Discover new selections
Buy used:
$49.03
FREE delivery May 16 - 23
Or fastest delivery May 16 - 21
Used: Acceptable | Details
Condition: Used: Acceptable
Comment: This copy may contain significant wear including bending writing tears and or water damage. This book is a functional copy not necessarily a beautiful copy. Copy may have loose or missing pages and may not include access codes or CDs.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the authors

See all
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Introduction to Algorithms, 3rd Edition (Mit Press) 3rd Edition

4.6 out of 5 stars 1,888 ratings

The latest edition of the essential text and professional reference, with substantial new material on such topics as vEB trees, multithreaded algorithms, dynamic programming, and edge-based flow.

Some books on algorithms are rigorous but incomplete; others cover masses of material but lack rigor. Introduction to Algorithms uniquely combines rigor and comprehensiveness. The book covers a broad range of algorithms in depth, yet makes their design and analysis accessible to all levels of readers. Each chapter is relatively self-contained and can be used as a unit of study. The algorithms are described in English and in a pseudocode designed to be readable by anyone who has done a little programming. The explanations have been kept elementary without sacrificing depth of coverage or mathematical rigor.

The first edition became a widely used text in universities worldwide as well as the standard reference for professionals. The second edition featured new chapters on the role of algorithms, probabilistic analysis and randomized algorithms, and linear programming. The third edition has been revised and updated throughout. It includes two completely new chapters, on van Emde Boas trees and multithreaded algorithms, substantial additions to the chapter on recurrence (now called "Divide-and-Conquer"), and an appendix on matrices. It features improved treatment of dynamic programming and greedy algorithms and a new notion of edge-based flow in the material on flow networks. Many exercises and problems have been added for this edition. The international paperback edition is no longer available; the hardcover is available worldwide.

Editorial Reviews

Review

""Introduction to Algorithms, " the 'bible' of the field, is a comprehensive textbook covering the full spectrum of modern algorithms: from the fastest algorithms and data structures to polynomial-time algorithms for seemingly intractable problems, from classical algorithms in graph theory to special algorithms for string matching, computational geometry, and number theory. The revised third edition notably adds a chapter on van Emde Boas trees, one of the most useful data structures, and on multithreaded algorithms, a topic of increasing importance."--Daniel Spielman, Department of Computer Science, Yale University

"As an educator and researcher in the field of algorithms for over two decades, I can unequivocally say that the Cormen book is the best textbook that I have ever seen on this subject. It offers an incisive, encyclopedic, and modern treatment of algorithms, and our department will continue to use it for teaching at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, as well as a reliable research reference."--Gabriel Robins, Department of Computer Science, University of Virginia

"In light of the explosive growth in the amount of data and the diversity of computing applications, efficient algorithms are needed now more than ever. This beautifully written, thoughtfully organized book is the definitive introductory book on the design and analysis of algorithms. The first half offers an effective method to teach and study algorithms; the second half then engages more advanced readers and curious students with compelling material on both the possibilities and the challenges in this fascinating field."--Shang-Hua Teng, University of Southern California

"

About the Author

Thomas H. Cormen is Professor of Computer Science and former Director of the Institute for Writing and Rhetoric at Dartmouth College. He is the coauthor (with Charles E. Leiserson, Ronald L. Rivest, and Clifford Stein) of the leading textbook on computer algorithms, Introduction to Algorithms (third edition, MIT Press, 2009).

Charles E. Leiserson is Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Ronald L. Rivest is Andrew and Erna Viterbi Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Clifford Stein is Professor of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research at Columbia University.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0262033844
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ MIT Press; 3rd edition (September 1, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 1292 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780262033848
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0262033848
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 12 and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4.86 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.08 x 8.18 x 2.06 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 1,888 ratings

About the authors

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
1,888 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers

Customers say

Customers find the book to be an excellent reference for students and professionals, covering an exhaustive set of topics. However, the clarity receives mixed feedback, with some finding it extremely detailed while others consider it not an easy read.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

66 customers mention "Use"58 positive8 negative

Customers find the book excellent as a reference for both students and professionals, with one customer noting it helps with assignments and quizzes.

