I was invited by the Mathematics Department of the University of Nevada,
Las Vegas to give ten lectures on geometrical probability during the week June
9-13, 1975. Those invited to attend the lectures were given an extensive set of
notes to go along with the presentations. This monograph is a version of the
content of those lectures and the lecture notes.
Geometrical probability has enjoyed a resurgence of interest in recent years.
The lectures and subsequently this monograph in no way cover all topics that
could fall legitimately under such a heading. The material here is on topics I have
presented in several classes in geometrical probability at Stanford University.
Several students who attended these classes have written papers and doctoral
dissertations on the subject and in this way have helped me prepare this exposition.
In particular I would like to single out David Berengut, Peter Cooke, Stuart
Dufour and Andrew F. Siegel whose efforts have made possible several sections
of the monograph. My thanks are offered to my colleague, Persi Diaconis, for
editing and reviewing the early portions of the manuscript.
I am very grateful to Dr. Aaron Goldman of the University of Nevada for
initiating and directing the Conference. Participants at the Conference exhibited
a lively interest in the subject and I am grateful to them for this stimulation. My
thanks go also to the Office of Naval Research and the Army Research Office for
their support over the years that led to the preparation of the notes that were
made available to the participants at the Conference.