▁Gib bs . ▁In ▁econom ics , ▁the ▁language ▁of ▁mathematics ▁is ▁sometimes ▁necessary ▁for ▁representing ▁substant ive ▁problems . ▁Moreover , ▁mathematical ▁econom ics ▁has ▁led ▁to ▁concept ual ▁adv ances ▁in ▁econom ics . ▁ ▁In ▁particular , ▁Samuel son ▁gave ▁the ▁example ▁of ▁micro e conom ics , ▁writing ▁that ▁" f ew ▁people ▁are ▁ingen ious ▁enough ▁to ▁grasp ▁[ its ] ▁more ▁complex ▁parts ... ▁without ▁resort ing ▁to ▁the ▁language ▁of ▁mathematics , ▁while ▁most ▁ordinary ▁individuals ▁can ▁do ▁so ▁fairly ▁easily ▁with ▁the ▁aid ▁of ▁mathematics ." ▁ ▁Some ▁econom ists ▁state ▁that ▁mathematical ▁econom ics ▁deser ves ▁support ▁just ▁like ▁other ▁forms ▁of ▁mathematics , ▁particularly ▁its ▁neighb ors ▁in ▁mathematical ▁optimization ▁and ▁mathematical ▁statistics ▁and ▁increasing ly ▁in ▁theoretical ▁computer ▁science . ▁Mathemat ical ▁econom ics ▁and ▁other ▁mathematical ▁sciences ▁have ▁a ▁history ▁in ▁which ▁theoretical ▁adv ances ▁have ▁regularly ▁contributed ▁to ▁the ▁reform ▁of ▁the ▁more ▁applied ▁branches ▁of ▁econom ics . ▁In ▁particular , ▁following ▁the ▁program ▁of ▁John ▁von ▁Ne umann , ▁game ▁theory ▁now ▁provides ▁the ▁found ations ▁for ▁describing ▁much ▁of ▁applied ▁econom ics , ▁from ▁ ▁statistical ▁decision ▁theory ▁( as ▁" g ames ▁against ▁nature ") ▁and ▁econ omet rics ▁to ▁general ▁equilibrium ▁theory ▁and ▁industrial ▁organization . ▁In ▁the ▁last ▁de cade , ▁with ▁the ▁rise ▁of ▁the ▁internet , ▁mathematical ▁econom ists ▁and ▁optimization ▁exper ts ▁and ▁computer ▁scient ists ▁have ▁worked ▁on ▁problems ▁of ▁pr icing ▁for ▁on - line ▁services ▁--- ▁their ▁contributions