"...looking to learn this particular subjects, but definitely a good choice for math majors (or prospective cs grad students)." Read more

"...This book does a terrific job of demystifying topics and giving you a clear and concise notion of the fundamentals which make the algorithm work...." Read more

"...The textbook feedback is seriously helpful, but I could not manage without the lectures...." Read more

"...book for your algorithms class like I had to, there are a variety of free resources online that should make the subject easier to learn along the way..." Read more

24 customers mention "Content"24 positive0 negative

Customers praise the book's comprehensive content, covering an exhaustive set of topics, with one customer noting that each topic is self-contained.

""An Introduction to Algorithms", a big book, is worthwhile the time...." Read more

"...-oriented analysis of algorithmic theory and covers a wide variety of topics...." Read more

"...At the end there is an appendix with a lot of useful mathematical facts and tips/review on summation techniques, set theory, graph theory,..." Read more

"...The book is incredibly large and covers an exhaustive set of topics but the examples listed are summarized with little work shown and are often far..." Read more

87 customers mention "Clarity"49 positive38 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the clarity of the book, with some finding it extremely detailed and easily readable, while others note that it is not an easy read.

"...I have found that most textbooks are either easy to read but mildly informative or they are difficult to comprehend but incredibly informative...." Read more

"...It definitely does not teach you how to program or the basics of object oriented design as it proceeds to teach you about structure and design of..." Read more

"...Cormen's book is mostly well-organized, is easily readable (especially with all the great pictures and examples!),..." Read more

"...It breaks them down so well and in such great detail that it's absolutely impossible not to know enough to understand them in the end..." Read more

Top-Notch Content, Poor Binding
4 out of 5 stars
Top-Notch Content, Poor Binding
This is probably the most well known and most used textbook on the subject, and with good reason. An excellent resource, covering just about everything you need to know for a good understanding of Algorithms. (side tip, my friends in the industry call this the "How To Pass a Google Interview" book). My only complaint is that the binding has completely stated disintegrating after only 9 weeks of use. All of chapters 15 and 16 are completely falling out of my copy (and this is getting worse). Very disappointing as I plan on using it for a long time.
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2014
    I am a math major who has taken a few cs courses from the cs department at my university. Up until reading this book cs has always been a bit of a mystery to me. I have heard a million and one time how cs is based on mathematics but aside from understanding the idea of traversing through arrays as you would the indexes of a sequence, I have never really seen the connection between the two subjects. This book does an amazing job of demonstrating the mathematical basis of cs. From the very beginning when the authors deconstruct the for-loop used in a insert-sort into a variation on mathematical induction the lines between the two subjects are made crystal clear.

    I would agree that a pretty solid understanding of mathematics is required for this book, and I can see why someone coming from a typical undergraduate education in cs would find it difficult and intimidating to tackle this book. It definitely does not teach you how to program or the basics of object oriented design as it proceeds to teach you about structure and design of algorithms. I can also understand why someone hoping to simply get a job as a "programmer" or "software engineer" would not necessarily be well served by this book. The authors are very upfront on this note though, and specifically warn prospective students that they are not going to teach them how to "code" solutions to common cs problems. What they are going to teach them is the fundamentals of algorithm analysis and design. How valuable prospective students find this approach is going to depend entirely on what exactly they hope to do with their understanding of computer science. If you want to learn how to code and be paid to be a developer (not a bad line of work by any stretch of the imagination) you might want to look else where.

    For someone coming from a mathematics background though (whether it's an applied field such as statistics or numerical analysis or a pure field like abstract algebra or analysis) this is an excellent introduction to the field of computer science. If you are coming from a math background the analysis and structure of algorithms as presented in this book will instantly click. For me personally I loved the fact that the underlining mathematical basis of cs did not get lost in details of coding or working within certain developmental environments like Eclipse. Again, probably not an ideal choice for someone looking to learn this particular subjects, but definitely a good choice for math majors (or prospective cs grad students).
    33 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2016
    I'm in my second year of graduate school for my MS in Computer Sciences. I have had a variety of text books throughout my academic career. I have found that most textbooks are either easy to read but mildly informative or they are difficult to comprehend but incredibly informative. This is one of the rare gems I have found to be both simplistic in its instruction and very informative. It is the size of a small car, but that is because it is packed with an incredible "array" (hehe) of knowledge. I strongly recommend reading chapter 2 as it is devoted entirely to understanding how the book is constructed and the assumptions it makes. It makes reading the rest a breeze. Chapter 2 is your legend to this map of the Algorithmic world. I will be keeping this book for post university reference and if I do someday become a professor myself, I will be giving the works of Mr. Cormen a serious look as material for my classes.
    4 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2017
    Was this expensive? Yes. Was it overpriced? No.

