaining three chapters of the book in a manner that is at once rigorous, transparent, and highly readable.Petrovsky was a leading figure in Russian mathematics responsible for many advances in the field of partial differential equations. In these masterly lectures, his commentary and discussion of various aspects of the problems under consideration will prove valuable in deepening students' understanding and appreciation of these problems.