Kirk (emeritus, electrical engineering, San José State U.) introduces optimal control theory, which "has as its objective the maximization of the return from, or the minimization of the cost of, the operation of physical, social, and economic processes." He concentrates on dynamic programming, Pontryagin's minimum principle, and numerical techniques for trajectory optimization. Writing at a level appropriate for beginning graduate students, he assumes a proficiency in the use of state variable methods. This is a paperbound edition of a work first published in 1970. Annotation © 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR