Reviews for Handbook of Approximation Algorithms and Metaheuristics

The average rating for Handbook of Approximation Algorithms and Metaheuristics based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2013-04-28 00:00:00 Brina Mathis This is one of the key foundations of computer science: "Aho, Hopcraft & Ullman" is up there with "Knuth", not only as great works, but as books so important and so well known that the name of the authors is all that is required to identify it. If you're looking for a definitive work that identifies algorithms for recurrent programming tasks, and want to know exactly how efficient each is, this book has the definitive answer, with all the mathematical proofs to back up their assertions; which is unfortunately a bit of a problem, if your maths education was limited, or a few years ago. This is a great reference book to dip into when you have a specific subject to investigate, but it's not one to read cover to cover unless you really like maths; otherwise the many times you encounter something along the lines of "let us assume (abracadabra) which by process of (hocus pocus) shows that (this) is better than (that) and thus (alakazam!) n = x log 3^2", will become a tad wearing. It's unashamedly an academic book - no consideration given to leading you by the hand through problems, just dive straight in and swim or drown. As a result it's extremely terse, and pretty dismally laid out. For non-expert mathematicians, it could really do with an awful lot more explanation, and diagrams, and an awful lot less "by Schwarzenegger's postulate it is obvious that...". I first read this, a "few years" ago, when it was one of the set books on my Computer Science degree course. It's still a tremendous work, but I think my maths must have been an awful lot better in those days. Highly recommended, but with many caveats - this is certainly not "algorithms for dummies"!

Review # 2 was written on 2013-04-30 00:00:00 Ilkka Nivala this was a very exciting book, i would recommend to my class.