Techniques of Asymptotic Analysis

These notes originate from a one semester course which forms part of the "e;Math Methods"e; cycle at Brown. In the hope that these notes might prove useful for reference purposes several additional sections have been included and also a table of contents and index. Although asymptotic analysis is now enjoying a period of great vitality, these notes do not reflect a research oriented course. The course is aimed toward people in applied mathematics, physics, engineering, etc., who have a need for asymptotic analysis in their work. The choice of subjects has been largely dictated by the likelihood of application. Also abstraction and generality have not been pursued. Technique and computation are given equal prominence with theory. Both rigorous and formal theory is presented --very often in tandem. In practice, the means for a rigorous analysis are not always available. For this reason a goal has been the cultivation of mature formal reasoning. Therefore, during the course of lectures formal presentations gradually eclipse rigorous presentations. When this occurs, rigorous proofs are given as exercises or in the case of lengthy proofs, reference is made to the Reading List at the end.