A First Course in Chaotic Dynamical Systems: Theory and Experiment

Written by one of the most respected mathematicians in the field, this book conveys the essential mathematical ideas in dynamical systems using a combination of theory and computer experimentation. This introductory look at dynamical systems includes investigating the rates of approach to attracting and indifferent fixed points to the discovery of Feigenbaum's constant; exploring the window structure in the orbit diagram; and understanding the periods of the bulbs in the Mandelbrot set.

Professor Robert L. Devaney received his A.B. from Holy Cross College and his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in 1973. He taught at Northwestern University, Tufts University, and the University of Maryland before coming to Boston University in 1980. He served there as chairman of the Department of Mathematics from 1983 to 1986. His main area of research is dynamical systems, including Hamiltonian systems, complex analytic dynamics, and computer experiments in dynamics. He is the author of An Introduction to Chaotic Dynamical Systems, and Chaos, Fractals, and Dynamics: Computer Experiments in Modern Mathematics, which aims to explain the beauty of chaotic dynamics to high school students and teachers.