Dr Alan J Hoffman is a pioneer in linear programming, combinatorial optimization, and the study of graph spectra. In his principal research interests, which include the fields of linear inequalities, combinatorics, and matrix theory, he and his collaborators have contributed fundamental concepts and theorems, many of which bear their names.

This volume of Dr Hoffman’s selected papers is divided into seven sections: geometry; combinatorics; matrix inequalities and eigenvalues; linear inequalities and linear programming; combinatorial optimization; greedy algorithms; graph spectra. Dr Hoffman has supplied background commentary and anecdotal remarks for each of the selected papers. He has also provided autobiographical notes showing how he chose mathematics as his profession, and the influences and motivations which shaped his career.