In a relatively crowded field of numerical programming books, this is the only one to include both Python and C code examples. Although claiming to include C/C++ code, the object-oriented aspects of C++ are not used. In fact, the code examples violate the encapsulation principle, lumping together declarations and definitions in the C header files. The author assumes familiarity with the mathematical foundations and focuses on the computational implementation, with a preference for the “beauty of simplicity”—using standard C and Python, and sometimes sacrificing storage efficiency for more elegant solutions. The chapter topics get progressively complex, as do topics within each chapter. The chapters include 5 to 15 problems with code solutions in both C and Python and a list of references (a few in German and Romanian). Aside from an index of terms, the book also includes a cross-listing between the code in the printed book and the source files on the companion website. This could be a good reference for a one- or two-semester course for advanced undergraduate students or for graduate students in science or engineering.
Reviewed by Bogdan Hoanca, University of Alaska Anchorage, USA.
The opinions expressed in the book review section are those of the reviewer and do not necessarily reflect those of OPN or OSA.