Calculus of Variations: Mechanics, Control Theory, and Other Applications [Hardcover]

Charles MacCluer (Author), Peter Wolenski (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 3, 2004 | ISBN-10: 0131423835 | ISBN-13: 978-0131423831

This is the first truly up-to-date treatment of calculus of variations - and the first to incorporate a simple introduction to key concepts such as optimization, optimal control, bang-bang, Pontryagin's maximum principle, or LQ control design. Introduces all material using simple, easily understood applications that are worked and reprised several times throughout. Features a large number of exercises, ranging widely in difficulty. Gives readers a broader, "big picture" perspective that makes the material less overwhelming. Offers a useful, stand-alone discussion of MATLAB ("MATLAB Cookbook") in the appendices. Includes a clear introduction to weak/strong sufficiency. A useful reference for engineers, chemists, and forest/environmental managers.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

This is the first truly up-to-date treatment of calculus of variations - and the first to incorporate a simple introduction to key concepts such as optimization, optimal control, bang-bang, Pontryagin's maximum principle, or LQ control design. Introduces all material using simple, easily understood applications that are worked and reprised several times throughout. Features a large number of exercises, ranging widely in difficulty. Gives readers a broader, "big picture" perspective that makes the material less overwhelming. Offers a useful, stand-alone discussion of MATLAB ("MATLAB Cookbook") in the appendices. Includes a clear introduction to weak/strong sufficiency. A useful reference for engineers, chemists, and forest/environmental managers.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall (July 3, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0131423835
• ISBN-13: 978-0131423831
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,905,148 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Terrible., February 2, 2010

By 

Tristan Moody (Lawrence, KS USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Calculus of Variations: Mechanics, Control Theory, and Other Applications (Hardcover)

I only purchased this book because it was required in my Calculus of Variations course. Explanations in this book are often difficult to follow, with many proofs leaving holes in their logic behind hand-wavey "it is trivial to show" statements. Many of these gaps in the logic seem to lead to incorrect conclusions.

The book, like many modern undergraduate texts, focuses too much on the "what" and the "how" rather than the "why," promoting an educational approach that favors memorization of algorithms and techniques with little to no understanding of their derivation, purpose, or inner workings. Homework problems are largely "plug-and-chug" without much to truly challenge the reader and test their understanding of the material.

At $130 for a used copy, this book is a colossal waste of money. If you really want to spend that much, get 15 copies of the Gelfand/Fomin book on the same topic. Pretty much the entirety of this book is covered concisely---and more completely---in the *first two chapters* of the Gelfand/Fomin book.