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Library | Item Barcode | Call Number | Material Type | Item Category 1 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... | 30000010198063 | QA279.4 K67 2008 | Open Access Book | Book | Searching... |
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Summary
Summary
How should one choose the best restaurant to eat in? Can one really make money at gambling? Or predict the future? Naive Decision Making presents the mathematical basis for making everyday decisions, which my often be based on very little or uncertain data. Professor Körner takes the reader on an enjoyable journey through many aspects of mathematical decision making, with relatable observations, anecdotes and quotations. Topics include probability, statistics, Arrow's theorem, Game Theory and Nash equilibrium. Readers will also gain a great deal of insight into mathematics in general and the role it can play within society. Suitable for those with elementary calculus, this book is ideal as a supplementary text for undergraduate courses in probability, game theory and decision making. Engaging and intriguing, it will also appeal to all those of a mathematical mind. To aid understanding, many exercises are included, with solutions available online.
Reviews 1
Choice Review
This is a very well-written and enjoyable book. Each chapter discusses a set of real-life circumstances in which mathematics should be or at least could be used when making decisions. Probability and statistics are the most frequently used tools, but some applications of game theory, theory of algorithms, and number theory are included as well. Certain chapters may go deeper than most readers' interest, but that is not a problem since the chapters are fairly independent of each other. Korner (Univ. of Cambridge, UK; The Pleasures of Counting, CH, Jun'97, 34-5739; Fourier Analysis, CH, Oct'88, 26-0973) has a great sense of humor, as evidenced by his selection of anecdotes. The work is not intended to be a resource for a conventional course since the topics are too widespread for that purpose. The only previous knowledge assumed is that of elementary calculus, though a mathematically inclined mind will certainly be needed. For these reasons, this reviewer sees two main uses for Naive Decision Making: independent study by readers trying to understand mathematical aspects of the social world and supplementary reading by students learning probability or statistics from a conventional textbook. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates, professionals, and general readers. M. Bona University of Florida
Table of Contents
| Introduction |
| 1 A day at the races |
| 2 The long run |
| 3 The virtue of insurance |
| 4 Passing the time |
| 5 A pack of cards |
| 6 Other people |
| 7 Simple games |
| 8 Points of agreement |
| 9 Long duels |
| 10 A night at the casino |
| 11 Prophecy |
| 12 Final reflections |
| A The logarithm |
| B Cardano |
| C Huygens's problems |
| D Hints on pronunciation |
| Index |
