An Introduction to the Undecidable and the Intractable
Limits of Computation: An Introduction to the Undecidable and the Intractable offers a gentle introduction to the theory of computational complexity. It explains the difficulties of computation, addressing problems that have no algorithm at all and problems that cannot be solved efficiently.
The book enables readers to understand:
- What does it mean for a problem to be unsolvable or to be NP-complete?
- What is meant by a computation and what is a general model of a computer?
- What does it mean for an algorithm to exist and what kinds of problems have no algorithm?
- What problems have algorithms but the algorithm may take centuries to finish?
Developed from the authors' course on computational complexity theory, the text is suitable for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students without a strong background in theoretical computer science. Each chapter presents the fundamentals, examples, complete proofs of theorems, and a wide range of exercises.
"? a very basic, reader friendly introduction to computational complexity theory. What sets their book apart from others on the topic is its leisurely pace. ? Because the book is so readable, it is likely that its primary audience will include students who experienced difficulties with other books on the topic. However, those students would probably benefit from more exercises than this volume provides, especially full solutions, at least for some exercises. ? Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates.
-M Bona, University of Florida in CHOICE Magazine, June 2013
"This excellent book on DSNs has a wealth of information for researchers, engineers, and scientists. It could be used as a textbook for graduate-level and doctoral courses on DSNs, and would also serve as a reference for engineers, scientists, and researchers working in this field."
-Computing Reviews, April 2013
