Introduction to Automata Theory, Languages, and Computation (2nd Edition)

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This book is a rigorous exposition of formal languages and models of computation, with an introduction to computational complexity. The authors present the theory in a concise and straightforward manner, with an eye out for the practical applications. Exercises at the end of each chapter, including some that have been solved, help readers confirm and enhance their understanding of the material. This book is appropriate for upper-level computer science undergraduates who are comfortable with mathematical arguments.

Customer Reviews:

A Butchered Classic.......2007-09-28

I've heard that the first edition of this book is a classic. Reading the second edition, I can kind of see that -- occasionally there will be a stretch of 5 pages or so that is wonderfully clear, concise, and informative.

But overall, this edition is a disappointment. The explanations tend to be mechanical and unhelpful, and are sometimes confused or just incorrect. New sections on mathematical foundations and applications have been added, but there isn't really adequate space devoted to covering either topic, and the results are so rushed and lacking in context that I can't see those sections being useful to anyone who would need them in the first place. Finally, this edition needs to be proofread for correctness! It contains numerous mistakes, some of them in the presentations of key proofs.

Updated Classic Text.......2007-08-29

The previous edition of this text was published in the late 70's (1979), and it was still in use today in many schools and Universities across the world. For good reason too, the authors of this text really nail down the concept of computability as we understand it today. It is very difficult to find an undergraduate curriculum that does not include a course in Computability or theory of computation, and that is certainly a change from a couple of decades ago where this type of study was left to the Graduate level curricula. What this means to the reader is that one can not be a Computer Scientist without understanding the concepts and theory behind what computability really means.

Things like Context Free languages and grammar are used readily in things like XML and its accompanying standards such as the DTD. So, it makes sense to update a classic text to include such topics and further illustrate to the reader that what once was a theory is now center stage of Computer Science and the IT industry as a whole.

The text starts with the classics such as an introduction to automata theory followed by languages. The authors have taken a more relaxed approach to the topics as the proofs are less formal and easier to follow. Plain text is usually used to informally proof the topic at hand, and the authors go into a more formal approach on selected proofs. This is definitely a better approach than the other texts in the same topic that proofs are center stage of the discussion and the reader gets lost early on in the process. The text is easy to read for students, and easy to explain for the instructors. I remember when I took theory of Computation for my graduate work proofs were so convoluted and difficult to read that I had to spend many of nights trying to understand what the instructor was talking about in the class.

As one would expect, the book then goes into Turning Theory and Machine with the concept to computability and complexity. Well, the good news is that the authors' approach to the topic does not change; lots of explaining of the basics followed by a more detailed formal approach to the topic. All I need to say is that I wish my text was this reader friendly! Chapter 8, Introduction to Turing Machines, sets the ground work for the rest of the text. It explains reducibility and more importantly how to reduce a problem, something I have never seen in any other text in such detail! Automata and its relation to Turing Machine is depicted in detail, so there is no gap between the topics. What is interesting is that the authors close the loop with actually talking about, for example the Halting problem, in the real world with a program.

As one would expect, different classes of problems are explored in detail with many examples (theory and real-world examples) that accompany the topic at hand. Each chapter ends with a summary of topics discussed followed by a set of exercises. There are also a number of exercises at the end of each section in a given chapter in order to reel-in the topic for the reader.

All and all, this is one great text on automata and computation theory. It is easy to read and follow for the students without the loss of content. The authors relate abstract concepts to real-world examples to further illustrate the importance of the topic at hand.

Good, but just it.......2007-06-27

A good book, but just it.
It's like a normal book. It's not bad but not excellent...

Automata theory. The heart of Computer Science.......2007-04-06

Excellent book. Nothing to say for this one.

Eh... Whatever..........2007-01-21

Uhm... I had to buy this book because it was a required text for a required course. Who would buy a book like this otherwise? Duh!

Number: The Language of Science, The Masterpiece Science Edition

Average customer rating:

Interesting theory overview of maths, algebra, and arithmetic
The best book about the history of numbers and the philosophical ramifications of new discoveries that I have seen
So deserves its "classic" status
A Human Story
Postmodern mathematics?

Number: The Language of Science, The Masterpiece Science Edition
Tobias Dantzig , Joseph Mazur , and Barry Mazur
Manufacturer: Pi Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0131856278

Download Description

"""It is the aim of this book to...present the evolution of number as the profoundly human story which it is.""

