PageRank Mathematical Overview

...haven't calculated eigenvalues in 8 years myself... but here's a reason to dust off George Arfken's book! Inspiring article related to the math behind Google's core
http://www.ams.org/featurecolumn/archive/pagerank.html

...an aside on the Arfken Math-Physics 'bible'... it has sold something like 100,000 copies and is the only Mathematical Physics book translated into braille... Arfken was a Miami University Physics professor and Chair of the Physics department.

From my understanding, in the early 1950's he once wrote Einstein a letter suggesting a possible correction in one of Einstein's publications (math or physics error, I forget which). Both Arfken's letter, and Einstein's reply letter are enshrined in Culler Hall. It might be worthwhile to write one of my past professors there and get a digital photo of it, but Einstein says something like (and this is nowhere near an exact quote, I just remember the story): '...by the way I've been treated in the American press, inspite of my embarrassment related to the correction, your message was the most pleasant I've received in months'.

...Besides unravelling the mysteries of energy and matter, space and time, the guy knew how to accept a critique with humility!

http://www.amazon.com/Mathematical-Methods-Physicists-George-Arfken/dp/product-description/0120598159