David F. Anderson

This book gives an overview of research on graphs associated with commutative rings. The study of the connections between algebraic structures and certain graphs, especially finite groups and their Cayley graphs, is a classical subject which has attracted a lot of interest. More recently, attention has focused on graphs constructed from commutative rings, a field of study which has generated an extensive amount of research over the last three decades. The aim of this text is to consolidate this large body of work into a single volume, with the intention of encouraging interdisciplinary research between algebraists and graph theorists, using the tools of one subject to solve the problems of the other. The topics covered include the graphical and topological properties of zero-divisor graphs, total graphs and their transformations, and other graphs associated with rings. The book will be of interest to researchers in commutative algebra and graph theory and anyone interested in learning about the connections between these two subjects.

This book gives an overview of research on graphs associated with commutative rings. The study of the connections between algebraic structures and certain graphs, especially finite groups and their Cayley graphs, is a classical subject which has attracted a lot of interest. More recently, attention has focused on graphs constructed from commutative rings, a field of study which has generated an extensive amount of research over the last three decades. The aim of this text is to consolidate this large body of work into a single volume, with the intention of encouraging interdisciplinary research between algebraists and graph theorists, using the tools of one subject to solve the problems of the other. The topics covered include the graphical and topological properties of zero-divisor graphs, total graphs and their transformations, and other graphs associated with rings. The book will be of interest to researchers in commutative algebra and graph theory and anyone interested in learning about the connections between these two subjects.

This classroom-tested textbook is an introduction to probability theory, with the right balance between mathematical precision, probabilistic intuition, and concrete applications. Introduction to Probability covers the material precisely, while avoiding excessive technical details. After introducing the basic vocabulary of randomness, including events, probabilities, and random variables, the text offers the reader a first glimpse of the major theorems of the subject: the law of large numbers and the central limit theorem. The important probability distributions are introduced organically as they arise from applications. The discrete and continuous sides of probability are treated together to emphasize their similarities. Intended for students with a calculus background, the text teaches not only the nuts and bolts of probability theory and how to solve specific problems, but also why the methods of solution work.

This book focuses on counting processes and continuous-time Markov chains motivated by examples and applications drawn from chemical networks in systems biology. The book should serve well as a supplement for courses in probability and stochastic processes. While the material is presented in a manner most suitable for students who have studied stochastic processes up to and including martingales in continuous time, much of the necessary background material is summarized in the Appendix. Students and Researchers with a solid understanding of calculus, differential equations and elementary probability and who are well-motivated by the applications will find this book of interest. David F. Anderson is Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Wisconsin and Thomas G. Kurtz is Emeritus Professor in the Departments of Mathematics and Statistics at that university. Their research is focused on probability and stochastic processes with applications in biology and other areas of science and technology. These notes are based in part on lectures given by Professor Anderson at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and by Professor Kurtz at Goethe University Frankfurt.