Ding-Zhu Du is co-editor of the first and soon-to-be published, second editions, of the Handbook of Combinatorial Optimization. He was also co-author with P.M. Pardalos and W. Wu of the Kluwer publication "Mathematical Theory of Optimization". Du will co-author upcoming Springer publications (2012) entitled "Connected Dominating Set: Theory and Applications" and "Introduction to Combinatorial Optimization". Prof. Du is also the EiC of the Journal of Combinatorial Optimization (Springer).Ker-I Ko is a well known expert in the field of theoretical computer science. He has authored a single publication with Birkhauser "Computational Complexity of Real Functions" in 1991, with very good reviews. Prof. Du and Ker-I Ko have written several texts together including "Problem Solving in Automata, Languages, and Complexity" John Wiley, 2001; "Theory of Computational Complexity", John Wiley, 2000; Both of these books have received good reviews.Xiaodong Hu is an expert in combinatorial optimization. He is a member of the editorial boards of Journal of Combinatorial Optimization and Discrete Mathematics, Algorithms and Applications.

From the reviews: "This book is intended for graduate courses of different levels, and course plans based on different chapter selections are proposed. Each chapter is accompanied by several pages of exercises and historical notes, setting the material and the references in context. The comprehensive bibliography covers a huge amount of literature in the heuristics and approximations area, as well as specific application problems. The index is detailed. This makes the book a good source for a course on approximation algorithms. ...For the more advanced reader the book seems to be an excellent in-depth resource on approximation algorithms, for their beginning up to the latest developments." -Gudula Runger, Computing Reviews "It contains a large amount of precisely selected topics covering various aspects and design techniques related to approximation algorithms. ... It has been intended as a textbook for a graduate course in theoretical computer science. ... it can also be used as a reference book for postgraduate students and researchers in the area of design and analysis of algorithms. It also serves as a reference for established researchers by providing efficient tools for various applied areas like applied mathematics, engineering, medicine, economics, and other sciences." (Vladimir Lacko, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1237, 2012) "This textbook organizes approximation algorithms into chapters based on the design techniques. ... this book is particularly suited for students who, possibly starting from scratch, want to first encounter, then absorb, and finally master the main techniques which have emerged as general paradigms in the design of approximation algorithms. This includes self-study by novices ... but also teaching by experts in standard courses." (Romeo Rizzi, Mathematical Reviews, January, 2013)

• Preface.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Greedy Strategy.- 3. Restriction.- 4. Partition.- 5. Guillotine Cut.- 6. Relaxation.- 7. Linear Programming.- 8. Primal-Dual Scheme and Local Ratio.- 9. Semidefinite Programming.- 10. Inapproximability.- Bibliography.- Index.

Ding-Zhu Du is co-editor of the first and soon-to-be published, second editions, of the Handbook of Combinatorial Optimization. He was also co-author with P.M. Pardalos and W. Wu of the Kluwer publication "Mathematical Theory of Optimization". Du will co-author upcoming Springer publications (2012) entitled "Connected Dominating Set: Theory and Applications" and "Introduction to Combinatorial Optimization". Prof. Du is also the EiC of the Journal of Combinatorial Optimization (Springer).Ker-I Ko is a well known expert in the field of theoretical computer science. He has authored a single publication with Birkhauser "Computational Complexity of Real Functions" in 1991, with very good reviews. Prof. Du and Ker-I Ko have written several texts together including "Problem Solving in Automata, Languages, and Complexity" John Wiley, 2001; "Theory of Computational Complexity", John Wiley, 2000; Both of these books have received good reviews.Xiaodong Hu is an expert in combinatorial optimization. He is a member of the editorial boards of Journal of Combinatorial Optimization and Discrete Mathematics, Algorithms and Applications.

