Introduction

Almost sixty years have passed since the publication of Bellman’s first articles introducing the theory that he entitled Dynamic Programming. Since then dynamic programming has become a major discipline in applied mathematics, operations research and computer science, and a standard solution method used in various areas of engineering, economics, commerce, management etc. And yet, the question that I have set out to examine in this book is none other than What is dynamic programming? Obviously, an explanation justifying the validity of this position is in order.