Books in the Graduate Texts in Mathematics series

This textbook introduces enumerative combinatorics through the framework of formal languages and bijections. By starting with elementary operations on words and languages, the authors paint an insightful, unified picture for readers entering the field. Numerous concrete examples and illustrative metaphors motivate the theory throughout, while the overall approach illuminates the important connections between discrete mathematics and theoretical computer science.Beginning with the basics of formal languages, the first chapter quickly establishes a common setting for modeling and counting classical combinatorial objects and constructing bijective proofs. From here, topics are modular and offer substantial flexibility when designing a course. Chapters on generating functions and partitions build further fundamental tools for enumeration and include applications such as a combinatorial proof of the Lagrange inversion formula. Connections to linear algebra emerge in chapters studying Cayley trees, determinantal formulas, and the combinatorics that lie behind the classical Cayley¿Hamilton theorem. The remaining chapters range across the Inclusion-Exclusion Principle, graph theory and coloring, exponential structures, matching and distinct representatives, with each topic opening many doors to further study. Generous exercise sets complement all chapters, and miscellaneous sections explore additional applications.Lessons in Enumerative Combinatorics captures the authors' distinctive style and flair for introducing newcomers to combinatorics. The conversational yet rigorous presentation suits students in mathematics and computer science at the graduate, or advanced undergraduate level. Knowledge of single-variable calculus and the basics of discrete mathematics is assumed; familiarity with linear algebra will enhance the study of certain chapters.

It plays a key role in many mathematical fields, including functional analysis, optimization, probability theory, and stochastic geometry.Paving the way to the more advanced and specialized literature, the material will be accessible to students in the third year and can be covered in one semester.

This textbook introduces readers to the fundamental notions of modern probability theory. The only prerequisite is a working knowledge in real analysis. Highlighting the connections between martingales and Markov chains on one hand, and Brownian motion and harmonic functions on the other, this book provides an introduction to the rich interplay between probability and other areas of analysis.Arranged into three parts, the book begins with a rigorous treatment of measure theory, with applications to probability in mind. The second part of the book focuses on the basic concepts of probability theory such as random variables, independence, conditional expectation, and the different types of convergence of random variables. In the third part, in which all chapters can be read independently, the reader will encounter three important classes of stochastic processes: discrete-time martingales, countable state-space Markov chains, and Brownian motion. Each chapter ends with a selection of illuminating exercises of varying difficulty. Some basic facts from functional analysis, in particular on Hilbert and Banach spaces, are included in the appendix. Measure Theory, Probability, and Stochastic Processes is an ideal text for readers seeking a thorough understanding of basic probability theory. Students interested in learning more about Brownian motion, and other continuous-time stochastic processes, may continue reading the author's more advanced textbook in the same series (GTM 274).