This book provides an elementary introduction to probability theory and its applications. The emphasis is on essential probabilistic reasoning, amply motivated, explained and illustrated with a large number of carefully selected samples. The fourth edition adds material related to mathematical finance, as well as expansions on stable laws and martingales.

This book provides an introduction to probability theory and its applications. The emphasis is on essential probabilistic reasoning, which is illustrated with a large number of samples. The fourth edition adds material related to mathematical finance as well as expansions on stable laws and martingales. From the reviews: "Almost thirty years after its first edition, this charming book continues to be an excellent text for teaching and for self study." -- STATISTICAL PAPERS

A new feature of this edition consists of photogra phs of eight masters in the contemporary development of probability theory. All of them appear in the body of the book, though the few references there merely serve to give a glimpse of their manifold contributions. It is hoped that these vivid pictures will inspire in the reader a feeling that our science is a live endeavor created and pursued by real personalities. I have had the privilege of meeting and knowing most of them after studying their works and now take pleasure in introducing them to a younger generation. In collecting the photographs I had the kind assistance of Drs Marie-Helene Schwartz, Joanne Elliot, Milo Keynes and Yu. A. Rozanov, to whom warm thanks are due. A German edition of the book has just been published. I am most grateful to Dr. Herbert Vogt for his careful translation which resulted also in a consid erable number of improvements on the text of this edition. Other readers who were kind enough to send their comments include Marvin Greenberg, Louise Hay, Nora Holmquist, H. -E. Lahmann, and Fred Wolock. Springer-Verlag is to be complimented once again for its willingness to make its books "immer besser. " K. L. C. September 19, 1978 Preface to the Second Edition A determined effort was made to correct the errors in the first edition. This task was assisted by: Chao Hung-po, J. L. Doob, R. M. Exner, W. H.

Designed for undergraduate mathematics students or graduate students in the sciences. This book can be used in a prerequisite course for Statistics (for math majors) or Mathematical Modeling. The first eighteen chapters could be used in a one-quarter course, and the entire text is suitable for a one-semester course.

Using only the very elementary framework of finite probability spaces, this book treats a number of topics in the modern theory of stochastic processes. This is made possible by using a small amount of Abraham Robinson's nonstandard analysis and not attempting to convert the results into conventional form.

This is an introduction to probabilistic and statistical concepts necessary to understand the basic ideas and methods of stochastic differential equations. Based on measure theory, which is introduced as smoothly as possible, it provides practical skills in the use of MAPLE in the context of probability and its applications. It offers to graduates and advanced undergraduates an overview and intuitive background for more advanced studies.