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This work covers a substantial mosaic of related concepts in utility theory as applied to financial decision-making. It reviews some of the classical notions of Benthamite utility and the normative utility paradigm offered by the von Neumann-Morgenstern expected utility theory; exploring its major pitfalls before moving into what is postulated as an entropic notion of utility. Extrinsic utility is proposed as a cardinally measurable quantity; measurable in terms of the expected information content of a set of alternative choices. The entropic notion of utility is subsequently used to model the financial behavior of individual investors based on their governing risk-return preferences involving financial structured products manufactured out of complex, multi-asset options. Evolutionary superiority of the Black-Scholes function in dynamic hedging scenarios is computationally demonstrated using a haploid genetic algorithm model programmed in Borland C. The work explores, both theoretically and computationally, the psycho-cognitive factors governing the financial behavior of individual investors both in the presence as well as absence o...

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A collection of papers concerning smarandache type functions, numbers, sequences, integer algorithms, paradoxes, experimental geometries, algebraic structures, neutrosophic probability, set, and logic, etc. is published this year....

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A combinatorial map is a connected topological graph cellularly embedded in a surface. As a linking of combinatorial configuration with the classical mathematics, it fascinates more and more mathematician’s interesting. Its function and role in mathematics are widely accepted by mathematicians today. On the last century, many works are concentrated on the combinatorial properties of maps. The main trend is the enumeration of maps, particularly the rooted maps, pioneered by W. Tutte, and today, this kind of papers are still appeared on the journals frequently today. All of those is surveyed in Liu’s book [33]. To determine the embedding of a graph on surfaces, including coloring a map on surfaces is another trend in map theory. Its object is combinatorialization of surfaces, see Gross and Tucker [22], Mohar and Thomassen [53] and White [70], especially the [53] for detail. The construction of regular maps on surfaces, related maps with groups and geometry is a glimmer of the map theory with other mathematics....

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The creation of a book is an act that requires several preconditions. I) An interesting and worthwhile subject; 2) A fair, yet demanding editor.; 3) Someone willing to put the words on paper. Given the existence of these three items, the leap to making the book a good one becomes the responsibility of the author. The Smarandache function is simultaneously a logical extension to earlier functions in number theory as well as a key to many future paths of exploration. As such, it is hoped that you get as much out of this book as the author did in writing it. While all books are a collective work, the responsibility for any errors ultimately falls to the author, and this is no exception....

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As one of the oldest of mathematical disciplines, the roots of number theory extend back into antiquity. Problems are often easy to state, but extremely difficult to solve. Which is the origin of much of their charm. All mathematicians, amateurs and professionals alike, have a soft spot in their hearts for the "purity" of the integers. When "Fermat's Last Theorem" was finally proven after centuries of effort, the result was discussed on many major news shows in the US. Brief comments also appeared in the major weekly news magazines....

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I have met the Smarandache's world for the first time about one year ago reading some articles and problems published in the Journal of Recreational Mathematics. From then on I discovered the interesting American Research Press web site dedicated to the Smarandache notions and held by Dr. Perez (address: http://www.gallup.unm.edu/~smarandache/), the Smarandache Notions Journal always published by American Research Press, and several books on conjectures, functions, unsolved problems, notions and other proposed by Professor F. Smarandache in "The Florentin Smarandache papers" special collections at: the Arizona State University (Tempe, USA), Archives of American Mathematics (University of Texas at Austin, USA), University of Craiova Library (Romania), and Archives of State (Rm. Valcea, Romania). The Smarandache's universe is undoubtedly very fascinating and is halfway between the number theory and the recreational mathematics. Even though sometime this universe has a very simple structure from number theory standpoint, it doesn't cease to be deeply mysterious and interesting. This book, following the Smarandache spirit, presents new ...

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For most of the 20th century, both relativity and star travel fascinated this writer. The reasons Albert Einstein concluded there is an absolute barrier at the speed of light seemed at first clear, then later not so clear upon closer examination. "The speed of light relative to what?" I often asked anyone who would listen. The common response was, "Light needs no specification of that kind; its speed is the same no matter who measures it." "That's true." I would respond; "That's just the second postulate of special relativity which is not in doubt; but that postulate applies to light, and we're talking about rocketships here." However it seemed that no one understood what I was saying. By referring to the universal constant c= 299.792 458 megameters per second as "the speed of light," we paint ourselves into a logical corner in which light is automatically taken as the subject of discussion even when it is not. The careful reader will know not to immediately think "light" when he hears or reads "the speed of light." But it is better to have a neutral name for that universal constant. It has been called the Lorentz speed; Ignaz...

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One's reach should exceed one's grasp. Thus we reach for Alpha Centauri with a round-trip manned and womanned mission as the proposed overarching goal under a clear plan of exploration - a grand experiment described in later chapters. Whether or not we succeed in grasping the goal under this or under any plan is not as important as it is to set a definite plan and work towards its goal. The plan outlined here is in two phases: Phase one has a high probability of success, given the required propulsion system; the chances of phase two working will be indicated by results obtained from phase one. A fundamental problem is the one of propulsion. It is important to the working of this plan, a highly optimistic one, that the engine be capable of a sustained acceleration of ¼ G in phase one and 1G in phase two. (1G = 9.80665 m/s2) Such an engine is within the reach of present ideas....

Table of Contents Details
Prefaces. 6 -- Ch.1. Introduction . 11 -- Ch.2. The Human Barrier. 14 -- Ch.3. An Overview. 18 -- Ch.4. Acceleration Due to Light Pressure. 21 -- Ch.5. Light Sailing is Not All There Is. 27 -- Ch.6. Einstein's Light Barrier. 32 -- Ch.7. The Phase One Experiment: The First Starship. 37 -- Ch.8. The Phase Two Experiment: Alpha Centauri or Bust!. 45 -- Ch.9. Voyage to the Center of the Galaxy. 50 -- Ch.10. An Hypothesis: There is no Speed Barrier in the Universe. 52 --...