Applied Combinatorics

The tools of combinatorics are presented from an applied point of view, covering both standard and emerging topics and emphasizing a variety of applications as major topics of their own rather than isolated examples. The text is written for junior and senior undergraduates in courses populated by math and computer science majors, and majors in business, economics, biology, and psychology, and can also be used for a graduate course. After introducing fundamental counting rules and the tools of graph theory and relations, the authors focus on three basic problems of combinatorics: counting, existence, and optimization problems. Problem solving is emphasized, with exercises that test routine ideas, introduce new concepts and applications, and challenge the reader to use the combinatorial techniques developed. This second edition contains solutions to selected problems, and has been substantially rewritten, with 200 pages of new material, to reflect the development of the field over the past 20 years. In particular, many new applications in computer science and biology are described. There is a new chapter on binary relations. Information on the authors is not included. Annotation 穢2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)