ABSTRACT
More than any other life cycle activity, testing lends itself to mathematical description and analysis. In this chapter and in the next, testers will find the mathematics they need. Following the craftsperson metaphor, the mathematical topics presented here are tools; a testing craftsperson should know how to use them well. With these tools, a tester gains rigor, precision, and efficiency—all of which improve testing. The “for testers” part of the chapter title is important: this chapter is written for testers who either have a sketchy math background or who have forgotten some of the basics. Serious mathematicians (or maybe just those who take themselves seriously) will likely be annoyed by the informal discussion here. Readers who are already comfortable with the topics in this chapter should skip to the next chapter and start right in on graph theory.