    My algorithms class was hard (what algorithms class isn't), and I'm not always an ideal student. I had a lot of trouble attending lectures and keeping up with the lecture recordings posted online. Still, I managed to get a 90/100 on my first exam. Not bad, right? I mean, even if it's only barely an A, it was still a high grade right? WRONG! It was an amazing grade! Turns out the class average was 45/100, and I had the highest grade in the class.

    Pretty crazy, right? WRONG! Exam 2 was where things got crazy. Maybe I was getting over confident, or maybe I was just really lazy, but I didn't watch or attend a single lecture between Exam 1 and Exam 2. The class average was a decent 83/108 this time, but my grade was 108/108. A perfect score without watching a single lecture. So what happened?

    I wasn't kidding about being a non-ideal student. I had a 2.9 GPA in undergrad, so I didn't manage this through sheer brain power. What I *did* do was a single homework assignment from this book before every test. After attending office hours before exam 2, I found out that almost everyone else was finding the answers online and copying them for good homework grades. These homework assignments were hard, taking around 8 hours to complete, and I still missed a lot of them, but it still worked.

    It is no exaggeration to say that the homework problems in this book got me an A in Analysis of Algorithms.
    12 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2016
    I enjoy math, but not to a degree that this book requires. With that being said, this is a spectacular book. If you take your time and read everything, you will know the every single "why" behind every algorithm in this book. It breaks them down so well and in such great detail that it's absolutely impossible not to know enough to understand them in the end (you might not understand all the details of explanations, but that's besides the point). It can definitely get very painful, at times, because the math and the theoretical text gets very heavy, but I think it's well worth it. For me, this is definitely not one of those books I can read in a week, like I do with many other computer science books, but the sheer satisfaction of reading just a tiny bit is immense. Well worth every single penny ten times over.
    6 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Davide P.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Libro fantastico, Amazon al top, venditore no
    Reviewed in Italy on September 13, 2019
    (italiano sotto)
    BE CAREFUL who you buy from. The book itself is totally amazing, among the most well written in the field. Considered by the majority of IT specialist as the "bible", it's pretty obvious how much of a resource it represents from the first page you read.
    I absolutely recommend this to be one of your first purchases if you're keen in IT as its outstanding and straightforward exposition has the ability of making complex subjects definitely easier.
    A part from the book, the experience with omegabooks was far less heavenly. The book arrived in medium to good conditions and well packed (see pictures), but I was charged with import duties for 28,5€. Seller never showed any will to help and I had to reach out to amazon AZ warranty center in the end. Needless to say they solved the issue and totally refunded me, but this is not a good behaviour for a new seller. He should have advised about the eventuality of import taxes and/or explicitly outline shipment costs so that one could at least calculate import taxes (40+€ shipping, which was included in tax calculation..) and eventually choose a less expensive shipping method.
    Recap: Book 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
    Amazon CS 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
    Seller (omegabooks) 2 🌟🌟
    ---------
    ATTENZIONE al venditore da cui acquistate. Il libro di per se è assolutamente fantastico, tra i più ben scritti nel campo. Considerato dalla maggior parte degli specialisti IT come la "Bibbia", è abbastanza ovvio quanta risorsa rappresenti dalla prima pagina che si legge.
    Consiglio vivamente questo come uno dei primi acquisti per chi appassionato di IT in quanto la sua esposizione eccezionale e diretta ha la capacità di rendere semplici argomenti anche molto complessi come le strutture dati più avanzate.
    A parte il libro, l'esperienza con omegabooks è stata molto meno paradisiaca. Il libro è arrivato in condizioni medio-buone e ben imballato (vedi foto), ma ho pagato dazi all'importazione per 28,5 €. Il venditore non ha mai mostrato alcuna volontà di aiutare e alla fine ho dovuto contattare il centro di garanzia di Amazon A alla Z. Inutile dire che hanno risolto il problema e mi hanno completamente rimborsato, ma questo non è un buon comportamento per un nuovo venditore a mio avviso. Avrebbe dovuto avvisare dell'eventualità di tasse all'importazione e / o delineare esplicitamente i costi di spedizione in modo che si potesse almeno calcolare l'importazione (40€ e passa di spedizione, che viene inclusa nel calcolo dei dazi, fate voi..) così che eventualmente uno potesse scegliere una spedizione più economica con relativi dazi più bassi.
    Customer image
    Davide P.
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Libro fantastico, Amazon al top, venditore no

