Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

The major differences between this book and richard's previous title published with TELOS in Jan. '94, are that a) in "Projects" theory was stated, then projects listed as exercises. In "Topics" there will be a set of problems. while the author will refer to some of the more useful algotithms in the "Prjects" text, most algorithms in the "Topics" vilume will be distincly new. Also, b) while "Prjects" in a course book (in context and design) with assigned Problems, "Topics" is inteded as a research reference with stated solutions. The author feels this is an extention of "Projects". "Topics" has a 40-page appendix and no diskette. Finally, the overall style and level of presentation are directed towars the research professional in "Topics", rather than a textbook approach.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

Although its title might suggest a weighty tome, this book is like a hacker's guide to the Platonic universe. The reader may have wondered how it is shown that certain very large numbers are prime, or how pi can be computed to one billion digits. The most up-to-date algorithms for these and other problems are in this book, and there is no need to wade through heavy doses of definition-theorem-proof to find them. For each topic, there is a short discussion of how and why the algorithms work. The discussion is followed by code in either Mathematica or C, also available on the Internet. Crandall provides problems on which the code may be used. His real challenge to the reader is to produce better algorithms that will allow further forays into mathematical space; those algorithms might break the record for the largest known object of a particular kind, or as the author shows, those computations might prove a theorem. Many topics are covered, from Newton's method through zeta functions, factoring, transforms, fractals, and compression. A great source of student projects. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals. P. Cull Oregon State University