Sal Mangano has been developing software since the days Borland Turbo C and has worked with an eclectic mix of programming languages and technologies. Sal worked on many mission-critical applications, especially in the area of financial-trading applications. In his day job, he works mostly with mainstream languages like C++ and Java so he chooses to play with more interesting technology whenever he gets a chance.

Sal's two books (XSLT Cookbook and Math Mathematica Cookbook) may seem to be an odd pair of technologies for a single author but there is a common theme that reflects his view at what makes a language powerful. Both Mathematica and XSLT rest on the idea of pattern matching and transformation. They may use these patterns in different ways and transformations to achieve different ends but they are both good at what they do and interesting to program in for a common reason. Sal's passion for these languages and ideas comes through in both these cookbooks. He also likes to push technologies as far as they can go and into every nook and cranny of application. This is reflected in the wide mix of recipes he assembled for these books.

Sal has a Master's degree in Computer Science from Polytechnic University.

Preface;
Introduction;
[...];
Structure of This Book;
Acknowledgments;
Conventions Used in This Book;
Using Code Examples;
Safari® Enabled;
How to Contact Us;
Chapter 1: Numerics;
1.1 1.0 Introduction;
1.2 1.1 Controlling Precision and Accuracy;
1.3 1.2 Mixing Different Numerical Types;
1.4 1.3 Representing Numbers in Other Bases;
1.5 1.4 Extracting the Digits of a Number;
1.6 1.5 Working with Intervals;
1.7 1.6 Converting Between Numerical Types;
1.8 1.7 Displaying Numbers in Alternate Forms;
Chapter 2: Functional Programming;
2.1 2.0 Introduction;
2.2 2.1 Mapping Functions with More Than One Argument;
2.3 2.2 Holding Arbitrary Arguments;
2.4 2.3 Creating Functions That Automatically Map Over Lists;
2.5 2.4 Mapping Multiple Functions in a Single Pass;
2.6 2.5 Keeping Track of the Index of Each Item As You Map;
2.7 2.6 Mapping a Function over a Moving Sublist;
2.8 2.7 Using Prefix and Postfix Notation to Produce More Readable Code;
2.9 2.8 Defining Indexed Functions;
2.10 2.9 Understanding the Use of Fold As an Alternative to Recursion;
2.11 2.10 Incremental Construction of Lists;
2.12 2.11 Computing Through Repeated Function Application;
2.13 2.12 Building a Function Through Iteration;
2.14 2.13 Exploiting Function Composition and Inverse Functions;
2.15 2.14 Implementing Closures;
2.16 2.15 Currying in Mathematica;
2.17 2.16 Creating Functions with Default Values;
2.18 2.17 Creating Functions That Accept Options;
Chapter 3: Data Structures;
3.1 3.0 Introduction;
3.2 3.1 Ensuring the Most Efficient Representation of Numerical Lists;
3.3 3.2 Sorting Lists;
3.4 3.3 Determining Order Without Sorting;
3.5 3.4 Extracting the Diagonals of a Matrix;
3.6 3.5 Constructing Matrices of Specific Structure;
3.7 3.6 Constructing Permutation and Shift Matrices;
3.8 3.7 Manipulating Rows and Columns of Matrices;
3.9 3.8 Using Sparse Arrays to Conserve Memory;
3.10 3.9 Manipulating Deeply Nested Lists Using Functions with Level Specifications;
3.11 3.10 Implementing Bit Vectors and Using Format to Customize Their Presentation;
3.12 3.11 Implementing Trees and Traversals Using Lists;
3.13 3.12 Implementing Ordered Associative Lookup Using a Red-Black Tree;
3.14 3.13 Exploiting Mathematica's Built-In Associative Lookup;
3.15 3.14 Constructing Graphs Using the Combinatorica' Package;
3.16 3.15 Using Graph Algorithms to Extract Information from Graphs;
