This open access book discusses the statistical modeling of insurance problems, a process which comprises data collection, data analysis and statistical model building to forecast insured events that may happen in the future. It presents the mathematical foundations behind these fundamental statistical concepts and how they can be applied in daily actuarial practice. Statistical modeling has a wide range of applications, and, depending on the application, the theoretical aspects may be weighted differently: here the main focus is on prediction rather than explanation. Starting with a presentation of state-of-the-art actuarial models, such as generalized linear models, the book then dives into modern machine learning tools such as neural networks and text recognition to improve predictive modeling with complex features. Providing practitioners with detailed guidance on how to apply machine learning methods to real-world data sets, and how to interpret the results without losing sight of the mathematical assumptions on which these methods are based, the book can serve as a modern basis for an actuarial education syllabus.

Applicable to any problem that requires a finite number of solutions, finite state-based models (also called finite state machines or finite state automata) have found wide use in various areas of computer science and engineering. Handbook of Finite State Based Models and Applications provides a complete collection of introductory materials on finite state theories, algorithms, and the latest domain applications. For beginners, the book is a handy reference for quickly looking up model details. For more experienced researchers, it is suitable as a source of in-depth study in this area. The book first introduces the fundamentals of automata theory, including regular expressions, as well as widely used automata, such as transducers, tree automata, quantum automata, and timed automata. It then presents algorithms for the minimization and incremental construction of finite automata and describes Esterel, an automata-based synchronous programming language for embedded system software development. Moving on to applications, the book explores regular path queries on graph-structured data, timed automata in model checking security protocols, pattern matching, compiler design, and XML processing. It also covers other finite state-based modeling approaches and applications, including Petri nets, statecharts, temporal logic, and UML state machine diagrams.

Indispensable for students, invaluable for researchers, this comprehensive treatment of contemporary quasi-Monte Carlo methods, digital nets and sequences, and discrepancy theory starts from scratch with detailed explanations of the basic concepts and then advances to current methods used in research. As deterministic versions of the Monte Carlo method, quasi-Monte Carlo rules have increased in popularity, with many fruitful applications in mathematical practice. These rules require nodes with good uniform distribution properties, and digital nets and sequences in the sense of Niederreiter are known to be excellent candidates. Besides the classical theory, the book contains chapters on reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces and weighted integration, duality theory for digital nets, polynomial lattice rules, the newest constructions by Niederreiter and Xing and many more. The authors present an accessible introduction to the subject based mainly on material taught in undergraduate courses with numerous examples, exercises and illustrations.

This book provides in-depth and wide-ranging analyses of the emergence, and subsequent ubiquity, of algorithms in diverse realms of social life. The plurality of Algorithmic Cultures emphasizes: 1) algorithms' increasing importance in the formation of new epistemic and organizational paradigms; and 2) the multifaceted analyses of algorithms across an increasing number of research fields. The authors in this volume address the complex interrelations between social groups and algorithms in the construction of meaning and social interaction. The contributors highlight the performative dimensions of algorithms by exposing the dynamic processes through which algorithms - themselves the product of a specific approach to the world - frame reality, while at the same time organizing how people think about society. With contributions from leading experts from Media Studies, Social Studies of Science and Technology, Cultural and Media Sociology from Canada, France, Germany, UK and the USA, this volume presents cutting edge empirical and conceptual research that includes case studies on social media platforms, gaming, financial trading and mobile security infrastructures.

