Ebook: Algorithmic Adventures: From Knowledge to Magic

The ?rst and foremost goal of this lecture series was to show the beauty, depth and usefulness of the key ideas in computer science. While working on the lecture notes, we came to understand that one can recognize the true spirit of a scienti?c discipline only by viewing its contributions in the framework of science as a whole. We present computer science here as a fundamental science that, interacting with other scienti?c disciplines, changed and changes our view on the world, that contributes to our understanding of the fundamental concepts of science and that sheds new light on and brings new meaning to several of these concepts. We show that computer science is a discipline that discovers spectacular, unexpected facts, that ?nds ways out in seemingly unsolvable s- uations, and that can do true wonders. The message of this book is that computer science is a fascinating research area with a big impact on the real world, full of spectacular ideas and great ch- lenges. It is an integral part of science and engineering with an above-average dynamic over the last 30 years and a high degree of interdisciplinarity. The goal of this book is not typical for popular science writing, whichoftenrestrictsitselftooutliningtheimportanceofaresearch area. Whenever possible we strive to bring full understanding of the concepts and results presented.

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Subjects from the theoretical computer science can often be very difficult to grasp. Yet, their importance and the presence in everyday, technology interwoven, life cannot be overstated. Complexity, computability, algorithms are foundations beneath everyday programming, inter-networking, security, data processing. This is a brilliant book that only true master of the subject can produce, but that all in both computer science and IT can appreciate. In this book, Dr. Hromkovic with ease and in a very readable, understandable terms, explains some of the most challenging subjects from the theory of computation - algorithms, countable vs. uncountable infinity, complexity, computability, decidability, cryptography, quantum computing. Dr. Hromkovic starts his explanations in a very simple, approachable, readable way, and he slowly and steadily leads the reader towards the level of deep qualitative understanding. His language always reminds accessible even when he is deep into a real of theory and complex matters. I found this book as I was looking for a gentle, readable introduction into a complex subject. I am a PhD student in Computer Science whose background was more on an engineering and less on a theoretical side. I academically needed this material, but I also sought it as I developed the love for the subject. This book was a perfect find for all my academic and intellectual needs.