Page 8 - Applied Probability

Preface
vii
You can leaf through the Table of Contents to get a better idea of the topics
covered in these chapters.
In the final two chapters on Poisson approximation and number the-
ory, the applications of probability to other branches of mathematics come
to the fore. These chapters are hardly in the mainstream of stocliastic
processes and are meant for independent reading as much as for classrootn
presentation.
All chapters come with exercises. These are not graded by difficulty, but
hints are provided for some of the more difficult ones. My own practice is
to require one problem for each hour and a half of lecture. Students are
allowed to choose among the problems within each chapter and are graded
on the best of the solutions they present. This strategy provides incentive
for the students to attempt more than the minimum number of problems.
I would like to thank my former and current UCLA and University of
Michigan students for their help in debngging this text. In retrospect, there
were far more contributing students than I can possibly credit. At the
risk of offending the many, let me single out Brian Dolan, Ruzong Fan,
David Hunter, Wei-hsnn Liao, Ben Redelings, Eric Schadt, Marc Suchard,
Janet Sinsheinier, and Andy Ming-Ham Yip. I also thank John Kimmel of
Springer-Verlag for his editorial assistance.
Finally, I dedicate this book to my mother, Alma Lange, on the occasion
of her 80th birthday. Thanks, Mom, for your cheerfulness and generosity
in raising me. You were, and always will be, an inspiration to the whole
family.