The calculus of finite differences is here treated thoroughly and clearly by one of the leading American experts in the field of numerical analysis and computation. The theory is carefully developed and applied to illustrative examples, and each chapter is followed by a set of helpful exercises. The book is especially designed for the use of actuarial students, statisticians, applied mathematicians, and any scientists forced to seek numerical solutions. It presupposes only a knowledge of algebra, analytic geometry, trigonometry, and elementary calculus. The object is definitely practical, for while numerical calculus is based on the concepts of pure mathematics, it is recognized that the worker must produce a numerical result. Originally published in 1949. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.