Numerical Analysis and Optimization: An Introduction to Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Simulation

Citation

Hutton, D.M. (2010), "Numerical Analysis and Optimization: An Introduction to Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Simulation", Kybernetes, Vol. 39 No. 7, pp. 1207-1208. https://doi.org/10.1108/03684921011062791

Browsing in a bookshop recently this book caught my attention, and made me wonder why, since it had been published in 2007, no reviews had appeared in the cybernetics literature. Probably, the reason was simply that so many systemists and cyberneticians still avoid too much contact with any text that is “too mathematical”.

The author of this book taught at the École Polytechnique and developed his text from a course that was given there. In its introduction, we are told that the book would be suitable for students and others with some first year studies in mathematics as a background to its more advanced developments. It was, we are told, written for advanced undergraduates, those who had graduated and also for researchers. But be warned, it turns out to be more than an introduction and rather should be titled an advanced study of many facets of the field. It does dip into some very high level discussions.

It has some 13 chapters many of which are self‐contained and can be selected by readers with a suitably advanced knowledge of their contents.

The book should not therefore be seen simply as an introduction, although Chapter 1 does provide an interesting discussion of what the author believes both modelling and simulation encompass in mathematics.

What is therefore the use of a text that seems to deny the meaning of its own title? Quite simply after the author's own introduction to these concepts we should consider the book in terms of providing us with well written and clear references which can be easily accessed on demand. In consequence it provides us with a useful archive of studies in some highly advanced theoretical areas of mathematical endeavour.