Fundamentals of Convex Analysis [Paperback]

This book is an abridged version of the two volumes Convex Analysis and Minimization Algorithms I and II (Grundlehren der mathematischen Wissenschaften Vol. 305 and 306). It presents an introduction to the basic concepts in convex analysis and a study of convex minimization problems (with an emphasis on numerical algorithms). The backbone of bot volumes was extracted, some material deleted which was deemed too advanced for an introduction, or too closely attached to numerical algorithms. Some exercises were included and finally the index has been considerably enriched, making it an excellent choice for the purpose of learning and teaching.This book is an abridged version of our two-volume opus Convex Analysis and Minimization Algorithms [18], about which we have received very positive feedback from users, readers, lecturers ever since it was published - by Springer-Verlag in 1993. Its pedagogical qualities were particularly appreciated, in the combination with a rather advanced technical material. Now [18] hasa dual but clearly defined nature: - an introduction to the basic concepts in convex analysis, - a study of convex minimization problems (with an emphasis on numerical al- rithms), and insists on their mutual interpenetration. It is our feeling that the above basic introduction is much needed in the scientific community. This is the motivation for the present edition, our intention being to create a tool useful to teach convex anal? ysis. We have thus extracted from [18] its backbone devoted to convex analysis, namely ChapsIII-VI and X. Apart from some local improvements, the present text is mostly a copy of the corresponding chapters. The main difference is that we have deleted material deemed too advanced for an introduction, or too closely attached to numerical algorithms. Further, we have included exercises, whose degree of difficulty is suggested by 0, I or 2 stars *. Finally, the index has been considerably enriched. Just as in lÂ