"Throughout operations research, computer science and pure and applied mathematics, combinatorics problems arise frequently, where the solution is to find the "optimal" object from a finite set of mathematical objects. Typically, it is impractical to search exhaustively for all possible solutions. The development of efficient algorithms for exploring the solution space is known as combinatorial optimisation. Many problems, such as network optimisation, supply chain management, data compression, resource allocation and game theory - indeed most of machine learning, AI, and current high profile computer science topics rely on optimisation. Together, combinatorial and algorithmic mathematics provide powerful tools for solving these real-world problems, and for in-demand subjects such as data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, a unified knowledge of discrete structures, algorithms and combinatorial optimization is considered essential"-- Provided by publisher.