Proceedings of Symposia in Applied Mathematics – Serie

These lectures emphasized specific areas of operations research and the mathematics used in modeling and solving the related problems. The lecturers were: Seth Bonder, Ralph L. Disney, Frederick C. Johnson, William P. Pierskalla, Robert B. Rovinsky, Warren E. Walker. Each lecturer attempted to make his presentation self-contained in terms of defining the application areas and mathematics employed.

The theory of networks is a very lively one, both in terms of developments in the theory itself and of the variety of its applications. This book, based on the 1981 AMS Short Course on the Mathematics of Networks, introduces most of the basic ideas of network theory and develops some of these ideas considerably. A number of more specialized topics are introduced, including areas of active research and a wide variety of applications. Frank Boesch gives the basic definitions in the mathematics of networks and in the closely-related topic of graph theory. He discusses two of the most fundamental network problems - the shortest path problem and the minimum spanning tree problem as well as some of their variants.Boesch also gives an interesting presentation in the area of network reliability. Frances Yao considers maximum flows in networks, the problem most often thought of in connection with the mathematics of networks. Richard Karp gives an account of the computational complexity of network problems. Using the case study method, Shen Lin demonstrates the effective use of heuristic algorithms in network design. Four applications of the mathematics of networks are presented by Daniel Kleitman. These include: the design of irrigation systems, the theory of electrical networks, the scheduling of delivery trucks, and the physics of ice. Finally, Nicholas Pippenger presents a chapter on telephone switching networks, an area of network theory that leads to difficult mathematics drawn from such apparently unrelated fields as harmonic analysis.

This is the proceedings of the 1983 AMS Short Course given at Denver, Colorado. Computer communications is characterized by rapid technological advances presenting problems of a theoretical nature that are often very difficult to solve. They range from those that arise on a single chip, where communication among thousands of elements on a chip is influenced by electrical properties, to those that arise when human beings communicate with databases where the logical aspects of communications play a more important role. A variety of mathematical methods is needed to attempt to solve such problems; they vary from partial differential equations to temporal or modal logic. The article on ""Diffusion Approximation"" is probably one of the best reviews of this field. The book is unique in having contributors from a variety of different fields of computer communications. All of the articles are of high research value and are self-contained.

The lecture notes contained in this volume were presented at the AMS Short Course on Population Biology, held August 6-7, 1983, in Albany, New York in conjunction with the summer meeting of the American Mathematical Society. These notes will acquaint the reader with the mathematical ideas that pervade almost every level of thinking in population biology and provide an introduction to the many applications of mathematics in the field.Research mathematicians, college teachers of mathematics, and graduate students all should find this book of interest. Population biology is probably the oldest area in mathematical biology, but remains a constant source of new mathematical problems and the area of biology best integrated with mathematical theory. The need for mathematical approaches has never been greater, as evolutionary theory is challenged by new interpretations of the paleontological record and new discoveries at the molecular level, as world resources for feeding populations become limiting, as the problems of pollution increase, and as both animal and plant epidemiological problems receive closer scrutiny. A background of advanced calculus, introduction to ordinary and partial differential equations, and linear algebra will make the book accessible. All of the papers included have high research value. A list of the contents follows.

These introductory survey lectures, the result of a 1984 AMS Short Course, focus on the algorithmic problems arising in the construction and utilization of large-scale information systems. Addressed to both mathematicians and computer scientists, the lectures require a background in the methodologies of discrete mathematics, in particular the elements of algebra, combinatorics and graph theory, discrete probability, logic and the theory of computation. All of the articles either are of high research value or survey profound themes in current research. They cover the two fundamental aspects of the field, i.e., database systems and communication networks.An overview of database architectures, the theory of data dependencies, and transaction management are provided, respectively, by the articles of Jacobs, Fagin and Vardi, and Garcia-Molina. Chung evaluates problems in the design of communication networks. Miller's discussion of data compression algorithms links current research to classical information theory. Finally, Tuzhilin describes a general framework evolved in the Soviet Union for modelling problems of information processing.

This collection of six papers provides a valuable source of material on the real-world problem of allocating objects among competing claimants. The examples given show how mathematics, particularly the axiomatic method, can be applied to give insight into complex social problems. Originally presented as an AMS Short Course, these papers could serve as a suitable text for courses touching on game theory, decision sciences, economics, or quantitative political science. Most of the material is accessible to the mathematically mature undergraduate with a background in advanced calculus and algebra. Each article surveys the recent literature and includes statements and sketches of proofs, as well as unsolved problems which should excite student curiosity.The articles analyze the question of fair allocation via six examples: the apportionment of political representation, the measurement of income inequality, the allocation of joint costs, the levying of taxes, the design of voting laws, and the framing of auction procedures. In each of these examples fairness has a somewhat different significance, but common axiomatic threads reveal broad underlying principles. Each of the topics is concerned with norms of comparative equity for evaluating allocations or with standards of procedures for effecting them; it is this focus on normative properties which suggests that a mathematical analysis is appropriate. Though game theory provides a useful tool in many of these allocation problems, the emphasis here is on standards rather than strategy and equity rather than rationality, an approach which more accurately mirrors real-world social problems.