You've decided to tackle machine learning - because you're job hunting, embarking on a new project, or just think self-driving cars are cool. But where to start? It's easy to be intimidated, even as a software developer. The good news is that it doesn't have to be that hard. Master machine learning by writing code one line at a time, from simple learning programs all the way to a true deep learning system. Tackle the hard topics by breaking them down so they're easier to understand, and build your confidence by getting your hands dirty. Peel away the obscurities of machine learning, starting from scratch and going all the way to deep learning. Machine learning can be intimidating, with its reliance on math and algorithms that most programmers don't encounter in their regular work. Take a hands-on approach, writing the Python code yourself, without any libraries to obscure what's really going on. Iterate on your design, and add layers of complexity as you go. Build an image recognition application from scratch with supervised learning. Predict the future with linear regression. Dive into gradient descent, a fundamental algorithm that drives most of machine learning. Create perceptrons to classify data. Build neural networks to tackle more complex and sophisticated data sets. Train and refine those networks with backpropagation and batching. Layer the neural networks, eliminate overfitting, and add convolution to transform your neural network into a true deep learning system. Start from the beginning and code your way to machine learning mastery. What You Need: The examples in this book are written in Python, but don't worry if you don't know this language: you'll pick up all the Python you need very quickly. Apart from that, you'll only need your computer, and your code-adept brain.

The second edition of this popular book presents the theory of graphs from an algorithmic viewpoint. The authors present the graph theory in a rigorous, but informal style and cover most of the main areas of graph theory. The ideas of surface topology are presented from an intuitive point of view. We have also included a discussion on linear programming that emphasizes problems in graph theory. The text is suitable for students in computer science or mathematics programs.

Representation Theory of Symmetric Groups is the most up-to-date abstract algebra book on the subject of symmetric groups and representation theory. Utilizing new research and results, this book can be studied from a combinatorial, algorithmic or algebraic viewpoint. This book is an excellent way of introducing today's students to representation theory of the symmetric groups, namely classical theory. From there, the book explains how the theory can be extended to other related combinatorial algebras like the Iwahori-Hecke algebra. In a clear and concise manner, the author presents the case that most calculations on symmetric group can be performed by utilizing appropriate algebras of functions. Thus, the book explains how some Hopf algebras (symmetric functions and generalizations) can be used to encode most of the combinatorial properties of the representations of symmetric groups. Overall, the book is an innovative introduction to representation theory of symmetric groups for graduate students and researchers seeking new ways of thought.

Swarm Intelligence: Principles, Advances, and Applications delivers in-depth coverage of bat, artificial fish swarm, firefly, cuckoo search, flower pollination, artificial bee colony, wolf search, and gray wolf optimization algorithms. The book begins with a brief introduction to mathematical optimization, addressing basic concepts related to swarm intelligence, such as randomness, random walks, and chaos theory. The text then: Describes the various swarm intelligence optimization methods, standardizing the variants, hybridizations, and algorithms whenever possible Discusses variants that focus more on binary, discrete, constrained, adaptive, and chaotic versions of the swarm optimizers Depicts real-world applications of the individual optimizers, emphasizing variable selection and fitness function design Details the similarities, differences, weaknesses, and strengths of each swarm optimization method Draws parallels between the operators and searching manners of the different algorithms Swarm Intelligence: Principles, Advances, and Applications presents a comprehensive treatment of modern swarm intelligence optimization methods, complete with illustrative examples and an extendable MATLAB (R) package for feature selection in wrapper mode applied on different data sets with benchmarking using different evaluation criteria. The book provides beginners with a solid foundation of swarm intelligence fundamentals, and offers experts valuable insight into new directions and hybridizations.

Numerical Analysis with Algorithms and Programming is the first comprehensive textbook to provide detailed coverage of numerical methods, their algorithms, and corresponding computer programs. It presents many techniques for the efficient numerical solution of problems in science and engineering. Along with numerous worked-out examples, end-of-chapter exercises, and Mathematica (R) programs, the book includes the standard algorithms for numerical computation: Root finding for nonlinear equations Interpolation and approximation of functions by simpler computational building blocks, such as polynomials and splines The solution of systems of linear equations and triangularization Approximation of functions and least square approximation Numerical differentiation and divided differences Numerical quadrature and integration Numerical solutions of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) and boundary value problems Numerical solution of partial differential equations (PDEs) The text develops students' understanding of the construction of numerical algorithms and the applicability of the methods. By thoroughly studying the algorithms, students will discover how various methods provide accuracy, efficiency, scalability, and stability for large-scale systems.