¿Tobias Dantzig

""This is beyond doubt the most interesting book on the evolution of mathematics which has ever fallen into my hands. If people know how to treasure the truly good, this book will attain a lasting place in the literature of the world. The evolution of mathematical thought from the earliest times to the latest constructions is presented here with admirable consistency and originality and in a wonderfully lively style.""

¿Albert Einstein

""Tobias Dantzig's Number: The Language of Science is one of the truly great classics of mathematical exposition, perhaps the most lucid history of the number concept ever written. Its republication should be a cause for celebration by every scientifically minded person, regardless of his or her mathematical background.""

¿Eli Maor, author of e: The Story of a Number and To Infinity and Beyond

""Tobias Dantzig's Number is a classic. A fascinating account of the evolution of mathematics, it deserves a place on the bookshelf of anyone who is interested in the history of thought.""

¿Charles Seife, author of Zero and Alpha and Omega

""A classic! Anyone interested in the history of numbers and mathematics should read this book.""

¿Mario Livio, author of The Golden Ratio

From the rudimentary mathematical abilities of prehistoric man to the counterintuitive and bizarre ideas at the edges of modern math, this masterpiece of science writing tells the story of mathematics through the history of its most central concept: number.

Dantzig succeeds in his aim to reveal a human story, and in making that story accessible to the non-expert. In his friendly and welcoming style, he shows how math developed from basic faculties present in us all, beginning with our ""number sense""¿the ability to discern that an object has been added to or removed from a small collection of objects without counting. The subsequent evolution of the concept of number is inextricably linked with the history of human culture, as Dantzig demonstrates. He shows how advances in math were spurred by the demands of growing commerce in the ancient world; how the pure speculation of philosophers and religious mystics contributed to our understanding of numbers; how the exchange of ideas between cultures in times of war and imperial conquest fueled advances in knowledge; and, ultimately, how the forces of history combine with human intuition to trigger revolutions in thought.

Sweeping in scope, Number is an open doorway into the world of math. Dantzig explains the foundations of mathematics with ease, and eloquently explores deeper philosophical questions that arise along the way. He describes the properties of all kinds of numbers¿integers, primes, irrationals, transcendentals, and more. He explains the significance of zero, and shows that its invention had revolutionary consequences for arithmetic. He shows how the invention of symbols for use in algebra¿a radical departure from tradition at the time¿ushered in a new era of math; how arithmetic and geometry reflect each other; and how calculus uses infinity to model the continuity of space and time.

With a new afterword, notes section, and bibliography written by math professor and author Joseph Mazur, and a new foreword by mathematician Barry Mazur, the Masterpiece Science edition of Number¿which was first published in 1930¿is the first update of Dantzig's classic work in over fifty years. It is a story that ranges from the dawn of man to the genius of history's greatest mathematicians, vividly revealing how the pursuit of knowledge transcends the rise and fall of civilizations."

Customer Reviews:

Interesting theory overview of maths, algebra, and arithmetic.......2007-07-03

Sometimes a bit tough, but in general very interesting to read the theory behind the various kinds of numbers. Including what we nromally would not see as a number..

The best book about the history of numbers and the philosophical ramifications of new discoveries that I have seen.......2007-05-14

The historical development of the different types of numbers mirrors the development of civilization. It all starts with the fingers and toes, which allowed for simple counting and the fact that we use base ten is due to the fact that humans have ten of each. The first chapter, "Fingerprints", demonstrates this. Chapter two describes what was an enormous achievement in improving the efficiency of arithmetic, the development of positional notation and the zero. It is hard for the modern person to look back and appreciate how revolutionary a development this was. Like most other inventions, it was necessity that drove the creation. As economies began to expand when Europe emerged from the Dark Ages, the numbers being used on a daily basis grew more frequent and larger. Roman Numerals were inadequate and inefficient, and it is hard to see how commerce and finance could have expanded as much as they did had positional notation not become the norm.
One of the most interesting and illuminating facts in on page 26. A university student is told that the German Universities were inadequate in providing instruction in multiplication and division, that to truly learn how to perform them, one must attend an Italian University. It is a demonstration of how far we have come in our educational system that what is now done in public grade schools was once considered advanced university education, not available everywhere.
Simple, universal notations also played a significant role in the development of mathematics, which is the topic of chapter five. Without the symbols to concisely express the operations of mathematics, it is difficult to see how mathematics could have advanced as fast or as far as it has. The development of the remaining numbers, such as fractions and irrational numbers are explained in great detail and in the appropriate historical context. The last chapter, "The Two Realities", is a philosophical examination regarding the extent to which numbers correspond to reality. Numbers are examined relative to subjective and objective realities. Counting processes are considered to be objective realities, because there is no subjective interpretation to be applied. Everyone can agree on the number of objects in a set, and Dantzig expounds in great length about how we should consider numbers to be "real." It is an interesting demonstration of thinking about how the various sets of numbers are considered and manipulated.
This is the best book about the historical development of numbers and the philosophical ramifications of new discoveries that I have seen. We humans use all kinds of numbers with an ease that would astonish learned men of only a few centuries ago. Dantzig writes so well in his descriptions of numbers that one really doesn't even need a background in algebra to understand this book.

Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission.

So deserves its "classic" status.......2006-12-15

NLS is, in a word, masterful. It is a fascinating and penetrating introduction to the "language of science". After laying a foundation of first principles (what is a number, what does it mean to count), Dantzig goes on to construct a veritable cathedral of mathematics. As the reader climbs ever higher, the mathematics Dantzig describes grows increasingly abstruse, but the exposition remains lucid and compelling throughout. Dantzig is a terrific guide -- an exceedingly good writer and a very deep thinker. Many of the concepts developed in NLS are treated ad nauseum in the popular mathematics literature, but nowhere as clearly. After reading the opening pages of NLS, I was impressed with the writing (very literary in style) but was skeptical that I would learn much from this slim volume. How very wrong I was. Time and again Dantzig clarified concepts and connections that have long eluded my full grasp. NLS is a superb book, and a fascinating read. This new edition is a useful improvement on its predecessors -- with excellent endnotes and bibliography, and a well-considered division of the book into text and appendices.

A Human Story.......2006-04-02

The striking facts about Danzig's book are :

1. It does not claim to be a 'popular' science book. At the outset, he warns the reader ".. it is not written for those who are afflicted with an incurable horror of the symbol". In doing so, I think he has gained more readership, simply because noone likes to be patronised, and most 'popular' science books are extremely patronising.

2. He makes it a point to explain to the reader that mathematics is not something that was made by the Hand of God. He clearly explains the mistakes made by some of the most eminent mathematicians, and thus brings out the 'human' element in the evolution of mathematics very beautifully.

3. He interweaves his philosophy with that of the history of math, and thus makes it eminently readable.

Postmodern mathematics?.......2005-07-11

Einstein called this "the most interesting book on the evolution of mathematics which has ever fallen into my hands."

Number was first published in 1930 with the fourth edition coming out in 1954. This is a republication of that fourth edition (Dantzig died in 1956) edited by Joseph Mazur with a foreword by Barry Mazur. It is an eminently readable book like something from the pages of that fascinating four-volume work The World of Mathematics (1956) edited by James R. Newman in that it is aimed at mathematicians and the educated lay public alike.

Part history, part mathematics and part philosophy, Number is the story of how we humans got from "one, two...many" to various levels of infinity. Strange to say it is also about reality. Here is Dantzig's concluding statement from page 341 in Appendix D: "...modern science differs from its classical predecessor: it has recognized the anthropomorphic origin and nature of human knowledge. Be it determinism or rationality, empiricism or the mathematical method, it has recognized that man is the measure of all things, and that there is no other measure."

Or more pointedly from a couple of pages earlier: "Man's confident belief in the absolute validity of the two methods [mathematics and experiment] has been found to be of an anthropomorphic origin; both have been found to rest on articles of faith."

These are inescapably the statements of a postmodernist. I was surprised to read them in a book on the theory of numbers, and even more surprised to realize that if mathematics is a distinctly human language, it is entirely possible that beings from distant worlds may speak an entirely different language; and therefore our attempts to use what many consider the "universal" language of mathematics to communicate with them may be in vain.

And this thought makes me wonder. Is the concept "two," for example, (as opposed to the number "2") really just a human construction? Would not intelligent life anywhere be able to make a distinction, just as we have, between, say, two things and three things? And if so, would they not be able to count? And would not then the entire edifice of mathematics (or at least most of it) follow?

I wonder if Dantzig was not in contradiction with himself on this point because earlier he writes (p. 252) "...any measuring device, however simple and natural it may appear to us, implies the whole apparatus of the arithmetic of real numbers: behind any scientific instrument there is the master-instrument, arithmetic, without which the special device can neither be used nor even conceived." Does this not imply that measurements (by any beings) and therefore numbers have an existence outside of the human mind and do not rest on "articles of faith"?

As to the numbers themselves (putting philosophy aside) we learn that the two biggest bugaboos in the history of number are zero and infinity. It took a long, long time for humans, as Dantzig relates, to accept the idea of zero as a number. Today zero is also a place-holder. But what does it mean to say that there are zero pink elephants dancing about my living room? I can see one cow in the yard, or two or three, but I cannot see zero cows in the yard.

Of course, today it is easy to see that zero is a number that is less than one and greater than minus one. I have one cow and I sell that one cow. Now I have zero cows. (Curiously, note that the plural noun "cows" is grammatically required.) However, the imperfect fit within the entire structure of mathematics that zero has achieved may be appreciated by realizing that every other number can be a denominator; that is, three over one equals three, three over two equals 1.5, etc., but what does three over zero equal?

It is a convention of mathematics to say that division by zero is "undefined." There is no other number about which the same can be said.

I used to think when I was young that infinity was the proper answer to division by zero. For Dantzig this is clearly not correct because to him infinity is not a number at all but a part of the process. He writes, "the concept of infinity has been woven into the very fabric of our generalized number concept." He adds, "The domain of natural numbers rested on the assumption that the operation of adding one can be repeated indefinitely, and it was expressly stipulated that never shall the ultra-ultimate step of this process be itself regarded as a number." Of course he is talking about "natural" numbers. He notes in the next sentence that in the generalization to "real" numbers, "the limits of these processes" were "admitted...as bona fide numbers." (p. 245) In other words, part of the process became a number itself!

The culmination of Dantzig's argument here is that infinity itself is a construction of the human mind and exists nowhere (that we can prove) outside of the human mind. He believes that the basis for our belief in the existence of infinity comes from our (erroneous) conception of time as a continuum. Dantzig notes that Planck time and indeed all aspects of the world are to be seen in terms of discrete quanta and not continuous streams.

Ultimately, Dantzig gives this sweeping advice to the scientist: "...he will be wise to wonder what role his mind has played in...[a] discovery, and whether the beautiful image he sees in the pool of eternity reveals the nature of this eternity, or is but a reflection of his own mind." (p. 242)

A Java Library of Graph Algorithms and Optimization (Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications)

Average customer rating:

A very handy collection
Printout of Java programs
Useful problem-solving tool
A mere compendium of poorly written algorithms

A Java Library of Graph Algorithms and Optimization (Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications)
Hang T. Lau
Manufacturer: Chapman & Hall/CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1584887184

Book Description

Because of its portability and platform-independence, Java is the ideal computer programming language to use when working on graph algorithms and other mathematical programming problems. Collecting some of the most popular graph algorithms and optimization procedures, A Java Library of Graph Algorithms and Optimization provides the source code for a library of Java programs that can be used to solve problems in graph theory and combinatorial optimization. Self-contained and largely independent, each topic starts with a problem description and an outline of the solution procedure, followed by its parameter list specification, source code, and a test example that illustrates the usage of the code. The book begins with a chapter on random graph generation that examines bipartite, regular, connected, Hamilton, and isomorphic graphs as well as spanning, labeled, and unlabeled rooted trees. It then discusses connectivity procedures, followed by a paths and cycles chapter that contains the Chinese postman and traveling salesman problems, Euler and Hamilton cycles, and shortest paths. The author proceeds to describe two test procedures involving planarity and graph isomorphism. Subsequent chapters deal with graph coloring, graph matching, network flow, and packing and covering, including the assignment, bottleneck assignment, quadratic assignment, multiple knapsack, set covering, and set partitioning problems. The final chapters explore linear, integer, and quadratic programming. The appendices provide references that offer further details of the algorithms and include the definitions of many graph theory terms used in the book.

Customer Reviews:

A very handy collection.......2007-04-15

There are many well-written textbooks that cover the theory
and algorithms on graphs and combinatorial optimization.
Very few provide the computer code for the methods. This
book offers an extensive collection of Java programs in
this area. Each program is self-contained and can be used
independently through parameter passing. The drawback of
the book is that the coding style is not object oriented,
and the programs would be difficult to maintain. The
description of the methods and their implementations is
terse. Hence the book is not intended as a learning text.
But the library of programs is a very convenient handy
device for students and researchers in locating solutions
to classroom didactic problems in graphs and optimization,
which apparently is the main objective of the book.

