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Introduction to Algorithms and Java
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by Thomas H Cormen, Charles E Leiserson, Ronald L Rivest, and Clifford Stein
Sales Rank: 47848
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$108.60
At Amazon
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Hardcover: 1056 pages
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math; 2nd edition December 16, 2003
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0072970545
ISBN-13: 978-0072970548
Product Dimensions:
9.3 x 8.2 x 2 inches
Shipping Weight: 4.8 pounds
Product Review
If you had to buy just one text on algorithms, Introduction to Algorithms is a magnificent choice. The book begins by considering the mathematical foundations of the analysis of algorithms and maintains this mathematical rigor throughout the work. The tools developed in these opening sections are then applied to sorting, data structures, graphs, and a variety of selected algorithms including computational geometry, string algorithms, parallel models of computation, fast Fourier transforms (FFTs), and more.
This book's strength lies in its encyclopedic range, clear exposition, and powerful analysis. Pseudo-code explanation of the algorithms coupled with proof of their accuracy makes this book is a great resource on the basic tools used to analyze the performance of algorithms.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
The updated new edition of the classic Introduction to Algorithms is intended primarily for use in undergraduate or graduate courses in algorithms or data structures. Like the first edition, this text can also be used for self-study by technical professionals since it discusses engineering issues in algorithm design as well as the mathematical aspects.
In its new edition, Introduction to Algorithms continues to provide a comprehensive introduction to the modern study of algorithms. The revision has been updated to reflect changes in the years since the book's original publication. New chapters on the role of algorithms in computing and on probabilistic analysis and randomized algorithms have been included. Sections throughout the book have been rewritten for increased clarity, and material has been added wherever a fuller explanation has seemed useful or new information warrants expanded coverage.
As in the classic first edition, this new edition of Introduction to Algorithms presents a rich variety of algorithms and covers them in considerable depth while making their design and analysis accessible to all levels of readers. Further, the algorithms are presented in pseudocode to make the book easily accessible to students from all programming language backgrounds.
Each chapter presents an algorithm, a design technique, an application area, or a related topic. The chapters are not dependent on one another, so the instructor can organize his or her use of the book in the way that best suits the course's needs. Additionally, the new edition offers a 25% increase over the first edition in the number of problems, giving the book 155 problems and over 900 exercises that reinforce the concepts the students are learning.
Customer Reviews & Comments
This review is from: Introduction to Algorithms (Hardcover)
INTRODUCTION TO ALGORITHMS is pretty much the standard textbook in the field of algorithms. In its favor is the fact that it is quite comprehensive, covering a wide range of topics that the beginning student will need to know. On the other hand, it has a tendency towards the confusing and the obscure, with many of the example problems not making a lot of sense. If one decides to purchase this book (and the students will have no choice in this matter, being subject as they are to the whims of their professors), then I recommend that one immediately prints out the "bug correction" page available on the web, as there are several major howlers present in the book, and if one isn't careful then many hours will be lost while one checks and rechecks faulty pseudo-code. In one particularly confused portion of the book, the correction sheet completely replaces three entire pages of the text. This book covers a huge amount of material, and many of the topics are described quite adequately. Although readers may already be familiar with the numerous data structures that are discussed, the book doesn't assume prior knowledge and goes into quite a lot of detail concerning them. These sections, in particular, are illustrated clearly and offer great reference material that every programmer should have access to. This portion on data structures is one area where the book's conciseness is an advantage. It's simple enough for the beginner to learn from, but it contains more than enough information for the advanced user in need of mental refreshing. The opening sections that discuss the rudiments of algorithm analysis are also covered competently. The easier subjects don't suffer from the book's shortcomings, as these ideas aren't quite as difficult to understand. For a simple introduction to the easier-to-grasp concepts in Algorithms, these sections simply can't be bettered. It's not until later chapters that some of the material appears incomprehensible. Other parts of the book are very confusing to the beginning students who, presumably, make up the bulk of the target audience. If this text is used as an accompaniment to a class (as it usually is), then you'll probably do all right. One really needs to have some other source of information, because this book tends to get quite confusing. The problem sets included are frequently obscure, and don't always relate to the material in that chapter. The fact that many of the problems have no given solution (even if one attempts to contact the authors!) is quite telling. The style of the book is extremely dry and occasionally impenetrable, even when compared to other computer science textbooks. If you're looking at this page, then no doubt you're looking mainly for pricing information, since this book is the definitive standard on the subject. Keep in mind that "definitive" doesn't necessarily mean perfect, and, alas, this book is far from perfection. But if you have an alternative method of learning the material, then this is an excellent book to have as accompaniment. And once you've learned the material, you'll find this to be a great resource.
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Introduction to Algorithms and Java
Available from Amazon
Price: $108.60
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