Data compression is mandatory to manage massive datasets, indexing is fundamental to query them. However, their goals appear as counterposed: the former aims at minimizing data redundancies, whereas the latter augments the dataset with auxiliary information to speed up the query resolution. In this monograph we introduce solutions that overcome this dichotomy. We start by presenting the use of optimization techniques to improve the compression of classical data compression algorithms, then we move to the design of compressed data structures providing fast random access or efficient pattern matching queries on the compressed dataset. These theoretical studies are supported by experimental evidences of their impact in practical scenarios.

* Provides simple, conceptual descriptions of everyday technologies * Includes clear examples and diagrams that demonstrate the principles and techniques, not just a "how-to" punch list * Covers advanced topics for readers who want to dive into the deep end of the technology pool * Avoids jargon-where terminology does appear, the text will provide clear, concise definitions

This book focuses on flight vehicles and their navigational systems, discussing different forms of flight structures and their control systems, from fixed wings to rotary crafts. Software simulation enables testing of the hardware without actual implementation, and the flight simulators, mechanics, glider development and navigation systems presented here are suitable for lab-based experimentation studies. It explores laboratory testing of flight navigational sensors, such as the magnetic, acceleration and Global Positioning System (GPS) units, and illustrates the six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) instrumentation as well as its data acquisition methodology. The book offers an introduction to the various unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems and their accessories, including the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) method for controlling the rotorcraft. It also describes a Matrix Laboratory (MATLAB) control algorithm that simulates and runs the lab-based 3 degrees of freedom (DOF) helicopter, as well as LabVIEW software used to validate controller design and data acquisition. Lastly, the book explores future developments in aviation techniques.

Real-world information is imperfect and is usually described in natural language (NL). Moreover, this information is often partially reliable and a degree of reliability is also expressed in NL. In view of this, the concept of a Z-number is a more adequate concept for the description of real-world information. The main critical problem that naturally arises in processing Z-numbers-based information is the computation with Z-numbers. Nowadays, there is no arithmetic of Z-numbers suggested in existing literature.This book is the first to present a comprehensive and self-contained theory of Z-arithmetic and its applications. Many of the concepts and techniques described in the book, with carefully worked-out examples, are original and appear in the literature for the first time.The book will be helpful for professionals, academics, managers and graduate students in fuzzy logic, decision sciences, artificial intelligence, mathematical economics, and computational economics.

Machine Learning: Theory and Practice provides an introduction to the most popular methods in machine learning. The book covers regression including regularization, tree-based methods including Random Forests and Boosted Trees, Artificial Neural Networks including Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), reinforcement learning, and unsupervised learning focused on clustering. Topics are introduced in a conceptual manner along with necessary mathematical details. The explanations are lucid, illustrated with figures and examples. For each machine learning method discussed, the book presents appropriate libraries in the R programming language along with programming examples. Features: Provides an easy-to-read presentation of commonly used machine learning algorithms in a manner suitable for advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate students, and mathematically and/or programming-oriented individuals who want to learn machine learning on their own. Covers mathematical details of the machine learning algorithms discussed to ensure firm understanding, enabling further exploration Presents worked out suitable programming examples, thus ensuring conceptual, theoretical and practical understanding of the machine learning methods. This book is aimed primarily at introducing essential topics in Machine Learning to advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students. The number of topics has been kept deliberately small so that it can all be covered in a semester or a quarter. The topics are covered in depth, within limits of what can be taught in a short period of time. Thus, the book can provide foundations that will empower a student to read advanced books and research papers.

This easy-to-follow textbook provides a student-friendly introduction to programming and algorithms. Emphasis is placed on the threshold concepts that present barriers to learning, including the questions that students are often too embarrassed to ask. The book promotes an active learning style in which a deeper understanding is gained from evaluating, questioning, and discussing the material, and practised in hands-on exercises. Although R is used as the language of choice for all programs, strict assumptions are avoided in the explanations in order for these to remain applicable to other programming languages. Features: provides exercises at the end of each chapter; includes three mini projects in the final chapter; presents a list of titles for further reading at the end of the book; discusses the key aspects of loops, recursions, program and algorithm efficiency and accuracy, sorting, linear systems of equations, and file processing; requires no prior background knowledge in this area.