Printout of Java programs.......2007-03-27

This is my third review; my two previous reviews have been removed. I have already notified Amazon about this fact

As I have stated, book is just a printout of Java program, without any explanation how program is doing what is doing, what are program limitations in terms of memory, time and complexity. Programming style is mostly Fortran IV like. Programs are without single line of comment and with non-intuitive variable names, what makes modificatios difficult or impossible. Book can be useful for somebody who needs "black box" library, doesn't need to understand programs and trusts the author that programs fave no flaws

Useful problem-solving tool.......2007-02-09

This library of ready-to-use programs is extremely useful. I have used the programs with very minimal effort in obtaining solutions to some graph optimization problems. Unfortunately the programs are not well documented; it would be a challenge to make modifications to the code. However, the library serves as an ideal black box tool in solving most of the pedagogical graph theory and optimization problems, especially well suited for users who are not of much concern for the underlying methodology and implementation.

A mere compendium of poorly written algorithms.......2007-02-07

There are so many problems with this book, it's hard to know where to begin. So I don't come across as all and only negative, I will first give it credit for gathering together, at least in name a large number of graph processing algorithms.

That said, here are the problems:

The book is just a catalog of graph algorithms with poorly done documentation and even worse actual code. To wit:

*Each algorithm is preceded by a very brief explanation of what it does and some of the issues involved. Suffice it to say that it's the sparsest and most minimal explanation imaginable; if you don't already understand the issues involved, you probably won't after reading the short paragraph or two that precedes each algorithm / method.

*There is but ONE class and every bit of functionality is contained in its own individual, single static method. This "design" causes not a few of the methods to literally run to a thousand and more lines and contain dozens and dozens of (cryptically named) member variables.

So for instance, if you are interested in planarity testing, there's a "method" called planarityTesting that takes four parameters and returns true or false.

All well and good until you actually look at that method and see declared 51 , that's fifty-one, member variables. Each of these variables has poorly chosen names like, "wkpathfind2" and "store2" and "store3" and of course "store4" and "sortptr1" and "sortptr2". I thought this tactic of vowel-conserving naming of variables went out with the 8 + 3 DOS naming convention. At any rate, the cryptic naming scheme combined with the lack of javadoc combine to render each variable's purpose completely opaque. This makes it all but impossible to relate the code to the underlying graph theory.

Then comes the code.

Imagine a thousand and more lines, literally page after page after page of streaming code, all one single method, manipulating these cryptic variables in virtually uncommented ways.

That is pretty much what you get with this book. One algorithm after another after another.

I would say the following:
1) the author codes as if from another time. There is NO object-oriented design to this code whatsoever. None. Zero. Zip.

2)The methods are hundreds or thousands of lines of what amounts to undocumented symbol manipulation. There is small chance to learn anything from this book with respect to relating the code to graph theory.

3) I can say that, having implemented many of the algorithms in this book myself prior to buying this book, the book has contributed nothing to my understanding and further, that already understanding the issues surrounding many of these methods, that is being a qualified reader, is NOT sufficient to allow the reader to follow and understand the algorithms.

4) If you only want to use the (static) methods to return a value or ascertain some property of a graph and you don't care to understand how it works or why it works, then perhaps you'll be happy with this book, but then , why not release the object code as blackbox library? If the code was never meant to be read, and there is no attempt at explaining graph theory as it relates to the code, then what of value is left for the reader?

5) Finally, if the purpose of the book is deliver a good "black-box" library, readers should know that the actual implementation of the graph "object" chosen in this book makes will make that problematic. The book uses an adjacency matrix to represent the graph, a well known data structure in graph theory. Unfortunately, this data structure has the following well-known problem: it is only suitable for the rare instance of dense graphs. The runtime performance and memory demands of this data structure make it unsuitable to any but very very small graphs. Most graphs are neither very very small nor very very dense, (as dense is defined in graph theory), and for that reason almost all graph drawing packages opt for a linked-list data structure to represent the graph.

This is solidly the worst book on this subject I have yet encountered. Amazon offers a number of alternative books, including the fine Graph Algorithms, Third Edition by Robert Sedgewick and Michael Schidlowsky, a book I have no connection with whatsoever and two authors who are otherwise unknown to me. Bundle of Algorithms in Java, Third Edition (Parts 1-5): Fundamentals, Data Structures, Sorting, Searching, and Graph Algorithms, Third Edition

Average customer rating:

first edition
Excellent reference book for Maple
Great, ...but...

