Concise Guide to Formal Methods

This invaluable textbook/reference provides an easy-to-read guide to the fundamentals of formal methods, highlighting the rich applications of formal methods across a diverse range of areas of computing.

Topics and features: introduces the key concepts in software engineering, software reliability and dependability, formal methods, and discrete mathematics; presents a short history of logic, from Aristotle's syllogistic logic and the logic of the Stoics, through Boole's symbolic logic, to Frege's work on predicate logic; covers propositional and predicate logic, as well as more advanced topics such as fuzzy logic, temporal logic, intuitionistic logic, undefined values, and the applications of logic to AI; examines the Z specification language, the Vienna Development Method (VDM) and Irish School of VDM, and the unified modelling language (UML); discusses Dijkstra's calculus of weakest preconditions, Hoare's axiomatic semantics of programming languages, and the classical approach of Parnas and his tabular expressions; provides coverage of automata theory, probability and statistics, model checking, and the nature of proof and theorem proving; reviews a selection of tools available to support the formal methodist, and considers the transfer of formal methods to industry; includes review questions and highlights key topics in every chapter, and supplies a helpful glossary at the end of the book.

















This stimulating guide provides a broad and accessible overview of formal methods for students of computer science and mathematics curious as to how formal methods are applied to the field of computing.

Acest manual / referinta nepretuit ofera un ghid usor de citit la fundamentele metodelor formale, evidentiind bogatele aplicatii ale metodelor formale intr-o gama diversa de domenii de calcul. Obiective si caracteristici: introduce conceptele cheie in ingineria software, fiabilitatea software-ului si fiabilitate, metode formale si matematica discreta; prezinta o scurta istorie a logicii, de la logica silogistica a lui Aristotel si logica stoicilor, prin logica simbolica a lui Boole, pana la lucrarea lui Frege asupra logicii predicate; acopera logica propozitionala si predicata, precum si subiecte mai avansate, cum ar fi logica fuzzy, logica temporala, logica intuitionista, valorile nedefinite si aplicatiile logicii la AI; examineaza limbajul de specificare Z, Metoda de dezvoltare a Vienei (VDM) si Irish School of VDM si limbajul de modelare unificat (UML); discuta calculul Dijkstra al celor mai slabe preconditii, semantica axiomatica a lui Hoare a limbajelor de programare si abordarea clasica a lui Parnas si a expresiilor sale tabulare; ofera acoperirea teoriei automatelor, a probabilitatii si statisticilor, a verificarii modelelor si a naturii probelor si a demonstrarii teoremelor; revizuieste o selectie de instrumente disponibile pentru a sprijini metodistul formal si ia in considerare transferul metodelor formale catre industrie; include intrebari de revizuire si evidentiaza subiecte cheie in fiecare capitol si ofera un glosar util la sfarsitul cartii. Acest ghid stimulant ofera o imagine de ansamblu larga si accesibila a metodelor formale pentru studentii din domeniul informaticii si matematicii curiosi cu privire la modul in care metodele formale sunt aplicate la domeniul calculelor.