NUMERICAL OPTIMIZATION presents a comprehensive and up-to-date description of the most effective methods in continuous optimization. It responds to the growing interest in optimization in engineering, science, and business by focusing on the methods that are best suited to practical problems. Drawing on their experiences in teaching, research, and consulting, the authors have produced a textbook that will be of interest to students and practitioners alike. Each chapter begins with the basic concepts and builds up gradually to the best techniques currently available. Because of the emphasis on practical methods, as well as the extensive illustrations and exercises, the book is accessible to a wide audience. It can be used as a graduate text in engineering, operations research, mathematics, computer science, and business. It also serves as a handbook for researchers and practitioners in the area. Above all, the authors have strived to produce a text that is pleasant to read, informative and rigorous--one that reveals both the beautiful nature of the discipline and its practical side.