Introduction to Maple
Andre Heck
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Accessories:

ASIN: 0387002308

Book Description

This is a fully revised edition of the best-selling Introduction to Maple. The book presents the modern computer algebra system Maple, teaching the reader not only what can be done by Maple, but also how and why it can be done. The book also provides the necessary background for those who want the most of Maple or want to extend its built-in knowledge. Emphasis is on understanding the Maple system more than on factual knowledge of built-in possibilities. To this end, the book contains both elementary and more sophisticated examples as well as many exercises. The typical reader should have a background in mathematics at the intermediate level. Andre Heck began developing and teaching Maple courses at the University of Nijmegen in 1987. In 1989 he was appointed managing director of the CAN Expertise Center in Amsterdam. CAN, Computer Algebra in the Netherlands, stimulates and coordinates the use of computer algebra in education and research. In 1996 the CAN Expertise Center was integrated into the Faculty of Science at the University of Amsterdam, into what became the AMSTEL Institute. The institute program focuses on the innovation of computer activities in mathematics and science education on all levels of education. The author is actively involved in the research and development aimed at the integrated computer learning environment Coach for mathematics and science education at secondary school level.

Customer Reviews:

first edition.......2002-10-13

I have a copy of the first edition which covers Maple V release 2. While good the 2cd edition and the latter releases of Maple
are both definite improvements.

Excellent reference book for Maple.......2000-12-29

I use this book as a daily reference for calculations in Maple and it is very very useful. It is very detailed where there are examples for every function almost that you can think of. We all know that there is a help within the program, which is quite useful for the introduction to Maple. However, this book enables you to raise your calculations to a higher level. I have searched for a good reference book for Maple for a while and I saw this one in library where after a week of using it I decided to buy one, a nd certainly it has not let me down yet. I do a lot of calculations in Maple and I am sure that this will be very useful for anyone who is in natrual sciences especially mathematics. All general and well known topics are full explained, such as integration, differentiation, limits, differential equations, abstract algebra techniques... and many more. The best thing about this book is the fact that it is explained in a great detail and there are examples for every Maple function, which makes it much easier to understand and actually apply.

Great, ...but..........1999-04-13

Wonderful way of introducing a VERY powerful tool like Maple. However, a tool is exactly what it is; nothing more, nothing less...our own "grey matter" still has a lot to say.

Data Structures and Algorithms Using Visual Basic.NET

Average customer rating:

DataStructure/Algorithms/VB.Net
Excellent
Programmer
introductory algorithm course

Data Structures and Algorithms Using Visual Basic.NET
Michael McMillan
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521547652

Book Description

Including a tutorial on how to use data structures and algorithms and a reference for implementation using VB.NET and the .NET Framework Class Library, this is the first Visual Basic.NET book to provide a comprehensive discussion of the major data structures and algorithms. Michael McMillan presents arrays and arraylists, linked lists, hash tables, dictionaries, trees, graphs, sorting and searching as well as more advanced algorithms, such as probabilistic algorithms and dynamic programming in an object-oriented fashion. Finally, the professional or student VB.NET programmer has a dedicated reference instead of having to translate material on C++ or Java.

Download Description

This is the first Visual Basic.NET book to provide a comprehensive discussion of the major data structures and algorithms. Here, instead of having to translate material on C++ or Java, the professional or student VB.NET programmer will find a tutorial on how to use data structures and algorithms and a reference for implementation using VB.NET for data structures and algorithms from the .NET Framework Class Library as well as those which must be developed by the programmer. In an object-oriented fashion, the author presents arrays and arraylists, linked lists, hash tables, dictionaries, trees, graphs, sorting and searching as well as more advanced algorithms, such as probabilistic algorithms and dynamic programming. His approach is very practical, for example using timing tests rather than Big O analysis to compare the performance of data structures and algorithms. This book can be used in both beginning and advanced computer programming courses that use the VB.NET language and, most importantly, by the professional VB programmer.

