Product Description
Approaches the interplay between discrete mathematics and computer science as an algorithm point of view in the study of the probabilistic method in combinatorics.Includes a discussion of algorithmic techniques together with a study of the classical method as well as the modern tools applied in it. DLC: Combinatorial analysis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Well Writen, Good Tech Depth
This is a very nice book.

The content is well written and organized.

The proof detail of theorem is very reasonable. May omit something, but for the reader have some math background, it is quite easy to complete the proofs.

5 star without thinking.

Love, love, love this book...
I happen to love studying probability theory and the probabilistic method and this is the book I come to time and time again. It is well organized and provides great, straightforward, insightful explanations. However, its main strength is its wealth of beautiful (fairly recently) results (in varied fields) which show the method coming to life. Can't recommend this enough...

Learn from the masters
This book shows you how to approach problems in discrete mathematics that don't seem to be probabilistic at all, and nonetheless to apply probabilistic methods to find extremely sharp results. The book is full of beautifully chosen examples worked out by the authors, who are world class researchers in this subject area. Should be on the bookshelf of everyone who uses discrete mathematics.

A very interesting book
I found this book very enjoyable to read. Although theunderlying themeof the book is to demonstrate examples of proofs of existence of a propertyof a finite structure by showing the structure must have the property withpositive probabiltiy, the book goes beyond this to cover areas such ascircuit complexity and discrepancy theory that rely heavily onprobabilistic arguments. A must read for anyone who wants to addprobablistic tools to their toolbox for proving things about discretestructures. ... Read more

Product Description
A biography of the Hungarian pure mathematical genius, Paul Erdos, born in 1913 in Budapest. Erdos led a strange life, devoting 19 hours a day, seven days a week to the study of mathematics, travelling the world with his mother until his death at the age of 83. He is considered one of the most extraordinary thinkers of our times. ... Read more

Product Description

How Does One Cut a Triangle? is a work of art, and rarely, perhaps never, does one find the talents of an artist better suited to his intention than we find in Alexander Soifer and this book.       

—Peter D. Johnson, Jr.

This delightful book considers and solves many problems in dividing triangles into n congruent pieces and also into similar pieces, as well as many extremal problems about placing points in convex figures. The book is primarily meant for clever high school students and college students interested in geometry, but even mature mathematicians will find a lot of new material in it. I very warmly recommend the book and hope the readers will have pleasure in thinking about the unsolved problems and will find new ones.

—Paul Erdos

It is impossible to convey the spirit of the book by merely listing the problems considered or even a number of solutions. The manner of presentation and the gentle guidance toward a solution and hence to generalizations and new problems takes this elementary treatise out of the prosaic and into the stimulating realm of mathematical creativity. Not only young talented people but dedicated secondary teachers and even a few mathematical sophisticates will find this reading both pleasant and profitable.

—L.M. Kelly

Mathematical Reviews

[How Does One Cut a Triangle?] reads like an adventure story. In fact, it is an adventure story, complete with interesting characters, moments of exhilaration, examples of serendipity, and unanswered questions. It conveys the spirit of mathematical discovery and it celebrates the event as have mathematicians throughout history.

—Cecil Rousseau

The beginner, who is interested in the book, not only comprehends a situation in a creative mathematical studio, not only is exposed to good mathematical taste, but also acquires elements of modern mathematical culture. And (not less important) the reader imagines the role and place of intuition and analogy in mathematical investigation; he or she fancies the meaning of generalization in modern mathematics and surprising connections between different parts of this science (that are, as one might think, far from each other) that unite them.

—V.G. Boltyanski

SIAM Review

Alexander Soifer is a wonderful problem solver and inspiring teacher. His book will tell young mathematicians what mathematics should be like, and remind older ones who may be in danger of forgetting.

—John Baylis

The Mathematical Gazette

Customer Reviews (2)

A Geometric Gem
Thanks to Prof. Soifer for the very nice book.
I highly recommend not only the title but also
all other books of Prof. Soifer to all math lovers.

See journal reviews
Best information comes from objective extended journal reviews. See
them for yourself at

http://www.uccs.edu/~asoifer/

I hope you would enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it!

(This is all I meant to say, but amazon.com required a "rating in stars" in order to receive these lines -- I am not a judge, you are! So read and enter your verdict.) ... Read more