Probability and Random Processes

This is a simple and concise introduction to probability theory. Self-contained and readily accessible, it is written in an informal tutorial style with concepts and techniques defined and developed as necessary. After an elementary discussion of chance, the central and crucial rules and ideas of probability including independence and conditioning are set out. Examples, demonstrations, and exercises are used throughout to explore the ways in which probability is motivated by, and applied to, real life problems in science, medicine, gaming and other subjects of interest. This book is suitable for students taking introductory courses in probability and will provide a solid foundation for more advanced courses in probability and statistics. It would also be a valuable reference to those needing a working knowledge of probability theory and will appeal to anyone interested in this endlessly fascinating and entertaining subject.

Now available in a fully revised and updated second edition, this well established textbook provides a straightforward introduction to the theory of probability. The presentation is entertaining without any sacrifice of rigour; important notions are covered with the clarity that the subject demands. Topics covered include conditional probability, independence, discrete and continuous random variables, basic combinatorics, generating functions and limit theorems, and an introduction to Markov chains. The text is accessible to undergraduate students and provides numerous worked examples and exercises to help build the important skills necessary for problem solving.

Probability comes of age with this, the first dictionary of probability and its applications in English, which supplies a guide to the concepts and vocabulary of this rapidly expanding field. Besides the basic theory of probability and random processes, applications covered here include financial and insurance mathematics, operations research (including queueing, reliability, and inventories), decision and game theory, optimization, time series, networks, and communication theory, as well as classic problems and paradoxes. The dictionary is reliable, stable, concise, and cohesive. Each entry provides a rigorous definition, a sketch of the context, and a reference pointing the reader to the wider literature. Judicious use of figures makes complex concepts easier to follow without oversimplifying. As the only dictionary on the market, this will be a guiding reference for all those working in, or learning, probability together with its applications.