Chapter 4: Patterns and Rule-Based Programming;
4.1 4.0 Introduction;
4.2 4.1 Collecting Items That Match (or Don't Match) a Pattern;
4.3 4.2 Excluding Items That Match (or Don't Match) a Pattern;
4.4 4.3 Counting Items That Match a Pattern;
4.5 4.4 Replacing Parts of an Expression;
4.6 4.5 Finding the Longest (or Shortest) Match for a Pattern;
4.7 4.6 Implementing Algorithms in Terms of Rules;
4.8 4.7 Debugging Infinite Loops When Using ReplaceRepeated;
4.9 4.8 Preventing Evaluation Until Replace Is Complete;
4.10 4.9 Manipulating Patterns with Patterns;
4.11 4.10 Optimizing Rules;
4.12 4.11 Using Patterns As a Query Language;
4.13 4.12 Semantic Pattern Matching;
4.14 4.13 Unification Pattern Matching;
Chapter 5: String and Text Processing;
5.1 5.0 Introduction;
5.2 5.1 Comparing Strings;
5.3 5.2 Removing and Replacing Characters from Strings;
5.4 5.3 Extracting Characters and Substrings;
5.5 5.4 Duplicating a String;
5.6 5.5 Matching and Searching Text;
5.7 5.6 Tokenizing Text;
5.8 5.7 Working with Natural Language Dictionaries;
5.9 5.8 Importing XML;
5.10 5.9 Transforming XML Using Patterns and Rules;
5.11 5.10 Transforming XML Using Recursive Functions (à la XSLT);
5.12 5.11 Writing Parsers and Grammars in Mathematica;
Chapter 6: Two-Dimensional Graphics and Plots;
6.1 6.0 Introduction;
6.2 6.1 Plotting Functions in Cartesian Coordinates;
6.3 6.2 Plotting in Polar Coordinates;
6.4 6.3 Creating Plots Parametrically;
6.5 6.4 Plotting Data;
6.6 6.5 Mixing Two or More Graphs into a Single Graph;
6.7 6.6 Displaying Multiple Graphs in a Grid;
6.8 6.7 Creating Plots with Legends;
6.9 6.8 Displaying 2D Geometric Shapes;
6.10 6.9 Annotating Graphics with Text;
6.11 6.10 Creating Custom Arrows;
Chapter 7: Three-Dimensional Graphics and Plots;
7.1 7.0 Introduction;
7.2 7.1 Plotting Functions of Two Variables in Cartesian Coordinates;
7.3 7.2 Plotting Functions in Spherical Coordinates;
7.4 7.3 Plotting Surfaces in Cylindrical Coordinates;
7.5 7.4 Plotting 3D Surfaces Parametrically;
7.6 7.5 Creating 3D Contour Plots;
7.7 7.6 Combining 2D Contours with 3D Plots;
7.8 7.7 Constraining Plots to Specified Regions;
7.9 7.8 Plotting Data in 3D;
7.10 7.9 Plotting 3D Regions Where a Predicate Is Satisfied;
7.11 7.10 Displaying 3D Geometrical Shapes;
7.12 7.11 Constructing Wireframe Models from Mesh;
7.13 7.12 Controlling Viewing Geometry;
7.14 7.13 Controlling Lighting and Surface Properties;
7.15 7.14 Transforming 3D Graphics;
7.16 7.15 Exploring Polyhedra;
7.17 7.16 Importing 3D Graphics from CAD and Other 3D Software;
Chapter 8: Image Processing;
8.1 8.0 Introduction;
8.2 8.1 Extracting Image Information;
8.3 8.2 Converting Images from RGB Color Space to HSV Color Space;
8.4 8.3 Enhancing Images Using Histogram Equalization;
8.5 8.4 Correcting Images Using Histogram Specification;
8.6 8.5 Sharpening Images Using Laplacian Transforms;
8.7 8.6 Sharpening and Smoothing with Fourier Transforms;
8.8 8.7 Detecting Edges in Images;
8.9 8.8 Image Recognition Using Eigenvectors (Eigenimages);
Chapter 9: Audio and Music Processing;
9.1 9.0 Introduction;
9.2 9.1 Creating Musical Notes;
9.3 9.2 Creating a Scale or a Melody;
9.4 9.3 Adding Rhythm to a Melody;
9.5 9.4 Controlling the Volume;
9.6 9.5 Creating Chords;
9.7 9.6 Playing a Chord Progression;
9.8 9.7 Writing Music with Traditional Chord Notation;
9.9 9.8 Creating Percussion Grooves;
9.10 9.9 Creating More Complex Percussion Grooves;
9.11 9.10 Exporting MIDI files;
9.12 9.11 Playing Functions As Sound;
9.13 9.12 Adding Tremolo;
9.14 9.13 Adding Vibrato;
9.15 9.14 Applying an Envelope to a Signal;
9.16 9.15 Exploring Alternate Tunings;