How do we understand the world around us? How do we solve problems? Often the answer to these questions follows a certain pattern, an algorithm if you wish. This is the case when our analytical left-brain side is at work. However, there are also elements in our behaviour where intelligence appears to follow a more elusive path, which cannot easily be characterised as a specific sequence of steps. Is Intelligence an Algorithm? offers an insight into intelligence as it functions in nature, like human or animal intelligence, but also sheds light on modern developments in the field of artificial intelligence, proposing further architectural solutions for the creation of a so-called global Webmind.

These contributions, written by the foremost international researchers and practitioners of Genetic Programming (GP), explore the synergy between theoretical and empirical results on real-world problems, producing a comprehensive view of the state of the art in GP. Topics in this volume include: multi-objective genetic programming, learning heuristics, Kaizen programming, Evolution of Everything (EvE), lexicase selection, behavioral program synthesis, symbolic regression with noisy training data, graph databases, and multidimensional clustering. It also covers several chapters on best practices and lesson learned from hands-on experience. Additional application areas include financial operations, genetic analysis, and predicting product choice. Readers will discover large-scale, real-world applications of GP to a variety of problem domains via in-depth presentations of the latest and most significant results.

This book presents the original concepts and modern techniques for specification, synthesis, optimisation and implementation of parallel logical control devices. It deals with essential problems of reconfigurable control systems like dependability, modularity and portability. Reconfigurable systems require a wider variety of design and verification options than the application-specific integrated circuits. The book presents a comprehensive selection of possible design techniques. The diversity of the modelling approaches covers Petri nets, state machines and activity diagrams. The preferences of the presented optimization and synthesis methods are not limited to increasing of the efficiency of resource use. One of the biggest advantages of the presented methods is the platform independence, the FPGA devices and single board computers are some of the examples of possible platforms. These issues and problems are illustrated with practical cases of complete control systems. If you expect a new look at the reconfigurable systems designing process or need ideas for improving the quality of the project, this book is a good choice.g process or need ideas for improving the quality of the project, this book is a good choice.

This book is an attempt to bring value to the enterprise pursuits in the areas of research and innovation around the specific issues in terms of topic selection, open data resources and researcher orientation. Over the last 300 years, industrial revolutions have had game-changing impact on societies. Presently, by and large, we are at the crossroads of the fourth industrial revolution, where phygital systems are going to play a massive role, where digital systems can simulate and go beyond the limitations of the physical world, thereby enabling a new world order. This transformation is cutting across every sphere known to mankind. The world will become a globally localized marketplace. In today's business world, sustainability is a corporate agenda. Enterprises are also aiming to be purpose-driven, adaptive and resilient to disruptions. The contributions to community and environment are part of their corporate branding. The book explores and presents a part of the open data sets from government institutions to achieve the sustainable goals at local level, in turn contributing towards global mission. As the topic suggests, the authors are looking at some of the specific issues in the areas of environment, agriculture and health care through the lens of data science. The authors believe that the above three areas chosen have deep relevance in today's world. The intent is to explore these issues from a data and analytics perspective and identify cracks through which deeper inroads can be made. Conscious efforts have been taken to make use of all the major data science techniques like prediction, classification, clustering, and correlation. Given the above background, deeper waters will be explored through the contents of this book.

This work is concerned with theoretical developments in the area of mathematical programming, development of new algorithms and software and their applications in science and industry. It aims to expose recent mathematical developments to a larger audience in science and industry.

Few books comprehensively cover the software and programming aspects of reversible computing. Filling this gap, Introduction to Reversible Computing offers an expanded view of the field that includes the traditional energy-motivated hardware viewpoint as well as the emerging application-motivated software approach.

Collecting scattered knowledge into one coherent account, the book provides a compendium of both classical and recently developed results on reversible computing. It explores up-and-coming theories, techniques, and tools for the application of reversible computing the logical next step in the evolution of computing systems.

