Comparing this book with others in the same field, we have put an emphasis on
practical applications of nonlinear programming from a variety of areas, hoping that
this will illustrate the versatility and wide applicability of nonlinear programming. In
an attempt to provide broad coverage of the field, we have also given more attention
to nonconvex optimization, particularly geometric programming. Prerequisites for
an understanding of our treatment of the material are a rudimentary knowledge of
differential calculus and linear algebra and, though only in a few cases, some
probability and statistics.
Finally, this volume marks the completion of a five-volume unified treatment of
the field of operations research/management science/mathematical optimization.