These lecture notes from the 1985 AMS Short Course examine a variety of topics from the contemporary theory of actuarial mathematics. Recent clarification in the concepts of probability and statistics has laid a much richer foundation for this theory. Other factors that have shaped the theory include the continuing advances in computer science, the flourishing mathematical theory of risk, developments in stochastic processes, and recent growth in the theory of finance. In turn, actuarial concepts have been applied to other areas such as biostatistics, demography, economic, and reliability engineering.

Computational complexity theory is the study of the quantitative laws that govern computing. During the last 25 years, this field has grown into a rich mathematical theory. Currently one of the most active research areas in computer science, complexity theory is of considerable interest to mathematicians as well, since some of the key open problems in this field raise basic questions about the nature of mathematics. Many experts in complexity theory believe that, in coming decades, the strongest influence on the development of mathematics will come from the extended use of computing and from concepts and problems arising in computer science.This volume contains the proceedings of the AMS Short Course on Computational Complexity Theory, held at the Joint Mathematics Meetings in Atlanta in January 1988. The purpose of the short course was to provide an overview of complexity theory and to describe some of the current developments in the field. The papers presented here represent contributions by some of the top experts in this burgeoning area of research.

This volume contains the proceedings of a highly successful AMS Short Course on Chaos and Fractals, held during the AMS Centennial Celebration in Providence, Rhode Island in August 1988. Chaos and fractals have been the subject of great interest in recent years and have proven to be useful in a variety of areas of mathematics and the sciences. The purpose of the short course was to provide a solid introduction to the mathematics underlying the notions of chaos and fractals. The papers in this book range over such topics as dynamical systems theory, Julia sets, the Mandelbrot set, attractors, the Smale horseshoe, calculus on fractals, and applications to data compression. The authors represented here are some of the top experts in this field. Aimed at beginning graduate students, college and university mathematics instructors, and non-mathematics researchers, this book provides readable expositions of several exciting topics of contemporary research.

Contains sections on Riemannian geometry, Submanifolds, Foliations, Algebraic and piecewise linear topology.

In the last fifteen years, the Mandelbrot set has emerged as one of the most recognizable objects in mathematics. While there is no question of its beauty, relatively few people appreciate the fact that the mathematics behind such images is equally beautiful. This book presents lectures delivered during the AMS Short Course entitled 'Complex Dynamical Systems: The Mathematics Behind the Mandelbrot and Julia Sets', held at the Joint Mathematics Meetings in Cincinnati in January 1994.The lectures cover a wide range of topics, including the classical work of Julia and Fatou on local dynamics of analytic maps as well as recent work on the dynamics of quadratic and cubic polynomials, the geometry of Julia sets, and the structure of various parameter spaces. Among the other topics are recent results on Yoccoz puzzles and tableaux, limiting dynamics near parabolic points, the spider algorithm, extensions of the theory to rational maps, Newton's method, and entire transcendental functions. Much of the book is accessible to anyone with a background in the basics of dynamical systems and complex analysis.

This book connects coding theory with actual applications in consumer electronics and with other areas of mathematics. ""Different Aspects of Coding Theory"" covers in detail the mathematical foundations of digital data storage and makes connections to symbolic dynamics, linear systems, and finite automata. It also explores the use of algebraic geometry within coding theory and examines links with finite geometry, statistics, and theoretical computer science. This book features: a unique combination of mathematical theory and engineering practice; much diversity and variety among chapters, thus offering broad appeal; and, topics relevant to mathematicians, statisticians, engineers, and computer scientists. Contributions are by recognized scholars.

This book is the result of an AMS Short Course on Knots and Physics that was held in San Francisco (January 1994). The range of the course went beyond knots to the study of invariants of low dimensional manifolds and extensions of this work to four manifolds and to higher dimensions. The authors use ideas and methods of mathematical physics to extract topological information about knots and manifolds. The book features: a basic introduction to knot polynomials in relation to statistical link invariants; and, concise introductions to topological quantum field theories and to the role of knot theory in quantum gravity. ""Knots and Physics"" would be an excellent supplement to a course on algebraic topology or a physics course on field theory.

