The Delicate Art of Brute Force: How to Compute It When You Can't Solve It by Nahin, Paul J.
The Delicate Art of Brute Force: How to Compute It When You Can't Solve It by Nahin, Paul J.

The Delicate Art of Brute Force: How to Compute It When You Can't Solve It

Using everyday computational power to tackle complex--and seemingly unsolvable--math problems Confronted by a math problem of seemingly...
$47.91 USD
$91.99 USD
$47.91 USD
Please hurry! Only 4 left in stock
Author: Paul J. Nahin
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Subtotal: $47.91
The Delicate Art of Brute Force: How to Compute It When You Can't Solve It by Nahin, Paul J.

The Delicate Art of Brute Force: How to Compute It When You Can't Solve It

$91.99 $47.91
The Delicate Art of Brute Force: How to Compute It When You Can't Solve It by Nahin, Paul J.

The Delicate Art of Brute Force: How to Compute It When You Can't Solve It

$91.99 $47.91
Author: Paul J. Nahin
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Description

Using everyday computational power to tackle complex--and seemingly unsolvable--math problems

Confronted by a math problem of seemingly impenetrable difficulty, what can you do? In The Delicate Art of Brute Force, Paul Nahin shows how even if you can't solve such a problem, you can still get an answer. The computational power of your own computer--the desktop in your home office, the laptop on your coffee table--can be deployed to overwhelm a problem's complexity through a massive number-crunching assault. Nahin presents a series of apparently intractable math problems and shows the thought process that allows computational solution. Most of the problems are not abstract constructions but originate in the real world--one chapter is titled "How Wi-Fi Coverage and Anti-Submarine Warfare Are the Same." For each one, Nahin compares computational and analytical approaches, demonstrating how well the computer solutions agree with theory. As a bonus, sometimes the computational solution is better, giving more insight or greater flexibility.

Along the way, Nahin traces the evolution of high-speed electronic computation, explaining that it upended the way analysts approach complex math problems. After the postwar debut of ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) and the ever more powerful electronic computers that came afterward, problems that were simply too difficult or messy for analytical treatment could be defeated by the application of pure brute force--the ability of computers to perform an enormous number of simple operations in just minutes. Today, we can harness that computational power from our couches. Accessible to anyone who's mastered high school calculus, this engaging book gives both mathematicians and nonmathematicians plenty to think about.

Author: Paul J. Nahin
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: 03/17/2026
Pages: 224
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.00lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.10w x 1.60d
ISBN: 9780691267463

About the Author
Paul J. Nahin is professor emeritus of electrical engineering at the University of New Hampshire, where he taught for thirty years. He is the author of many popular books on math and computers, including Digital Dice, Number-Crunching, and The Mathematical Radio (all Princeton).
Shipping & Return

Returns Policy

You may return most new, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).

You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).

If you need to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the "Complete Orders" link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item.

Shipping

We can ship to virtually any address in the world. Note that there are restrictions on some products, and some products cannot be shipped to international destinations.

When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Depending on the shipping provider you choose, shipping date estimates may appear on the shipping quotes page.

Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound.

Review