From the reviews: "This book is intended for graduate courses of different levels, and course plans based on different chapter selections are proposed. Each chapter is accompanied by several pages of exercises and historical notes, setting the material and the references in context. The comprehensive bibliography covers a huge amount of literature in the heuristics and approximations area, as well as specific application problems. The index is detailed. This makes the book a good source for a course on approximation algorithms. ...For the more advanced reader the book seems to be an excellent in-depth resource on approximation algorithms, for their beginning up to the latest developments." -Gudula Runger, Computing Reviews "It contains a large amount of precisely selected topics covering various aspects and design techniques related to approximation algorithms. ... It has been intended as a textbook for a graduate course in theoretical computer science. ... it can also be used as a reference book for postgraduate students and researchers in the area of design and analysis of algorithms. It also serves as a reference for established researchers by providing efficient tools for various applied areas like applied mathematics, engineering, medicine, economics, and other sciences." (Vladimir Lacko, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1237, 2012) "This textbook organizes approximation algorithms into chapters based on the design techniques. ... this book is particularly suited for students who, possibly starting from scratch, want to first encounter, then absorb, and finally master the main techniques which have emerged as general paradigms in the design of approximation algorithms. This includes self-study by novices ... but also teaching by experts in standard courses." (Romeo Rizzi, Mathematical Reviews, January, 2013)

• Preface.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Greedy Strategy.- 3. Restriction.- 4. Partition.- 5. Guillotine Cut.- 6. Relaxation.- 7. Linear Programming.- 8. Primal-Dual Scheme and Local Ratio.- 9. Semidefinite Programming.- 10. Inapproximability.- Bibliography.- Index.

Ding-Zhu Du is co-editor of the first and soon-to-be published, second editions, of the Handbook of Combinatorial Optimization. He was also co-author with P.M. Pardalos and W. Wu of the Kluwer publication "Mathematical Theory of Optimization". Du will co-author upcoming Springer publications (2012) entitled "Connected Dominating Set: Theory and Applications" and "Introduction to Combinatorial Optimization". Prof. Du is also the EiC of the Journal of Combinatorial Optimization (Springer).Ker-I Ko is a well known expert in the field of theoretical computer science. He has authored a single publication with Birkhauser "Computational Complexity of Real Functions" in 1991, with very good reviews. Prof. Du and Ker-I Ko have written several texts together including "Problem Solving in Automata, Languages, and Complexity" John Wiley, 2001; "Theory of Computational Complexity", John Wiley, 2000; Both of these books have received good reviews.Xiaodong Hu is an expert in combinatorial optimization. He is a member of the editorial boards of Journal of Combinatorial Optimization and Discrete Mathematics, Algorithms and Applications.

From the reviews: "This book is intended for graduate courses of different levels, and course plans based on different chapter selections are proposed. Each chapter is accompanied by several pages of exercises and historical notes, setting the material and the references in context. The comprehensive bibliography covers a huge amount of literature in the heuristics and approximations area, as well as specific application problems. The index is detailed. This makes the book a good source for a course on approximation algorithms. ...For the more advanced reader the book seems to be an excellent in-depth resource on approximation algorithms, for their beginning up to the latest developments." -Gudula Runger, Computing Reviews "It contains a large amount of precisely selected topics covering various aspects and design techniques related to approximation algorithms. ... It has been intended as a textbook for a graduate course in theoretical computer science. ... it can also be used as a reference book for postgraduate students and researchers in the area of design and analysis of algorithms. It also serves as a reference for established researchers by providing efficient tools for various applied areas like applied mathematics, engineering, medicine, economics, and other sciences." (Vladimir Lacko, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1237, 2012) "This textbook organizes approximation algorithms into chapters based on the design techniques. ... this book is particularly suited for students who, possibly starting from scratch, want to first encounter, then absorb, and finally master the main techniques which have emerged as general paradigms in the design of approximation algorithms. This includes self-study by novices ... but also teaching by experts in standard courses." (Romeo Rizzi, Mathematical Reviews, January, 2013)

• Preface.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Greedy Strategy.- 3. Restriction.- 4. Partition.- 5. Guillotine Cut.- 6. Relaxation.- 7. Linear Programming.- 8. Primal-Dual Scheme and Local Ratio.- 9. Semidefinite Programming.- 10. Inapproximability.- Bibliography.- Index.