Included here are articles from many of the leading practitioners in the field, including, for the first time, several distinguished Russian mathematicians. Many of the papers contain important new results, and the growing use of computer algebra packages in this area is also demonstrated.

This undergraduate textbook is suitable for introductory classes in combinatorics and related topics. The book covers a wide range of both pure and applied combinatorics, beginning with the very basics of enumeration and then going on to Latin squares, graphs and designs. The latter topic is closely related to finite geometry, which is developed in parallel. Applications to probability theory, algebra, coding theory, cryptology and combinatorial game theory comprise the later chapters. Throughout the book, examples and exercises illustrate the material, and the interrelations between the various topics is emphasized. Readers looking to take first steps toward the study of combinatorics, finite geometry, design theory, coding theory, or cryptology will find this book valuable. Essentially self-contained, there are very few prerequisites aside from some mathematical maturity, and the little algebra required is covered in the text. The book is also a valuable resource for anyone interested in discrete mathematics as it ties together a wide variety of topics.

A graduate-level introduction to finite geometry and its applications to other areas of combinatorics.

The proceedings of an AMS special session on finite geometries and combinatorial designs. Topics range over finite geometry, combinatorial designs, their automorphism groups and related structures.

Finite Geometries stands out from recent textbooks about the subject of finite geometries by having a broader scope. The authors thoroughly explain how the subject of finite geometries is a central part of discrete mathematics. The text is suitable for undergraduate and graduate courses. Additionally, it can be used as reference material on recent works. The authors examine how finite geometries’ applicable nature led to solutions of open problems in different fields, such as design theory, cryptography and extremal combinatorics. Other areas covered include proof techniques using polynomials in case of Desarguesian planes, and applications in extremal combinatorics, plus, recent material and developments. Features: Includes exercise sets for possible use in a graduate course Discusses applications to graph theory and extremal combinatorics Covers coding theory and cryptography Translated and revised text from the Hungarian published version

This volume examines state of the art research in finite geometries and designs.

When? These are the proceedings of Finite Geometries, the Fourth Isle of Thorns Conference, which took place from Sunday 16 to Friday 21 July, 2000. It was organised by the editors of this volume. The Third Conference in 1990 was published as Advances in Finite Geometries and Designs by Oxford University Press and the Second Conference in 1980 was published as Finite Geometries and Designs by Cambridge University Press. The main speakers were A. R. Calderbank, P. J. Cameron, C. E. Praeger, B. Schmidt, H. Van Maldeghem. There were 64 participants and 42 contributions, all listed at the end of the volume. Conference web site http://www. maths. susx. ac. uk/Staff/JWPH/ Why? This collection of 21 articles describes the latest research and current state of the art in the following inter-linked areas: • combinatorial structures in finite projective and affine spaces, also known as Galois geometries, in which combinatorial objects such as blocking sets, spreads and partial spreads, ovoids, arcs and caps, as well as curves and hypersurfaces, are all of interest; • geometric and algebraic coding theory; • finite groups and incidence geometries, as in polar spaces, gener alized polygons and diagram geometries; • algebraic and geometric design theory, in particular designs which have interesting symmetric properties and difference sets, which play an important role, because of their close connections to both Galois geometry and coding theory.

North-Holland Texts in Advanced Mathematics: Introduction to Finite Geometries focuses on the advancements in finite geometries, including mapping and combinatorics. The manuscript first offers information on the basic concepts on finite geometries and Galois geometries. Discussions focus on linear mapping of a given quadrangle onto another given quadrangle; point configurations of order 2 on a Galois plane of even order; canonical equation of curves of the second order on the Galois planes of even order; and set of collineations mapping a Galois plane onto itself. The text then ponders on geometrical configurations and nets, as well as pentagon theorem and the Desarguesian configuration, two pentagons inscribed into each other, and the concept of geometrical nets. The publication takes a look at combinatorial applications of finite geometries and combinatorics and finite geometries. Topics include generalizations of the Petersen graph, combinatorial extremal problem, and theorem of closure of the hyperbolic space. The book is a valuable source of data for readers interested in finite geometries.

This book is devoted to recent developments in symbolic dynamics, and it comprises eight chapters. The first two are concerned with the study of symbolic sequences of 'low complexity', the following two introduce 'high complexity' systems. The later chapters go on to deal with more specialised topics including ergodic theory, number theory, and one-dimensional dynamics.

A comprehensive overview of modern Banach space theory.