9.17 9.16 Importing Digital Sound Files;
9.18 9.17 Analyzing Digital Sound Files;
9.19 9.18 Slicing a Sample;
Chapter 10: Algebra;
10.1 10.0 Introduction;
10.2 10.1 Solving Algebraic Equations;
10.3 10.2 Finding a Polynomial from a Given Root;
10.4 10.3 Transforming Expressions to Other Forms;
10.5 10.4 Generating Polynomials;
10.6 10.5 Decomposing Polynomials into Their Constituent Parts;
10.7 10.6 Dividing Polynomials by Other Polynomials;
Chapter 11: Calculus: Continuous and Discrete;
11.1 11.0 Introduction;
11.2 11.1 Computing Limits;
11.3 11.2 Working with Piecewise Functions;
11.4 11.3 Using Power Series Representations;
11.5 11.4 Differentiating Functions;
11.6 11.5 Integration;
11.7 11.6 Solving Differential Equations;
11.8 11.7 Solving Minima and Maxima Problems;
11.9 11.8 Solving Vector Calculus Problems;
11.10 11.9 Solving Problems Involving Sums and Products;
11.11 11.10 Solving Difference Equations;
11.12 11.11 Generating Functions and Sequence Recognition;
Chapter 12: Statistics and Data Analysis;
12.1 12.0 Introduction;
12.2 12.1 Computing Common Statistical Metrics of Numerical and Symbolic Data;
12.3 12.2 Generating Pseudorandom Numbers with a Given Distribution;
12.4 12.3 Working with Probability Distributions;
12.5 12.4 Demonstrating the Central Limit Theorem;
12.6 12.5 Computing Covariance and Correlation of Vectors and Matrices;
12.7 12.6 Measuring the Shape of Data;
12.8 12.7 Finding and Adjusting for Outliers;
12.9 12.8 Fitting Data Using a Linear Model;
12.10 12.9 Fitting Data Using a Nonlinear Model;
12.11 12.10 Creating Interpolation Functions from Data;
12.12 12.11 Testing for Statistically Significant Difference Between Groups Using ANOVA;
12.13 12.12 Hypothesis Testing with Categorical Data;
12.14 12.13 Grouping Data into Clusters;
12.15 12.14 Creating Common Statistical Plots;
12.16 12.15 Quasi-Random Number Generation;
12.17 12.16 Creating Stochastic Simulations;
Chapter 13: Science and Engineering;
13.1 13.0 Introduction;
13.2 13.1 Working with Element Data;
13.3 13.2 Working with Chemical Data;
13.4 13.3 Working with Particle Data;
13.5 13.4 Working with Genetic Data and Protein Data;
13.6 13.5 Modeling Predator-Prey Dynamics;
13.7 13.6 Solving Basic Rigid Bodies Problems;
13.8 13.7 Solving Problems in Kinematics;
13.9 13.8 Computing Normal Modes for Coupled Mass Problems;
13.10 13.9 Modeling a Vibrating String;
13.11 13.10 Modeling Electrical Circuits;
13.12 13.11 Modeling Truss Structures Using the Finite Element Method;
Chapter 14: Financial Engineering;
14.1 14.0 Introduction;
14.2 14.1 Leveraging Mathematica's Bundled Financial Data;
14.3 14.2 Importing Financial Data from Websites;
14.4 14.3 Present Value of Future Cash Flows;
14.5 14.4 Interest Rate Sensitivity of Bonds;
14.6 14.5 Constructing and Manipulating Yield Curves;
14.7 14.6 Black-Scholes for European Option Pricing;
14.8 14.7 Computing the Implied Volatility of Financial Derivatives;
14.9 14.8 Speeding Up NDSolve When Solving Black-Scholes and Other PDEs;
14.10 14.9 Developing an Explicit Finite Difference Method for the Black-Scholes Formula;
14.11 14.10 Compiling an Implementation of Explicit Trinomial for Fast Pricing of American Options;
14.12 14.11 Modeling the Value-at-Risk of a Portfolio Using Monte Carlo and Other Methods;
14.13 14.12 Visualizing Trees for Interest-Rate Sensitive Instruments;
Chapter 15: Interactivity;
15.1 15.0 Introduction;
15.2 15.1 Manipulating a Variable;
15.3 15.2 Manipulating a Symbolic Expression;
15.4 15.3 Manipulating a Plot;
15.5 15.4 Creating Expressions for Which Value Dynamically Updates;...