Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

An integrated presentation of theory, applications and algorithms that demonstrates how useful simple stochastic models can be for gaining insight into the behavior of complex stochastic systems. Shows students how to obtain numerical solutions to specific situations. Includes a wide variety of realistic examples carefully chosen to illustrate the basic models and associated solution techniques.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

Tijms is a researcher in the area of stochastic models (Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam). Like Tijms's previous book, Stochastic Modelling and Analysis: A Computational Approach (1986), this new book discusses stochastic models and their applications, and is intended to be accessible to graduate students and advanced undergraduates. The book covers renewal theory, Markov chains, Markovian decision processes, queuing theory, and inventory models. In addition to theory, there is considerable emphasis on applications and on numerical algorithms. The material on computational issues is the most distinctive feature of the book. Although Tijms assumes of the reader only knowledge of calculus and elementary probability theory, the material is presented at a much higher mathematical level than other introductory works, such as Howard M. Taylor and Samuel Karlin's An Introduction to Stochastic Modeling (rev. ed., CH, Jun'94) and S.M. Ross's Introduction to Probability Models (5th ed., 1993; 1st ed., CH, Mar'73). Suitable as a resource for upper-division undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers. B. Borchers; New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology