Forecasting and Inventory Control on Micros

This paper discusses a series of computer modules for forecasting and inventory control on micros. The systems have also been developed as interactive training packages.     

O.R. and Micros: O.R. Workers,Information Systems Analysts and the Challenge of the Micro

An assessment of the effects of microcomputing on O.R. should take account of the impact of micros on other professional groups involved in the provision of information and analysis to managers. The paper examines the likely changes in the role of information systems analysts associated with present trends in computer-based information systems and, by concentrating on the decision support systems area, argues that O.R. workers and systems analysts may find themselves competing for new roles in ways which make if difficult to set out the contribution of each in terms of what they do at present. A modest proposal is made for a new form of team for the development of decision support systems. This incorporates a division of skills which cuts across existing lines of differentiation and foresees an increased contribution on the part of user-managers.     

Linear birth and death models and associated Laguerre and Meixner polynomials

We study birth and death processes with linear rates λ_n = n + α + c + 1, μ_{n + 1} = n + c, n 0 and μ₀ is either zero or c. The spectral measures of both processes are found using generating functions and the integral transforms of Laplace and Stieltjes. The corresponding orthogonal polynomials generalize Laguerre polynomials and the choice μ₀ = c generates the associated Laguerre polynomials of Askey and Wimp. We investigate the orthogonal polynomials in both cases and give alternate proofs of some of the results of Askey and Wimp on the associated Laguerre polynomials. We also identify the spectra of the associated Charlier and Meixner polynomials as zeros of certain transcendental equations.     

Distributive and Multiplication Modules and Rings

We study rings in which every ideal is a finitely generated multiplication right ideal.     

Affine-inscribed and affine-circumscribed polygons and polytopes

Five theorems on polygons and polytopes inscribed in (or circumscribed about) a convex compact set in the plane or space are proved by topological methods. In particular, it is proved that for every interior point O of a convex compact set in ℝ³, there exists a two-dimensional section through O circumscribed about an affine image of a regular octagon. It is also proved that every compact convex set in ℝ³ (except the cases listed below) is circumscribed about an affine image of a cube-octahedron (the convex hull of the midpoints of the edges of a cube). Possible exceptions are provided by the bodies containing a parallelogram P and contained in a cylinder with directrix P. Bibliography: 29 titles. Translated fromZapiski Nauchnykh Seminarov POMI, Vol. 231, 1995, pp. 286–298. Translated by B. M. Bekker.     

Partitions and pairwise sums and products

A seven cell partition of N is constructed with the property that no infinite set has all of its pairwise sums and products in any one cell. A related Ramsey Theory question is shown to have different answers for two and three cell partitions.     

Beliefs and beyond: affect and the teaching and learning of mathematics

The importance of beliefs for the teaching and learning of mathematics is widely recognized among mathematics educators. In this special issue, we explicitly address what we call “beliefs and beyond” to indicate the larger field surrounding beliefs in mathematics education. This is done to broaden the discussion to related concepts (which may not originate in mathematics education) and to consider the interconnectedness of concepts. In particular, we present some new developments at the conceptual level, address different approaches to investigate beliefs, highlight the role of student beliefs in problem-solving activities, and discuss teacher beliefs and their significance for professional development. One specific intention is to consider expertise from colleagues in the fields of educational research and psychology, side by side with perspectives provided by researchers from mathematics education.     

Ritz and harmonic Ritz values and the convergence of FOM and GMRES

The Ritz and harmonic Ritz values are approximate eigenvalues, which can be computed cheaply within the FOM and GMRES Krylov subspace iterative methods for solving non‐symmetric linear systems. They are also the zeros of the residual polynomials of FOM and GMRES, respectively. In this paper we show that the Walker–Zhou interpretation of GMRES enables us to formulate the relation between the harmonic Ritz values and GMRES in the same way as the relation between the Ritz values and FOM. We present an upper bound for the norm of the difference between the matrices from which the Ritz and harmonic Ritz values are computed. The differences between the Ritz and harmonic Ritz values enable us to describe the breakdown of FOM and stagnation of GMRES. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modeling and Computation in Optics and Electromagnetics

Advances in Computational Mathematics -