    Reviewed in Italy on September 13, 2019
    (italiano sotto)
    BE CAREFUL who you buy from. The book itself is totally amazing, among the most well written in the field. Considered by the majority of IT specialist as the "bible", it's pretty obvious how much of a resource it represents from the first page you read.
    I absolutely recommend this to be one of your first purchases if you're keen in IT as its outstanding and straightforward exposition has the ability of making complex subjects definitely easier.
    A part from the book, the experience with omegabooks was far less heavenly. The book arrived in medium to good conditions and well packed (see pictures), but I was charged with import duties for 28,5€. Seller never showed any will to help and I had to reach out to amazon AZ warranty center in the end. Needless to say they solved the issue and totally refunded me, but this is not a good behaviour for a new seller. He should have advised about the eventuality of import taxes and/or explicitly outline shipment costs so that one could at least calculate import taxes (40+€ shipping, which was included in tax calculation..) and eventually choose a less expensive shipping method.
    Recap: Book 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
    Amazon CS 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
    Seller (omegabooks) 2 🌟🌟
    ---------
    ATTENZIONE al venditore da cui acquistate. Il libro di per se è assolutamente fantastico, tra i più ben scritti nel campo. Considerato dalla maggior parte degli specialisti IT come la "Bibbia", è abbastanza ovvio quanta risorsa rappresenti dalla prima pagina che si legge.
    Consiglio vivamente questo come uno dei primi acquisti per chi appassionato di IT in quanto la sua esposizione eccezionale e diretta ha la capacità di rendere semplici argomenti anche molto complessi come le strutture dati più avanzate.
    A parte il libro, l'esperienza con omegabooks è stata molto meno paradisiaca. Il libro è arrivato in condizioni medio-buone e ben imballato (vedi foto), ma ho pagato dazi all'importazione per 28,5 €. Il venditore non ha mai mostrato alcuna volontà di aiutare e alla fine ho dovuto contattare il centro di garanzia di Amazon A alla Z. Inutile dire che hanno risolto il problema e mi hanno completamente rimborsato, ma questo non è un buon comportamento per un nuovo venditore a mio avviso. Avrebbe dovuto avvisare dell'eventualità di tasse all'importazione e / o delineare esplicitamente i costi di spedizione in modo che si potesse almeno calcolare l'importazione (40€ e passa di spedizione, che viene inclusa nel calcolo dei dazi, fate voi..) così che eventualmente uno potesse scegliere una spedizione più economica con relativi dazi più bassi.
    Images in this review
    Customer imageCustomer image
    Report
  • Lucas Werner Seoane
    5.0 out of 5 stars Llegó en perfecto estado
    Reviewed in Spain on July 31, 2021
    Perfecto! El libro es imprescindible para hacerse un master en algoritmos y estructura de datos. Es muy muy claro en eso y va al detalle absolutamente de todo
    Customer image
    Lucas Werner Seoane
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Llegó en perfecto estado

    Reviewed in Spain on July 31, 2021
    Perfecto! El libro es imprescindible para hacerse un master en algoritmos y estructura de datos. Es muy muy claro en eso y va al detalle absolutamente de todo
    Images in this review
    Customer image
  • Luis Carlos Absalon Rojas Torres
    5.0 out of 5 stars Nao é por acaso que é a Biblia dos Algoritmos neh
    Reviewed in Brazil on December 13, 2021
    Gostei da qualidade do livro. Ja tinha o pdf porém este livro é daqueles que vc quer na sua biblioteca
  • Fernando j.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect boek!
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on December 28, 2021
    Het boek kwam in perfecte conditie, probleemloos en perfect verpakt.
    Customer image
    Fernando j.
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Perfect boek!

    Reviewed in the Netherlands on December 28, 2021
    Het boek kwam in perfecte conditie, probleemloos en perfect verpakt.
    Images in this review
    Customer imageCustomer image
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
    Reviewed in Australia on June 6, 2021
    Great book!