The book under review contains six chapters that can be read independently, each one surveying one mathematical topic. ... It is carefully written, and it is better than a collection of lecture notes. Such books are needed for students, as a complement to the standard textbooks and to present more specialized applications of classical mathematics. The reviewer wishes there were many more such books." - Athanase Papadopoulos, Zentralblatt MATH
"This book has its origins, we are told, in the authors' experiences teaching graduate students in computer science, who needed background in certain mathematical topics. Since these topics were not covered in the basic courses that these students had taken, the authors undertook to introduce them in courses spanning several semesters, the lecture notes of which, suitably expanded, became this text. ... I like expository books, because I think, particularly in these days of increasing specialization, that they serve a valuable purpose, not only for students but also professionals who want to see what's going on in other areas, or who need some background in one area for research in another. This book is a fine example of that genre." - Mark Hunacek, MAA Reviews
