This classic book is an introduction to dynamic programming, presented
by the scientist who coined the term and developed the theory in its
early stages. In Dynamic Programming, Richard E. Bellman introduces
his groundbreaking theory and furnishes a new and versatile mathematical
tool for the treatment of many complex problems, both within and outside
of the discipline.
The book is written at a moderate mathematical level, requiring only a
basic foundation in mathematics, including calculus. The applications
formulated and analyzed in such diverse fields as mathematical
economics, logistics, scheduling theory, communication theory, and
control processes are as relevant today as they were when Bellman first
presented them. A new introduction by Stuart Dreyfus reviews Bellman's
later work on dynamic programming and identifies important research
areas that have profited from the application of Bellman's theory.