Mark H. Holmes - Böcker

The title gives a reasonable ?rst-order approximation to what this book is about. To explain why, let’s start with the expression “di?erential equations.” These are essential in science and engineering, because the laws of nature t- ically result in equations relating spatial and temporal changes in one or more variables.Todevelopanunderstandingofwhatisinvolvedin?ndingsolutions, the book begins with problems involving derivatives for only one independent variable, and these give rise to ordinary di?erential equations. Speci?cally, the ?rst chapter considers initial value problems (time derivatives), and the second concentrates on boundary value problems (space derivatives). In the succeeding four chapters problems involving both time and space derivatives, partial di?erential equations, are investigated. This brings us to the next expression in the title: “numerical methods.” This is a book about how to transform differential equations into problems that can be solved using a computer.The fact is that computers are only able to solve discrete problems and generally do this using ?nite-precision arithmetic. What this means is that in deriving and then using a numerical algorithmthecorrectnessofthediscreteapproximationmustbeconsidered,as must the consequences of round-o? error in using ?oating-point arithmetic to calculatetheanswer.Oneoftheinterestingaspectsofthesubjectisthatwhat appears to be an obviously correct numerical method can result in complete failure. Consequently, although the book concentrates on the derivation and use of numerical methods, the theoretical underpinnings are also presented andusedinthedevelopment.

FOAM. This acronym has been used for over ?fty years at Rensselaer to designate an upper-division course entitled, Foundations of Applied Ma- ematics. This course was started by George Handelman in 1956, when he came to Rensselaer from the Carnegie Institute of Technology. His objective was to closely integrate mathematical and physical reasoning, and in the p- cess enable students to obtain a qualitative understanding of the world we live in. FOAM was soon taken over by a young faculty member, Lee Segel. About this time a similar course, Introduction to Applied Mathematics, was introduced by Chia-Ch’iao Lin at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Together Lin and Segel, with help from Handelman, produced one of the landmark textbooks in applied mathematics, Mathematics Applied to - terministic Problems in the Natural Sciences. This was originally published in 1974, and republished in 1988 by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, in their Classics Series. This textbook comes from the author teaching FOAM over the last few years. In this sense, it is an updated version of the Lin and Segel textbook.

The title gives a reasonable ?rst-order approximation to what this book is about. To explain why, let’s start with the expression “di?erential equations.” These are essential in science and engineering, because the laws of nature t- ically result in equations relating spatial and temporal changes in one or more variables.Todevelopanunderstandingofwhatisinvolvedin?ndingsolutions, the book begins with problems involving derivatives for only one independent variable, and these give rise to ordinary di?erential equations. Speci?cally, the ?rst chapter considers initial value problems (time derivatives), and the second concentrates on boundary value problems (space derivatives). In the succeeding four chapters problems involving both time and space derivatives, partial di?erential equations, are investigated. This brings us to the next expression in the title: “numerical methods.” This is a book about how to transform differential equations into problems that can be solved using a computer.The fact is that computers are only able to solve discrete problems and generally do this using ?nite-precision arithmetic. What this means is that in deriving and then using a numerical algorithmthecorrectnessofthediscreteapproximationmustbeconsidered,as must the consequences of round-o? error in using ?oating-point arithmetic to calculatetheanswer.Oneoftheinterestingaspectsofthesubjectisthatwhat appears to be an obviously correct numerical method can result in complete failure. Consequently, although the book concentrates on the derivation and use of numerical methods, the theoretical underpinnings are also presented andusedinthedevelopment.

Many of the excellent exercises are derived from problems of up-to-date research and are drawn from a wide range of application areas.One hundred new pages added including new material on transcedentally small terms, Kummer's function, weakly coupled oscillators and wave interactions.

This introductory graduate text is based on a graduate course the author has taught repeatedly over the last ten years to students in applied mathematics, engineering sciences, and physics. Each chapter begins with an introductory development involving ordinary differential equations, and goes on to cover such traditional topics as boundary layers and multiple scales. However, it also contains material arising from current research interest, including homogenisation, slender body theory, symbolic computing, and discrete equations. Many of the excellent exercises are derived from problems of up-to-date research and are drawn from a wide range of application areas.One hundred new pages added including new material on  transcedentally small terms, Kummer's function, weakly coupled oscillators and wave interactions.

The objective of this textbook is the construction, analysis, and interpretation of mathematical models to help us understand the world we live in. Rather than follow a case study approach it develops the mathematical and physical ideas that are fundamental in understanding contemporary problems in science and engineering. Science evolves, and this means that the problems of current interest continually change. What does not change as quickly is the approach used to derive the relevant mathematical models, and the methods used to analyze the models. Consequently, this book is written in such a way as to establish the mathematical ideas underlying model development independently of a specific application. This does not mean applications are not considered, they are, and connections with experiment are a staple of this book.The book, as well as the individual chapters, is written in such a way that the material becomes more sophisticated as you progress. Thisprovides some flexibility in how the book is used, allowing consideration for the breadth and depth of the material covered.Moreover, there are a wide spectrum of exercises and detailed illustrations that significantly enrich the material. Students and researchers interested in mathematical modelling in mathematics, physics, engineering and the applied sciences will find this text useful.The material, and topics, have been updated to include recent developments in mathematical modeling. The exercises have also been expanded to include these changes, as well as enhance those from the first edition.Review of first edition:"The goal of this book is to introduce the mathematical tools needed for analyzing and deriving mathematical models. … Holmes is able to integrate the theory with application in a very nice way providing an excellent book on applied mathematics. … One of the best features of the book is the abundant number of exercises found at the end of each chapter. … I think this is a great book, and I recommend it for scholarly purposes by students, teachers, and researchers."  Joe Latulippe, The Mathematical Association of America, December, 2009

Students and researchers interested in mathematical modelling in mathematics, physics, engineering and the applied sciences will find this text useful.The material, and topics, have been updated to include recent developments in mathematical modeling.

This textbook provides an introduction to numerical computing and its applications in science and engineering. The essential role of the mathematical theory underlying the methods is also considered, both for understanding how the method works, as well as how the error in the computation depends on the method being used.

This textbook provides an introduction to numerical computing and its applications in science and engineering. The essential role of the mathematical theory underlying the methods is also considered, both for understanding how the method works, as well as how the error in the computation depends on the method being used.

This textbook provides and introduction to numerical computing and its applications in science and engineering. The essential role of the mathematical theory underlying the methods is also considered, both for understanding how the method works, as well as how the error in the computation depends on the method being used.