Customer Reviews:

DataStructure/Algorithms/VB.Net.......2007-10-01

For some of us learning programming has been less of a structured approach and more of a journey, picking up what we could as we went along. This book is a significant aid in that it takes us back to the basics of how to write problem solving code and at the same time giving us an extended toolbox to apply to how we perform it. It has been a real help to me by reinforcing things to me that I thought I understood, and teaching me new ways to do things that I had no idea on how to approach.
Al Edlund

Excellent.......2007-09-20

I have selected this book to be the textbook of an introductory course in data structures and algorithms for my second year programming students. There were three major reasons behind this choice:

1- The book doesn't go into the mathematics found in other books. Of course, mathematics are essential for those who want to create algorithms, but it's not the case for the majority of programmers, at least in the business computing field, who just want to implement them. On the contrary, I think that teaching the mathematics underlying the construction of algorithms makes the learning process unnecessarily hard.

2- On the data structures field, the book takes advantage of structures already implemented in the major development platforms. As the author says it: "students of data structures and algorithms can now see how to use a data structure before learning how to implement it" (Preface, p. vii). From an educational standpoint, this is a far better approach than starting to discuss a concept abstractly.

3- The examples are in VB .NET, which I consider a good starting programming language. For those who rather prefer another language, the author has recently published the same book for C#: "Data Structures and Algorithms Using C#".

In a word, I consider this book an excellent practical approach to learn common data structures and algorithms without going into the complexity of mathematics.

Programmer.......2006-12-14

Michael McMillan's "Data Structures and Algorithms Using Visual Basic.Net" is an excellent resource for the serious programmer using Visual Basic.Net. With the advent of the .Net technology there have been some major changes to Visual Basic, one of them being the collection classes. Most vb reference books provide a weak introduction to the collections and how to use them; this is the focus of the book and really allows the reader to gain enough confidence to start using them effectively in their own programs.

I look forward to more books from this author.

introductory algorithm course.......2005-09-10

McMillan does for Visual Basic in .NET what other languages like Java, C and C++ have long had. Fundamental data structures like hash tables or hash sets, arrays, linked lists. He shows how to use these in the VB context. They greatly simplify your programming tasks. These constructs are so widely used in any practical programming language.

Without them, you find yourself having to tediously reinvent basic functionality. Adding little value. And with the risk that your implementations might be buggy.

McMillan shows how to use the structures in several algorithms. Having said that, this book will not be of any surprise to someone already familiar with algorithms. It does not go into these to the depth of Knuth's 'Art of Computer Programming', or Sedgewick's texts.

From Numbers to Words: Reporting Statistical Results for the Social Sciences

Average customer rating:

A Must Have
A very useful book

From Numbers to Words: Reporting Statistical Results for the Social Sciences
Susan E. Morgan , Thomas Reichert , and Tyler R. Harrison
Manufacturer: Allyn & Bacon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 080133280X

Book Description

An invaluable reference tool that guides readers through drafting the results of quantitative experiments and investigations. Everyone who does quantitative social science research writes up the results of their experiments and investigations, and this book offers guidance on how to do so. This book teaches readers how to draft the results of statistical experiments and investigations in text or visual format. This how-to book serves as an effective reference tool for students new to statistics and for experienced researchers. For statistics students as well as statistical researchers.

Customer Reviews:

A Must Have.......2007-02-24

This is a "must have" book if you are taking statistics. I am presently taking Advance Statistics and I have always had trouble in the correct phrasing of the statistics that I have produced from my studies. I searched and bought many books to help guide me in this area. I was exicted when I read through this book. It not only guides you, it gives specific examples on the correct terminology. I am not yet an expert at writing up statistics but I am much better because of this book.

As a side note, I have also shown it to others in my class, along with my professor, and many are going to order it.

A very useful book.......2006-11-06

I got this for a quantitative methods class this semester and it's been a helpful guide for explaining how to write up results from statistical output. It provides clear 'how-to' examples and illustrations of individual statistics, as well as explanations of terminology used for reporting results.

If you're new to writing up statistical results, or would like a guide that clearly explains symbols, terminology, what you're supposed to include, and when/where to include it - this is for you.

Dewey Decimal Classification: 22nd Edition A Study Manual and Number Building Guide (Dewey Decimal Classification: A Study Manual & Number Building Guide)

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Dewey Decimal Classification: 22nd Edition A Study Manual and Number Building Guide (Dewey Decimal Classification: A Study Manual & Number Building Guide)
Mona L. Scott
Manufacturer: Libraries Unlimited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1591582105

Book Description

This guide is an essential purchase for technical services departments in all libraries, and has been updated to cover the changes introduced by the new edition of the DDC, which was published in August 2003. The study manual is used as a reference for the application of Dewey and is also suitable as a course text in Dewey. Scott provides an in-depth review of how DDC is updated and gives detailed lists of changes in each table and class.

