Béla Bollobás - Böcker

Over the past few decades, graph theory has developed into one of the central areas of modern mathematics, with close (and growing) connections to areas of pure mathematics such as number theory, probability theory, algebra and geometry, as well as to applied areas such as the theory of networks, machine learning, statistical physics, and biology. It is a young and vibrant area, with several major breakthroughs having occurred in just the past few years. This book offers the reader a gentle introduction to the fundamental concepts and techniques of graph theory, covering classical topics such as matchings, colourings and connectivity, alongside the modern and vibrant areas of extremal graph theory, Ramsey theory, and random graphs. The focus throughout is on beautiful questions, ideas and proofs, and on illustrating simple but powerful techniques, such as the probabilistic method, that should be part of every young mathematician's toolkit.

Littlewood's Miscellany, which includes most of the earlier work as well as much of the material Professor Littlewood collected after the publication of A Mathematician's Miscellany, allows us to see academic life in Cambridge, especially in Trinity College, through the eyes of one of its greatest figures. The joy that Professor Littlewood found in life and mathematics is reflected in the many amusing anecdotes about his contemporaries, written in his pungent, aphoristic style. The general reader should, in most instances, have no trouble following the mathematical passages. For this publication, the new material has been prepared by Béla Bollobás; his foreword is based on a talk he gave to the British Society for the History of Mathematics on the occasion of Littlewood's centenary.

Combinatorics is a book whose main theme is the study of subsets of a finite set. It gives a thorough grounding in the theories of set systems and hypergraphs, while providing an introduction to matroids, designs, combinatorial probability and Ramsey theory for infinite sets. The gems of the theory are emphasized: beautiful results with elegant proofs. The book developed from a course at Louisiana State University and combines a careful presentation with the informal style of those lectures. It should be an ideal text for senior undergraduates and beginning graduates.

Paul Erdös was one of the greatest mathematicians of this century, known the world over for his brilliant ideas and stimulating questions. On the date of his 80th birthday a conference was held in his honour at Trinity College, Cambridge. Many leading combinatorialists attended. Their subsequent contributions are collected here. The areas represented range from set theory and geometry, through graph theory, group theory and combinatorial probability, to randomised algorithms and statistical physics. Erdös himself was able to give a survey of recent progress made on his favourite problems. Consequently this volume, consisting of in-depth studies at the frontier of research, provides a valuable panorama across the breadth of combinatorics as it is today.

Paul Erdös was one of the greatest mathematicians of this century, known the world over for his brilliant ideas and stimulating questions. On the date of his 80th birthday a conference was held in his honour at Trinity College, Cambridge. Many leading combinatorialists attended. Their subsequent contributions are collected here. The areas represented range from set theory and geometry, through graph theory, group theory and combinatorial probability, to randomised algorithms and statistical physics. Erdös himself was able to give a survey of recent progress made on his favourite problems. Consequently this volume, consisting of in-depth studies at the frontier of research, provides a valuable panorama across the breadth of combinatorics as it is today.

Now revised and updated, this brisk introduction to functional analysis is intended for advanced undergraduate students, typically final year, who have had some background in real analysis. The author's aim is not just to cover the standard material in a standard way, but to present results of application in contemporary mathematics and to show the relevance of functional analysis to other areas. Unusual topics covered include the geometry of finite-dimensional spaces, invariant subspaces, fixed-point theorems, and the Bishop-Phelps theorem. An outstanding feature is the large number of exercises, some straightforward, some challenging, none uninteresting.

Can a Christian escape from a lion? How quickly can a rumour spread? Can you fool an airline into accepting oversize baggage? Recreational mathematics is full of frivolous questions where the mathematician's art can be brought to bear. But play often has a purpose. In mathematics, it can sharpen skills, provide amusement, or simply surprise, and books of problems have been the stock-in-trade of mathematicians for centuries. This collection is designed to be sipped from, rather than consumed in one sitting. The questions range in difficulty: the most challenging offer a glimpse of deep results that engage mathematicians today; even the easiest prompt readers to think about mathematics. All come with solutions, many with hints, and most with illustrations. Whether you are an expert, or a beginner or an amateur mathematician, this book will delight for a lifetime.

In this second edition of the now classic text, the already extensive treatment given in the first edition has been heavily revised by the author. The addition of two new sections, numerous new results and 150 references means that this represents a comprehensive account of random graph theory. The theory (founded by Erdös and Rényi in the late fifties) aims to estimate the number of graphs of a given degree that exhibit certain properties. It not only has numerous combinatorial applications, but also serves as a model for the probabilistic treatment of more complicated random structures. This book, written by an acknowledged expert in the field, can be used by mathematicians, computer scientists and electrical engineers, as well as people working in biomathematics. It is self-contained, and with numerous exercises in each chapter, is ideal for advanced courses or self study.

In this second edition of the now classic text, the already extensive treatment given in the first edition has been heavily revised by the author. The addition of two new sections, numerous new results and 150 references means that this represents a comprehensive account of random graph theory. The theory (founded by Erdös and Rényi in the late fifties) aims to estimate the number of graphs of a given degree that exhibit certain properties. It not only has numerous combinatorial applications, but also serves as a model for the probabilistic treatment of more complicated random structures. This book, written by an acknowledged expert in the field, can be used by mathematicians, computer scientists and electrical engineers, as well as people working in biomathematics. It is self-contained, and with numerous exercises in each chapter, is ideal for advanced courses or self study.

Over the past few decades, graph theory has developed into one of the central areas of modern mathematics, with close (and growing) connections to areas of pure mathematics such as number theory, probability theory, algebra and geometry, as well as to applied areas such as the theory of networks, machine learning, statistical physics, and biology. It is a young and vibrant area, with several major breakthroughs having occurred in just the past few years. This book offers the reader a gentle introduction to the fundamental concepts and techniques of graph theory, covering classical topics such as matchings, colourings and connectivity, alongside the modern and vibrant areas of extremal graph theory, Ramsey theory, and random graphs. The focus throughout is on beautiful questions, ideas and proofs, and on illustrating simple but powerful techniques, such as the probabilistic method, that should be part of every young mathematician's toolkit.

Lovers of mathematics, young and old, professional and amateur, will enjoy this book. It is mathematics with fun: a collection of attractive problems that will delight and test readers. Many of the problems are drawn from the large number that have entertained and challenged students, guests and colleagues over the years during afternoon tea. The problems have their roots in many areas of mathematics. They vary greatly in difficulty: some are very easy, but most are far from trivial, and quite a few rather hard. Many provide substantial and surprising results that form the tip of an iceberg, providing an introduction to an important topic. To enjoy and appreciate the problems, readers should browse the book choosing one that looks particularly enticing, and think about it on and off for a while before resorting to the hint or the solution. Follow threads for an enjoyable and enriching journey through mathematics.