One of the great mathematicians of this century, Norbert Wiener was a universal thinker of colossal proportions. This book contains the proceedings of the Norbert Wiener Centenary Congress held at Michigan State University on November 27 - December 3, 1994. The aim of the Congress was to reveal the depth and strong coherence of thought that runs through Wiener's legacy, and to exhibit its continuation in ongoing research.This volume brings together the great minds who have furthered Wiener's ideas in physics, stochastics, harmonic analysis, philosophy, prosthesis and cybernetics. The presentations coherently lay out the developments of the subjects from their inception. This volume provides an excellent pathway for new investigators who may wish to pursue these developments by following the footsteps of world experts. There is no other book available in which experts in the various fields in which Weiner worked have presented his thoughts and contributions in such a coherent and lucid manner.

There exists a history of great expectations and large investments involving Artificial Intelligence (AI). There are also notable shortfalls and memorable disappointments. One major controversy regarding AI is just how mathematical a field it is or should be. This text includes contributions that examine the connections between AI and mathematics, demonstrating the potential for mathematical applications and exposing some of the more mathematical areas within AI.The goal is to stimulate interest in people who can contribute to the field or use its results. Included is work by M. Newborn on the famous Deep Blue chess match. He discusses highly mathematical techniques involving graph theory, combinatorics and probability and statistics. G. Shafer offers his development of probability through probability trees with some of the results appearing here for the first time. M. Golumbic treats temporal reasoning with ties to the famous Frame Problem.His contribution involves logic, combinatorics and graph theory and leads to two chapters with logical themes. H. Kirchner explains how ordering techniques in automated reasoning systems make deduction more efficient. Constraint logic programming is discussed by C. Lassez, who shows its intimate ties to linear programming with crucial theorems going back to Fourier. V. Nalwa's work provides a brief tour of computer vision, tying it to mathematics-from combinatorics, probability and geometry to partial differential equations. All authors are gifted expositors and are current contributors to the field. The wide scope of the volume includes research problems, research tools and good motivational material for teaching.

Lax and Nirenberg are two of the most distinguished mathematicians of our times. Their work on partial differential equations (PDEs) over the last half-century has dramatically advanced the subject and has profoundly influenced the course of mathematics. A huge part of the development in PDEs during this period has either been through their work, motivated by it or achieved by their postdocs and students. A large number of mathematicians honored these two exceptional scientists in a week-long conference in Venice (June 1996) on the occasion of their 70th birthdays. This volume contains the proceedings of the conference, which focused on the modern theory of nonlinear PDEs and their applications. Among the topics treated are turbulence, kinetic models of a rarefied gas, vortex filaments, dispersive waves, singular limits and blow-up of solutions, conservation laws, Hamiltonian systems, and others.The conference served as a forum for the dissemination of new scientific ideas and discoveries and enhanced scientific communication by bringing together such a large number of scientists working in related fields. The event allowed the international mathematics community to honor two of its outstanding members.

This book introduces readers to key ideas and applications of computational algebraic geometry. Beginning with the discovery of Grobner bases and fueled by the advent of modern computers and the rediscovery of resultants, computational algebraic geometry has grown rapidly in importance. The fact that 'crunching equations' is now as easy as 'crunching numbers' has had a profound impact in recent years. At the same time, the mathematics used in computational algebraic geometry is unusually elegant and accessible, which makes the subject easy to learn and easy to apply. This book begins with an introduction to Grobner bases and resultants, then discusses some of the more recent methods for solving systems of polynomial equations. A sampler of possible applications follows, including computer-aided geometric design, complex information systems, integer programming, and algebraic coding theory. The lectures in the book assume no previous acquaintance with the material.

The foundation for the subject of mathematical finance was laid nearly 100 years ago by Bachelier in his fundamental work, ""Theorie de la speculation"". In this work, he provided the first treatment of Brownian motion. Since then, the research of Markowitz, and then of Black, Merton, Scholes, and Samuelson brought remarkable and important strides in the field. A few years later, Harrison and Kreps demonstrated the fundamental role of martingales and stochastic analysis in constructing and understanding models for financial markets. The connection opened the door for a flood of mathematical developments and growth. Concurrently with these mathematical advances, markets have grown, and developments in both academia and industry continue to expand.This lively activity inspired an AMS Short Course at the Joint Mathematics Meetings in San Diego (CA). The present volume includes the written results of that course. Articles are featured by an impressive list of recognized researchers and practitioners. Their contributions present deep results, pose challenging questions, and suggest directions for future research. This collection offers compelling introductory articles on this new, exciting, and rapidly growing field.

To understand multiscale phenomena, it is essential to employ asymptotic methods to construct approximate solutions and to design effective computational algorithms. This volume consists of articles based on the AMS Short Course in Singular Perturbations held at the annual Joint Mathematics Meetings in Baltimore (MD). Leading experts discussed the following topics which they expand upon in the book: boundary layer theory, matched expansions, multiple scales, geometric theory, computational techniques, and applications in physiology and dynamic metastability. Readers will find that this text offers an up-to-date survey of this important field with numerous references to the current literature, both pure and applied.