CATBox

Graph algorithms are easy to visualize and indeed there already exists a variety of packages to animate the dynamics when solving problems from graph theory. Still it can be difficult to understand the ideas behind the algorithm from the dynamic display alone.

CATBox consists of a software system for animating graph algorithms and a course book which we developed simultaneously. The software system presents both the algorithm and the graph and puts the user always in control of the actual code that is executed. In the course book, intended for readers at advanced undergraduate or graduate level, computer exercises and examples replace the usual static pictures of algorithm dynamics.

For this volume we have chosen solely algorithms for classical problems from combinatorial optimization, such as minimum spanning trees, shortest paths, maximum flows, minimum cost flows, weighted and unweighted matchings both for bipartite and non-bipartite graphs.

Find more information at http://schliep.org/CATBox/.

• Graph
• Graph theory
• Matching
• Maxima
• Sim
• algorithms
• combinatorial optimization
• complexity
• computer
• data structures
• optimization
• programming

From the book reviews:

“We warmly recommend the book for those who teach an undergraduate or graduate course on discrete optimization for students who are not theory driven or just want to see the algorithms taught in action.” (Péter Hajnal, Acta Scientiarum Mathematicarum (Szeged), Vol. 77 (3-4), 2011)

“Intend to provide both mathematical rigor as well as an interactive tool to assist the learning process. … The text is proposed for use at the graduate or advanced undergraduate levels. … theory and practice come together admirably. … CATBox is an excellent tool for learning the presented algorithms and concepts. … Students … in both computer science and the methods of mathematical proof would be well-served by this text.” (Keith Sinkhorn, The Mathematical Association of America, October, 2010)

“This book is devoted to algorithms which solve some classical problems from discrete optimization. … The authors … attempt to make accessible a number of topics that are not often found in textbooks. … The organization and presentation of the materials of the book makes it possible to use it both for readers at advanced undergraduate or graduate level and as a reference book. It is a very valuable book for successful application of real life problems from discrete optimization. I certainly recommend buying it.” (Samir Kumar Neogy, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1190, 2010)

• FB Mathematik, Fernuniversität Hagen, Hagen, Germany

  Winfried Hochstättler

• Molekulare Genetik, Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany

  Alexander Schliep

Winfried Hochstättler is a professor of "Discrete Mathematics and Optimization" at FernUniversität in Hagen. The material of this book has been used for teaching in several courses.

Alexander Schliep is a professor in the department of computer science and the BioMaPS institute for quantitative biology at Rutgers University.  Gato, derived tools, and parts of CATBox have been used in graduate training at the Max Planck Institut for Molecular Genetics in Berlin.

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