Review
"This is a phenomenal effort. Virtualy anyone involved in scientific computing, from engineers, to physicists, to social scientists, will find information and methods applicable to their specific needs, or helpful subroutines that can be inserted into the reader's existing programs....No matter what language you program in, these packages are classics, both as a textbook or reference. They are an essential and valuable addition to the academic, professional, or personal library." Internet
"Anyone who writes (or is curious about) computer codes to solve many of the common numerical problems in science and engineering will want to own this large book. The writing is authoritative (two of the authors have published first-rate research in writing code for astrophysics problems), but never dull. Flashes of humor appear at regular intervals, in the appropriate places, and as hard as it may be to believe, this book is interesting even as casual reading! I recommend this book highly, and both the authors and the publisher are to be commended for an outstanding piece of work." Paul J. Nahin, Science Books and Films
"This encyclopedic book should be read (or at least owned) not only by those who must roll their own numerical methods, but by all who must use prepackaged programs." Mike Holderness, New Scientist
"This reviewer knows of no other single source of so much material of this nature. Highly recommended." R.J. Wernick, Choice
"...will be appreciated by anyone involved in the numerical solution of engineering problems....the authors have successfully blended tutorial discussion, fundamental mathematics, explanation of algorithms, and working computer programs into neatly packaged chapters covering all of the basic topics in numerical methods. What sets this book apart, in the reviewer's opinion, is the versatility of the book....indispensable." Ben H. Thacker, Applied Mechanics Review
"If you already have the first edition, will you want or need the second? The answer is a definitive yes....a book that should be on your desk (not your shelf) if you have any interest in the analysis of data or the formulation of models....The second edition contains numerous additions of important material, such as a section on Cholesky decomposition (which is critical for simulating multivariate distributions), discussion of the bootstrap method, and the addition and expansion of other numerical methods too numerous to mention here." Lyle W. Konigsberg, Human Biology
"...a valuable resource for those with a specific need for numerical software. The routines are prefaced with lucid, self-contained explanations....highly recommended for those who require the use and understanding of numerical software." Elizabeth Greenwell Yanik, SIAM Review
"...the second [edition] expands the scope of coverage and continues the standard of excellence achieved in the first. If you were to have only a single book on numerical methods, this is the one I would recommend." Edmund Miller, IEEE Computational Science & Engineering
Book Description
This is the revised and expanded second edition of the hugely popular Numerical Recipes: the Art of Scientific Computing.
From the Back Cover
This is the revised and greatly expanded Second Edition of the hugely popular Numerical Recipes: The Art of Scientific Computing. The product of a unique collaboration among four leading scientists in academic research and industry, Numerical Recipes is a complete text and reference book on scientific computing. In a self-contained manner it proceeds from mathematical and theoretical considerations to actual practical computer routines. With over 100 new routines (now well over 300 in all), plus upgraded versions of many of the original routines, this book is more than ever the most practical, comprehensive handbook of scientific computing available today. The book retains the informal, easy-to-read style that made the first edition so popular, with many new topics presented at the same accessible level. In addition, some sections of more advanced material have been introduced, set off in small type from the main body of the text. Numerical Recipes is an ideal textbook for scientists and engineers and an indispensable reference for anyone who works in scientific computing. Highlights of the new material include a new chapter on integral equations and inverse methods; multigrid methods for solving partial differential equations; improved random number routines; wavelet transforms; the statistical bootstrap method; a new chapter on "less-numerical" algorithms including compression coding and arbitrary precision arithmetic; band diagonal linear systems; linear algebra on sparse matrices; Cholesky and QR decomposition; calculation of numerical derivatives; Pade approximants, and rational Chebyshev approximation; new special functions; Monte Carlo integration in high-dimensional spaces; globally convergent methods for sets of nonlinear equations; an expanded chapter on fast Fourier methods; spectral analysis on unevenly sampled data; Savitzky-Golay smoothing filters; and two-dimensional Kolmogorov-Smirnoff tests. All this is in addition to material on such basic topics as: linear equations, interpolation and extrapolation, integration, nonlinear root-finding, eigensystems, ordinary differential equations, evaluation of functions, sorting, optimization, statistical description and modeling of data, and two-point boundary value problems.
