J. Michael Steele

This 2004 book presents a fascinating collection of problems related to the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality and coaches readers through solutions.

An Introduction to the Art of Mathematical Inequalities

The Cauchy-Schwarz Master Class

Michael Steele describes the fundamental topics in mathematical inequalities and their uses. Using the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality as a guide, Steele presents a fascinating collection of problems related to inequalities and coaches readers through solutions, in a style reminiscent of George Polya, by teaching basic concepts and sharpening problem solving skills at the same time. Undergraduate and beginning graduate students in mathematics, theoretical computer science, statistics, engineering, and economics will find the book appropriate for self-study.

Stochastic calculus has important applications to mathematical finance. This book will appeal to practitioners and students who want an elementary introduction to these areas. From the reviews: "As the preface says, ‘This is a text with an attitude, and it is designed to reflect, wherever possible and appropriate, a prejudice for the concrete over the abstract’. This is also reflected in the style of writing which is unusually lively for a mathematics book." --ZENTRALBLATT MATH

Stochastic Calculus and Financial Applications

An introduction to the state of the art of the probability theory most applicable to combinatorial optimization. The questions that receive the most attention are those that deal with discrete optimization problems for points in Euclidean space, such as the minimum spanning tree, the traveling-salesman tour, and minimal-length matchings.

Probability Theory and Combinatorial Optimization

This monograph provides an introduction to the state of the art of the probability theory that is most directly applicable to combinatorial optimization. The questions that receive the most attention are those that deal with discrete optimization problems for points in Euclidean space, such as the minimum spanning tree, the traveling-salesman tour, and minimal-length matchings. Still, there are several nongeometric optimization problems that receive full treatment, and these include the problems of the longest common subsequence and the longest increasing subsequence. The philosophy that guides the exposition is that analysis of concrete problems is the most effective way to explain even the most general methods or abstract principles. There are three fundamental probabilistic themes that are examined through our concrete investigations. First, there is a systematic exploitation of martingales. The second theme that is explored is the systematic use of subadditivity of several flavors, ranging from the naïve subadditivity of real sequences to the subtler subadditivity of stochastic processes. The third and deepest theme developed here concerns the application of Talagrand's isoperimetric theory of concentration inequalities.

United States. Office of Naval Research

STANFORD UNIV CA DEPT OF STATISTICS.

Let l(n) be the expected length of the longest unimodal subsequence of a random permutation. It is proved here that l(n)/sq. root of n converges to 2 sq. root of 2. This settles a conjecture of F.R.K. Chung. (Author).

Long Unimodal Subsequences: a Problem of F.R.K. Chung

Persi Diaconis

David Aldous

Joel Spencer

Discrete probability theory and the theory of algorithms have become close partners over the last ten years, though the roots of this partnership go back much longer. The papers in this volume address the latest developments in this active field. They are from the IMA Workshops "Probability and Algorithms" and "The Finite Markov Chain Renaissance." They represent the current thinking of many of the world's leading experts in the field. Researchers and graduate students in probability, computer science, combinatorics, and optimization theory will all be interested in this collection of articles. The techniques developed and surveyed in this volume are still undergoing rapid development, and many of the articles of the collection offer an expositionally pleasant entree into a research area of growing importance.

J. Michael Steele

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