Choice Review

"No attempt was made to be complete or encyclopedic," says author Ueberhuber in his preface, yet with nearly 1,000 pages in the combined two-volume collection, perhaps both feats were accomplished. Previously released in German and currently updated, these volumes discuss various aspects of computer numerics and are intended for anybody interested in computer numeric solutions to mathematical and scientific problems. Each chapter discusses actual and abstract formulations of problems taken from a specific area of computer application. Applied mathematics, numerical analysis, and numeric computation are the key tools used in the analysis of these problems. Naturally, the author spends a considerable amount of time discussing computer architecture and operating systems. Currently available numerical software and the algorithms they incorporate, their efficiency, and weaknesses are thoroughly examined. Volume 1 contains most of the essentials of numerical computation: model building, numerical operators and algorithms, and discrete and continuous approximations. Volume 2 includes discussion of numerical integration, systems of linear and nonlinear equations, and random number generators. A valuable resource for anyone interested in numerical computation. Recommended for mathematical research collections. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals. D. L. King Sarah Lawrence College