Atlas for Computing Mathematical Functions: An Illustrated...

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 904 pages
• Published by: Wiley-Interscience July 30, 1997
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0471181714
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0471181712
• Book Dimensions: 10.5 x 7.8 x 1.8 inches
• Weighs: 4 pounds

Book Description
Introducing a comprehensive book and CD-ROM for visualizing and computing special functions.

Here is an invaluable reference and learning guide to more than 150 special functions of applied mathematics, statistics, physics, chemistry, computer science, and engineering. The Atlas contains over 700 graphics of the functions, which readers can also create by using the annotated Mathematica files provided. It offers complete, consistent instructions and test values for computing the functions accurately and efficiently with the full Fortran-90 source programs on the CD-ROM, which is both Windows and Macintosh compatible.

With extensive references and indexing, this integrated package is superbly designed and easy to use—ideal for anyone who works with special functions. Contents include:

• Elementary Transcendental Functions
• Exponential Integrals and Related Functions
• Gamma and Beta Functions
• Combinatorial Functions
• Number Theory Functions
• Probability Distributions
• Error Function, Fresnel, and Dawson Integrals
• Orthogonal Polynomials
• Legendre Functions
• Spheroidal Wave Functions
• Bessel Functions
• Struve, Anger, and Weber Functions
• Hypergeometric Functions and Coulomb Wave Functions
• Elliptic Integrals and Elliptic Functions
• Parabolic Cylinder Functions
• Miscellaneous Functions for Science and Engineering
• Mathematica Notebooks
• Fortran-90 Programs.

WILLIAM J. THOMPSON, PhD, DSc, is Professor of Physics at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. The author of three previous Wiley titles, Computing in Applied Science, Computing for Scientists and Engineers, and Angular Momentum, he has published more than 120 papers in theoretical physics, applied mathematics, and statistics.

The publisher, John Wiley & Sons
An invaluable reference and learning guide to more than 150 special functions of applied mathematics, statistics, physics, chemistry, computer science, and engineering. This book contains over 700 graphics of the functions, which readers can also create by using the annotated Mathematica files provided. It offers complete, consistent instructions and test values for computing the functions accurately and efficiently with the full Fortran-90 source programs on the CD-ROM, which is both Windows and Macintosh compatible.

Reader Reviews
Don't expect an in-depth coverage of the theory behind the calculations. Said that, the book is a "concise" presentation of the programs used to calculate special functions present on the CD. For every program, the author shows the underlying equations and the bibliographic sources, plus nice discussions on accuracy/performance when you have the option of several methods. I would say the book is more useful to the engineer/physicist having to do certain calculations, than to the mathematician/student wanting to learn the ins and outs of special functions theory. The only dissapointment is a rather poor produced CD: the names of the programs on the CD are in 8.3 format, and I think (not sure though) that not all the code of the driver programs shows up on the CD- there are names of program snippets that are not on the CD- this may be an unnecessary hasle for someone trying to follow the examples in the book to the letter.