Theory and applications of lattice point methods for binomial ideals

Abstract

This survey of methods surrounding lattice point methods for binomial ideals begins with a leisurely treatment of the geometric combinatorics of binomial primary decomposition. It then proceeds to three independent applications whose motivations come from outside of commutative algebra: hypergeometric systems, combinatorial game theory, and chemical dynamics. The exposition is aimed at students and researchers in algebra; it includes many examples, open problems, and elementary introductions to the motivations and background from outside of algebra.