Communication Research Measures: A Sourcebook (Lea's Communication Series)

Average customer rating:

Good resource, though dated (NOT a new 2004 edition)

Communication Research Measures: A Sourcebook (Lea's Communication Series)

Manufacturer: Lawrence Erlbaum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Methodology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0805852433

Book Description

The development of communication as a discipline has resulted in an explosion of scales tapping various aspects of interpersonal, mass, organizational, and instructional communication. These scales are scattered across a bewildering array of journals, books, dissertations, and research reports--a situation that often hinders awareness and use of particular measures. Intended as a partial remedy to the situation, this sourcebook brings together a variety of scales that measure a number of important communication constructs. The scales presented are drawn from areas of interpersonal, mass, organizational, and instructional communication--areas in which the use of formal, quantitative scales is particularly well developed. Communication Research Measures reflects the recent important emphasis on developing and improving the measurement base of the communication discipline. It results in an equal amount of labor saved on the part of the scholars, students, and practitioners who find this book useful, and it contributes in a significant way to research efforts.
Originally published by Guilford Press in 1994, now available from LEA.

Customer Reviews:

Good resource, though dated (NOT a new 2004 edition).......2007-09-26

This is a must-have for anyone doing research in communication as a primer on seminal instrument development. I'm anxiously awaiting a new edition that updates concepts and measures. The book pictured on Amazon appears to be identical to the 1994 edition that I already have. I see that the publisher is now listed as LEA. The earlier edition is The Guilford Press.

Average customer rating:

Mathematical Computing
David Betounes
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0387953310

Book Description

This book is designed to teach introductory computer programming using Maple. It aims to infuse more mathematically oriented programming exercises and problems than those found in traditional programming courses while reinforcing and applying concepts and techniques of calculus. All the important, basic elements of computer programming can be easily learned within the interactive and user friendly environment of a Computer Algebra System (CAS) such as Maple. Most chapters feature case studies that provide greater depth on some topics and also serve to illustrate the methodology of analysis and design of code for more complex problems. This book is directed at undergraduates in the fields of math, science, or secondary education. The CD-ROM that accompanies the book contains the electronic versions of all the examples in the text with additional discussion, related material, and optional exercises.

Classical And Quantum Computing: With C++ and Java Simulations

Average customer rating:

Great Book .. a must have for the serious computer scientest
simulations improve understanding

Classical And Quantum Computing: With C++ and Java Simulations
Y. Hardy
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

ASIN: 3764366109

Book Description

"Classical and Quantum computing" provides a self-contained, systematic and comprehensive introduction to all the subjects and techniques important in scientific computing. The style and presentation are readily accessible to undergraduates and graduates. A large number of examples, accompanied by complete C++ and Java code wherever possible, cover every topic.

Features and benefits:
- Comprehensive coverage of the theory with many examples
- Topics in classical computing include boolean algebra, gates, circuits, latches, error detection and correction, neural networks, Turing machines, cryptography, genetic algorithms
- For the first time, genetic expression programming is presented in a textbook
- Topics in quantum computing include mathematical foundations, quantum algorithms, quantum information theory, hardware used in quantum computing

This book serves as a textbook for courses in scientific computing and is also very suitable for self-study. Students, professionals and practitioners in computer science, applied mathematics and physics will benefit from using the book and the included software simulations.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book .. a must have for the serious computer scientest.......2006-07-29

This book is easy to read, and easy to follow with a wealth of information and hands on exaqmples that put you in the context in the right manner leading you to a better understanding of the subject matter. The author goes all the way from classical computing and its digital logic to the quantum computing world with examples in C++ that help concieve the inherent massive parallelism of Quantum Computers.

Comparing this title against others, this does stand out as a favorite for me. The ability of the authers to start from the classical and drive the reader to the quantum world flawlessly truely stands out; especially with C++ simulations described in the book. Two thumbs up indeed.

simulations improve understanding.......2005-04-11

The topics discussed are quite advanced. Typically these are covered in very theoretical books, that describe high level abstractions, with little in the way of code for the reader to experiment with. Hardy offers a different approach. There is still an advanced treatment of the topics. Where these range from cryptography to genetic methods to quantum computing and others.

But he gives you C++ and Java code, to simulate various systems. A great benefit in aiding your understanding of what are often research level matters. In which case, if you are a new researcher, like a grad student perhaps, then you might be able to get up to speed quicker.

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