Optimization Theory is becoming a more and more important mathematical as well as interdisciplinary area, especially in the interplay between mathematics and many other sciences like computer science, physics, engineering, operations research, etc.
This volume gives a comprehensive introduction into the theory of (deterministic) optimization on an advanced undergraduate and graduate level. One main feature is the treatment of both continuous and discrete optimization at the same place. This allows to study the problems under different points of view, supporting a better understanding of the entire field.
Audience: The book can be adapted well as an introductory textbook into optimization theory on a basis of a two semester course; however, each of its parts can also be taught separately. Many exercises are included to increase the reader's understanding.

At the heart of the topology of global optimization lies Morse Theory: The study of the behaviour of lower level sets of functions as the level varies. Roughly speaking, the topology of lower level sets only may change when passing a level which corresponds to a stationary point (or Karush-Kuhn Tucker point). We study elements of Morse Theory, both in the unconstrained and constrained case. Special attention is paid to the degree of differentiabil ity of the functions under consideration. The reader will become motivated to discuss the possible shapes and forms of functions that may possibly arise within a given problem framework. In a separate chapter we show how certain ideas may be carried over to nonsmooth items, such as problems of Chebyshev approximation type. We made this choice in order to show that a good under standing of regular smooth problems may lead to a straightforward treatment of "just" continuous problems by means of suitable perturbation techniques, taking a priori nonsmoothness into account. Moreover, we make a focal point analysis in order to emphasize the difference between inner product norms and, for example, the maximum norm. Then, specific tools from algebraic topol ogy, in particular homology theory, are treated in some detail. However, this development is carried out only as far as it is needed to understand the relation between critical points of a function on a manifold with structured boundary. Then, we pay attention to three important subjects in nonlinear optimization."

At the heart of the topology of global optimization lies Morse Theory: The study of the behaviour of lower level sets of functions as the level varies. Roughly speaking, the topology of lower level sets only may change when passing a level which corresponds to a stationary point (or Karush-Kuhn Tucker point). We study elements of Morse Theory, both in the unconstrained and constrained case. Special attention is paid to the degree of differentiabil ity of the functions under consideration. The reader will become motivated to discuss the possible shapes and forms of functions that may possibly arise within a given problem framework. In a separate chapter we show how certain ideas may be carried over to nonsmooth items, such as problems of Chebyshev approximation type. We made this choice in order to show that a good under standing of regular smooth problems may lead to a straightforward treatment of "just" continuous problems by means of suitable perturbation techniques, taking a priori nonsmoothness into account. Moreover, we make a focal point analysis in order to emphasize the difference between inner product norms and, for example, the maximum norm. Then, specific tools from algebraic topol ogy, in particular homology theory, are treated in some detail. However, this development is carried out only as far as it is needed to understand the relation between critical points of a function on a manifold with structured boundary. Then, we pay attention to three important subjects in nonlinear optimization.

This volume provides a comprehensive introduction to the theory of (deterministic) optimization. It covers both continuous and discrete optimization. This allows readers to study problems under different points-of-view, which supports a better understanding of the entire field. Many exercises are included to increase the reader's understanding.