The Art of Programming (Set of 4 books)

The set consists of four volumes of «The Art of Programming» by D. E. Knuth.

The first volume begins with a description of the basic concepts and methods of programming. The author then moves on to the study of information structures—the representation of information within the computer, structural relationships between data elements, and ways of effectively working with them. Examples of elementary applications are given for methods of simulation, symbolic computation, numerical methods, and software development. Compared to the previous edition, dozens of simple yet very important algorithms have been added. In accordance with modern research directions, the section on mathematical introduction has been significantly revised.

The second volume provides a complete introduction to the theory of numerical algorithms, with separate chapters dedicated to random numbers and arithmetic. The book lays the foundations of the theory of numerical algorithms, as well as their main examples. Thus, a strong link is established between computer programming and numerical analysis. Special mention should be made of the new interpretation of random number generators proposed by Knuth in this third edition, as well as the discussion on computation methods using formal power series.

The third volume contains a comprehensive overview of classical sorting and searching algorithms. The information presented complements the discussion of data structures in the first volume. The author discusses the principles of constructing large and small databases, as well as internal and external memory. 

The fourth volume examines methods that allow computers to effectively tackle problems of gigantic size. The material covered starts with Boolean functions and techniques and tricks for working with bits, then comprehensively discusses the generation of all tuples and permutations, all combinations and partitions, and all trees. The product is carefully packaged in bubble wrap and a cardboard box for protection against mechanical damage.