Handbook of Approximation: Algorithms and Metaheuristics

Handbook of Approximation: Algorithms and Metaheuristics

Handbook of Approximation: Algorithms and Metaheuristics

Edited by Teofilo F. GonzalezChapman and Hall/CRCMay 2007c.1424 pp.ISBN 978-58488-550-4US $129.95/£74.99

It is not often that a book on both approximation algorithms and metaheuristics is compiled and published. This text is a “handbook” and comes in a series that has tackled the task of producing comprehensive studies is several important areas. There is much interest in this and readers will be attracted to a publication that is devoted to it and to one that aims to study both the topics as an “in-depth coverage with emphasis on methodologies and applications.” The publishers write that the book starts with:

... basic approaches to ... the methodologies to design and analyze efficient approximation algorithms for a large class of problems, and to establish inapproxability results for another class of problems. It also discusses local search, neural networks, and metaheuristics, as well as multi-objective problems, sensitivity analysis, and stability. After laying this foundation, the book applies the methodologies to classical problems in combinatorial optimization,

computational geometry, and graph problems. In addition, it explores large-scale and emerging applications in networks, bioinformatics, VLSI, game theory, and data analysis.

Certainly the book will interest those who are using these techniques in applications to a wide range of current problems. These arise in operations research, computer engineering, computer science and economics, to name but some of the many disciplines that would benefit from such a study of the concepts and application of computer algorithms.

The Editor Dr Gonzalalez from the University of California, USA

Aims to:

• •

  describe basic methodologies that include restriction, greedy, relaxation, rounding, primal-dual, local search, transformation, and metaheuristics;

• •

  explain polynomial time and fully polynomial time approximation schemes, including standard, asymptotic, and randomized;

• •

  review approximation algorithms for bin packing, the travelling sales person problem, and Steiner trees;

• •

  discuss computational geometry and graph applications, such as triangulations, pair decompositions, partitioning, maximum planar subgraphs, edge disjoint paths and unsplittable flow, and communication spanning trees; and

• •

  presents the latest algorithmic applications, including wireless ad hoc networks, microarray analysis, and global routing.

Further, information, please visit the web site: www.crcpress.com

C.J.H. MannBook reviews and reports editor,Bangor University, Wales, UK