Relational Mathematics

Relational mathematics is to operations research and informatics what numerical mathematics is to engineering: it is intended to help modelling, reasoning, and computing. Its applications are therefore diverse, ranging from psychology, linguistics, decision aid, and ranking to machine learning and spatial reasoning. Although many developments have been made in recent years, they have rarely been shared amongst this broad community of researchers. This comprehensive 2010 overview begins with an easy introduction to the topic, assuming a minimum of prerequisites; but it is nevertheless theoretically sound and up to date. It is suitable for applied scientists, explaining all the necessary mathematics from scratch using a multitude of visualised examples, via matrices and graphs. It ends with tangible results on the research level. The author illustrates the theory and demonstrates practical tasks in operations research, social sciences and the humanities.

This book summarizes years of research in the field of fuzzy relational programming, with a special emphasis on geometric models. It discusses the state-of-the-art in fuzzy relational geometric problems, together with key open issues that must be resolved to achieve a more efficient application of this method. Though chiefly based on research conducted by the authors, who were the first to introduce fuzzy geometric problems, it also covers important findings obtained in the field of linear and non-linear programming. Thanks to its balance of basic and advanced concepts, and its wealth of practical examples, the book offers a valuable guide for both newcomers and experienced researcher in the fields of soft computing and mathematical optimization.

This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed post-conference proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Relational and Algebraic Methods in Computer Science, RAMiCS 13, held in Cambridge, UK, in September 2012. The 23 revised full papers presented were carefully selected from 39 submissions in the general area of relational and algebraic methods in computer science, adding special focus on formal methods for software engineering, logics of programs and links with neighboring disciplines. The papers are structured in specific fields on applications to software specification and correctness, mechanized reasoning in relational algebras, algebraic program derivation, theoretical foundations, relations and algorithms, and properties of specialized relations.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the 12 International Conference on Relational and Algebraic Methods in Computer Science, RAMICS 2011, held in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, in May/June 2011. This conference merges the RelMICS (Relational Methods in Computer Science) and AKA (Applications of Kleene Algebra) conferences, which have been a main forum for researchers who use the calculus of relations and similar algebraic formalisms as methodological and conceptual tools. Relational and algebraic methods and software tools turn out to be useful for solving problems in social choice and game theory. For that reason this conference included a special track on Computational Social Choice and Social Software. The 18 papers included were carefully reviewed and selected from 27 submissions. In addition the volume contains 2 invited tutorials and 5 invited talks.

This book introduces and develops new algebraic methods to work with relations, often conceived as Boolean matrices, and applies them to topology. Although these objects mirror the matrices that appear throughout mathematics, numerics, statistics, engineering, and elsewhere, the methods used to work with them are much less well known. In addition to their purely topological applications, the volume also details how the techniques may be successfully applied to spatial reasoning and to logics of computer science. Topologists will find several familiar concepts presented in a concise and algebraically manipulable form which is far more condensed than usual, but visualized via represented relations and thus readily graspable. This approach also offers the possibility of handling topological problems using proof assistants.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Relational and Algebraic Methods in Computer Science, RAMiCS 2017, held in Lyon, France, in May 2017. The 17 revised full papers and 2 invited papers presented together with 1 invited abstract were carefully selected from 28 submissions. Topics covered range from mathematical foundations to applications as conceptual and methodological tools in computer science and beyond.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Relational and Algebraic Methods in Computer Science, RAMiCS 2021, which took place in Marseille, France, during November 2-5, 2021. The 29 papers presented in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 35 submissions. They deal with the development and dissemination of relation algebras, Kleene algebras, and similar algebraic formalisms. Topics covered range from mathematical foundations to applications as conceptual and methodological tools in computer science and beyond.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Relational and Algebraic Methods in Computer Science, RAMiCS 2018, held in Groningen, The Netherlands, in October/November 2018. The 21 full papers and 1 invited paper presented together with 2 invited abstracts and 1 abstract of a tutorial were carefully selected from 31 submissions. The papers are organized in the following topics: Theoretical foundations; reasoning about computations and programs; and applications and tools.