In this first-ever graduate textbook on the algorithmic aspects of real algebraic geometry, the main ideas and techniques presented form a coherent and rich body of knowledge, linked to many areas of mathematics and computing. Mathematicians already aware of real algebraic geometry will find relevant information about the algorithmic aspects. Researchers in computer science and engineering will find the required mathematical background. This self-contained book is accessible to graduate and undergraduate students.

This is the first graduate textbook on the algorithmic aspects of real algebraic geometry. The main ideas and techniques presented form a coherent and rich body of knowledge. Mathematicians will find relevant information about the algorithmic aspects. Researchers in computer science and engineering will find the required mathematical background. Being self-contained the book is accessible to graduate students and even, for invaluable parts of it, to undergraduate students. This second edition contains several recent results on discriminants of symmetric matrices and other relevant topics.

Algorithmic and quantitative aspects in real algebraic geometry are becoming increasingly important areas of research because of their roles in other areas of mathematics and computer science. The papers in this volume collectively span several different areas of current research. The articles are based on talks given at the DIMACS Workshop on ``Algorithmic and Quantitative Aspects of Real Algebraic Geometry''. Topics include deciding basic algebraic properties of real semi-algebraic sets, application of quantitative results in real algebraic geometry towards investigating the computational complexity of various problems, algorithmic and quantitative questions in real enumerative geometry, new approaches towards solving decision problems in semi-algebraic geometry, as well as computing algebraic certificates, and applications of real algebraic geometry to concrete problems arising in robotics and computer graphics. The book is intended for researchers interested in computational methods in algebra.

In the last decade, there has been a burgeoning of activity in the design and implementation of algorithms for algebraic geometric computation. The workshop on Algorithms in Algebraic Geometry that was held in the framework of the IMA Annual Program Year in Applications of Algebraic Geometry by the Institute for Mathematics and Its Applications on September 2006 is one tangible indication of the interest. This volume of articles captures some of the spirit of the IMA workshop.

This book provides a comprehensive and user-friendly exploration of the tremendous recent developments that reveal the connections between real algebraic geometry and optimization, two subjects that were usually taught separately until the beginning of the 21st century. Real algebraic geometry studies the solutions of polynomial equations and polynomial inequalities over the real numbers. Real algebraic problems arise in many applications, including science and engineering, computer vision, robotics, and game theory. Optimization is concerned with minimizing or maximizing a given objective function over a feasible set. Presenting key ideas from classical and modern concepts in real algebraic geometry, this book develops related convex optimization techniques for polynomial optimization. The connection to optimization invites a computational view on real algebraic geometry and opens doors to applications. Intended as an introduction for students of mathematics or related fields at an advanced undergraduate or graduate level, this book serves as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners. Each chapter is complemented by a collection of beneficial exercises, notes on references, and further reading. As a prerequisite, only some undergraduate algebra is required.

This volume contains 16 carefully refereed articles by participants in the Special Semester and the AMS Special Session on Real Algebraic Geometry and Ordered Structures held at Louisiana State University and Southern University (Baton Rouge). The 23 contributors to this volume were among the 75 mathematicians from 15 countries who participated in the special semester. Topics include the topology of real algebraic curves (Hilbert's 16th problem), moduli of real algebraic curves, effective sums of squares of real forms (Hilbert's 17th problem), efficient real quantifier elimination, subanalytic sets and stratifications, semialgebraic singularity theory, radial vector fields, exponential functions and valuations on nonarchimedean ordered fields, valued field extensions, partially ordered and lattice-ordered rings, rings of continuous functions, spectra of rings, and abstract spaces of (higher-level) orderings and real places. This volume provides a good overview of the state of the art in this area in the 1990s. It includes both expository and original research papers by top workers in this thriving field. The authors and editors strived to make the volume useful to a wide audience (including students and researchers) interested in real algebraic geometry and ordered structures-two subjects that are obviously related, but seldom brought together.

While high-quality books and journals in this field continue to proliferate, none has yet come close to matching the Handbook of Discrete and Computational Geometry, which in its first edition, quickly became the definitive reference work in its field. But with the rapid growth of the discipline and the many advances made over the past seven years, it's time to bring this standard-setting reference up to date. Editors Jacob E. Goodman and Joseph O'Rourke reassembled their stellar panel of contributors, added manymore, and together thoroughly revised their work to make the most important results and methods, both classic and cutting-edge, accessible in one convenient volume. Now over more then 1500 pages, the Handbook of Discrete and Computational Geometry, Second Edition once again provides unparalleled, authoritative coverage of theory, methods, and applications. Highlights of the Second Edition: Thirteen new chapters: Five on applications and others on collision detection, nearest neighbors in high-dimensional spaces, curve and surface reconstruction, embeddings of finite metric spaces, polygonal linkages, the discrepancy method, and geometric graph theory Thorough revisions of all remaining chapters Extended coverage of computational geometry software, now comprising two chapters: one on the LEDA and CGAL libraries, the other on additional software Two indices: An Index of Defined Terms and an Index of Cited Authors Greatly expanded bibliographies

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the Second International Congress on Mathematical Software, ICMS 2006. The book presents 45 revised full papers, carefully reviewed and selected for presentation. The papers are organized in topical sections on new developments in computer algebra packages, interfacing computer algebra in mathematical visualization, software for algebraic geometry and related topics, number-theoretical software, methods in computational number theory, free software for computer algebra, and general issues.

The Handbook of Discrete and Computational Geometry is intended as a reference book fully accessible to nonspecialists as well as specialists, covering all major aspects of both fields. The book offers the most important results and methods in discrete and computational geometry to those who use them in their work, both in the academic world—as researchers in mathematics and computer science—and in the professional world—as practitioners in fields as diverse as operations research, molecular biology, and robotics. Discrete geometry has contributed significantly to the growth of discrete mathematics in recent years. This has been fueled partly by the advent of powerful computers and by the recent explosion of activity in the relatively young field of computational geometry. This synthesis between discrete and computational geometry lies at the heart of this Handbook. A growing list of application fields includes combinatorial optimization, computer-aided design, computer graphics, crystallography, data analysis, error-correcting codes, geographic information systems, motion planning, operations research, pattern recognition, robotics, solid modeling, and tomography.

This is the first graduate textbook on the algorithmic aspects of real algebraic geometry. The main ideas and techniques presented form a coherent and rich body of knowledge. Mathematicians will find relevant information about the algorithmic aspects. Researchers in computer science and engineering will find the required mathematical background. Being self-contained the book is accessible to graduate students and even, for invaluable parts of it, to undergraduate students. This second edition contains several recent results on discriminants of symmetric matrices and other relevant topics.