The book covers theory, hardware and software aspects, fundamental limits, complexity analyses, practical algorithms, compilers, efficiency improvement techniques, and application areas. The topics span several areas of computer science, including high-performance computing, parallel/distributed systems, computational theory, compilers, power-aware computing, and supercomputing.

The book presents sufficient material for newcomers to easily get started. It provides citations to original articles on seminal results so that readers can consult the corresponding publications in the literature. Pointers to additional resources are included for more advanced topics. For those already familiar with a certain topic within reversible computing, the book can serve as a one-stop reference to other topics in the field.

This book examines the abilities of new machine learning models for predicting ore grade in mining engineering. A variety of case studies are examined in this book. A motivation for preparing this book was the absence of robust models for estimating ore grade. Models of current books can also be used for the different sciences because they have high capabilities for estimating different variables. Mining engineers can use the book to determine the ore grade accurately. This book helps identify mineral-rich regions for exploration and exploitation. Exploration costs can be decreased by using the models in the current book. In this book, the author discusses the new concepts in mining engineering, such as uncertainty in ore grade modeling. Ensemble models are presented in this book to estimate ore grade. In the book, readers learn how to construct advanced machine learning models for estimating ore grade. The authors of this book present advanced and hybrid models used to estimate ore grade instead of the classic methods such as kriging. The current book can be used as a comprehensive handbook for estimating ore grades. Industrial managers and modelers can use the models of the current books. Each level of ore grade modeling is explained in the book. In this book, advanced optimizers are presented to train machine learning models. Therefore, the book can also be used by modelers in other fields. The main motivation of this book is to address previous shortcomings in the modeling process of ore grades. The scope of this book includes mining engineering, soft computing models, and artificial intelligence.

For computer scientists, especially those in the security field, the use of chaos has been limited to the computation of a small collection of famous but unsuitable maps that offer no explanation of why chaos is relevant in the considered contexts. Discrete Dynamical Systems and Chaotic Machines: Theory and Applications shows how to make finite machines, such as computers, neural networks, and wireless sensor networks, work chaotically as defined in a rigorous mathematical framework. Taking into account that these machines must interact in the real world, the authors share their research results on the behaviors of discrete dynamical systems and their use in computer science. Covering both theoretical and practical aspects, the book presents: Key mathematical and physical ideas in chaos theory Computer science fundamentals, clearly establishing that chaos properties can be satisfied by finite state machines Concrete applications of chaotic machines in computer security, including pseudorandom number generators, hash functions, digital watermarking, and steganography Concrete applications of chaotic machines in wireless sensor networks, including secure data aggregation and video surveillance Until the authors' recent research, the practical implementation of the mathematical theory of chaos on finite machines raised several issues. This self-contained book illustrates how chaos theory enables the study of computer security problems, such as steganalysis, that otherwise could not be tackled. It also explains how the theory reinforces existing cryptographically secure tools and schemes.

Matrix algorithms are at the core of scientific computing and are indispensable tools in most applications in engineering. This book offers a comprehensive and up-to-date treatment of modern methods in matrix computation. It uses a unified approach to direct and iterative methods for linear systems, least squares and eigenvalue problems. A thorough analysis of the stability, accuracy and complexity of the treated methods is given.

"Numerical Methods in Matrix Computations" is suitable for use in courses on scientific computing and applied technical areas at advanced undergraduate and graduate level. A large bibliography is provided, which includes both historical and review papers as well as recent research papers. This makes the book useful also as a reference and guide to further study and research work.

This book presents models and algorithms for complex scheduling problems. Besides resource-constrained project scheduling problems with applications also job-shop problems with flexible machines, transportation or limited buffers are discussed. Discrete optimization methods like linear and integer programming, constraint propagation techniques, shortest path and network flow algorithms, branch-and-bound methods, local search and genetic algorithms, and dynamic programming are presented. They are used in exact or heuristic procedures to solve the introduced complex scheduling problems. Furthermore, methods for calculating lower bounds are described. Most algorithms are formulated in detail and illustrated with examples. In this second edition some errors were corrected, some parts were explained in more detail, and new material has been added. In particular, further generalizations of the RCPSP, additional practical applications and some more algorithms were integrated.