The purpose of this monograph is to create a general framework for the study of optimal algorithms for problems that are solved approximately. For generality the setting is abstract, but we present many applications to practical problems and provide examples to illustrate concepts and major theorems. The work presented here is motivated by research in many fields. Influential have been questions, concepts, and results from complexity theory, algorithmic analysis, applied mathematics and numerical analysis, the mathematical theory of approximation (particularly the work on n-widths in the sense of Gelfand and Kolmogorov), applied approximation theory (particularly the theory of splines), as well as earlier work on optimal algorithms. But many of the questions we ask (see Overview) are new. We present a different view of algorithms and complexity and must request the reader's

This book contains five essays on the complexity of continuous problems, written for a wider audience. The first four essays are based on talks presented in 2008 when Henryk Wozniakowski received an honorary doctoral degree from the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena. The focus is on the introduction and history of the complexity of continuous problems, as well as on recent progress concerning the complexity of high-dimensional numerical problems. The last essay provides a brief and informal introduction to the basic notions and concepts of information-based complexity addressed to a general readership.

This invaluable book contains the collected papers of Stephen Smale. These are divided into eight groups: topology; calculus of variations; dynamics; mechanics; economics; biology, electric circuits and mathematical programming; theory of computation; miscellaneous. In addition, each group contains one or two articles by world leaders on its subject which comment on the influence of Smale's work, and another article by Smale with his own retrospective views.

V.1. A-B v.2. C v.3. D-Feynman Measure. v.4. Fibonaccimethod H v.5. Lituus v.6. Lobachevskii Criterion (for Convergence)-Optical Sigman-Algebra. v.7. Orbi t-Rayleigh Equation. v.8. Reaction-Diffusion Equation-Stirling Interpolation Fo rmula. v.9. Stochastic Approximation-Zygmund Class of Functions. v.10. Subject Index-Author Index.

In the Russian edition published in 1989, this book was called "Minimax Algorithms in Problems of Numerical Analysis". The new title is better related to the subject of the book and its style. The basis for every decision or inference concerning the ways to solve a given problem is the computa tion model. Thus, the computation model is the epicenter of any structure studied in the book. Algorithms are not constructed here, they are rather derived from computation models. Quality of an algorithm depends entirely on consistency of the model with the real-life problem. So, constructing a model is an art, deriving an algorithm is a science. We study only minimax or, in other words, worst-case computation models. However, one of the characteristic features of the book is a new approach to the notion of the worst-case conditions in dynamic processes. This approach leads to the concept of sequentially optimal algorithms, which play the central role in the book. In conclusion, I would like to express my gratitude to Prof. Dr. Heinz J. Skala and Dr. Sergei A. Orlovsky for encouraging translation of this book. I also greatly appreciate the highly professional job of Dr. Olga R. Chuyan who translated the book.

Surveys and summaries of latest research in numerical analysis, optimization, computer algebra and scientific computing.