Mathematician:Donald Ervin Knuth

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Mathematician

Pronounced K-Nooth.

Hugely influential American computer scientist famous for his multi-volume The Art of Computer Programming, still famously a work in progress.

The "father of analysis of algorithms".

Pioneered research and design of the representation of mathematics via computer.[1] Author of Computers and Typesetting, another multi-volume work.


Nationality

American


History

  • Born: January 10, 1938


Theorems and Definitions

Results named for Donald Ervin Knuth can be found here.

Definitions of concepts named for Donald Ervin Knuth can be found here.


Publications

The Art of Computer Programming

  • The Art of Computer Programming, fascicles:
    • 2005: Volume 1, Fascicle 1: MMIX - A RISC Computer for the New Millennium (ISBN 0-201-85392-2)
    • 2008: Volume 4, Fascicle 0: Introduction to Combinatorial Algorithms and Boolean Functions (ISBN 0-321-53496-4)
    • 2009: Volume 4, Fascicle 1: Bitwise Tricks & Techniques; Binary Decision Diagrams (ISBN 0-321-58050-8)
    • 2005: Volume 4, Fascicle 2: Generating All Tuples and Permutations (ISBN 0-201-85393-0)
    • 2005: Volume 4, Fascicle 3: Generating All Combinations and Partitions (ISBN 0-201-85394-9)
    • 2006: Volume 4, Fascicle 4: Generating All Trees - History of Combinatorial Generation (ISBN 0-321-33570-8)


Computers and Typesetting

  • 1986: Computers and Typesetting:
    • 1984: Volume A: The $\TeX$book. Describes the $\TeX$ typesetting language. (Softcover: ISBN 0-201-13448-9, hardcover ISBN 0-201-13447-0)
    • 1986: Volume B: $\TeX$: The program. A documented listing of the source code of the $\TeX$ interpreter. (Hardcover: ISBN 0-201-13437-3)
    • 1986: Volume C: The METAFONTbook. Describes the METAFONT font description language. (Hardcover: ISBN 0-201-13445-4, softcover: ISBN 0-201-13444-6)
    • 1986: Volume D: Metafont: The program. A documented listing of the source code of the Metafont interpreter. (Hardcover ISBN 0-201-13438-1, paperback ISBN 0-201-60658-5)
    • 1986: Volume E: Computer Modern Typefaces. A character-by-character listing (in the Metafont language) of the source code for the Computer Modern typefaces (cmr, cmbx, cmti, etc) used by TeX. (Hardcover: ISBN 0-201-13446-2, softcover: ISBN 0-201-60660-7)
  • Hardcover boxed set with the latest editions as of the year 2000: ISBN 0-201-73416-8.


Other Books


Selected Papers series

  • 1992: Literate Programming (ISBN 0-937073-80-6)
  • 1996: Selected Papers on Computer Science (ISBN 1-881526-91-7)
  • 2000: Selected Papers on Analysis of Algorithms (ISBN 1-57586-212-3)
  • 2003: Selected Papers on Computer Languages (Cloth binding: ISBN 1-57586-381-2, paperback: ISBN 1-57586-382-0)
  • 2003: Selected Papers on Discrete Mathematics (Cloth binding: ISBN 1-57586-249-2, paperback: ISBN 1-57586-248-4)
  • 2010: Selected Papers on Design of Algorithms (Cloth binding: ISBN 1-57586-583-1, paperback: ISBN 1-57586-582-3)
  • Planned late 2010: Selected Papers on Fun and Games


Papers and Articles


Other Creations

  • $\TeX$: the definitive tools for typographical rendition of mathematical symbols.
  • METAFONT: a software tool for alphabet design.
  • The Computer Modern family of typefaces.
  • MIX and MMIX, a virtual computer architecture (and its successor) designed to teach the basics of machine-level programming.


Notable Quotes

Beware of bugs in the above code; I have only proved it correct, not tried it.


Notes

  1. It is impossible accurately to assess the impact of $\TeX$ on the ability to communicate mathematics via computer. This website would not have been possible without it.


Sources