Math 375, Discrete Math
Time: T/TH 130-245
Location: REC 303
Office hours: 800-1200 T, 100-300 W, 800-1200 Th
Book: I do not plan to have an official textbook for the class. We will use the class notes (see the .pdf at the bottom of the page) that will be updated throughout the term for the class. I will have links to web pages (mostly wikipedia) that give lengthier discussions of the various topics we cover. You should utilize the free information that abounds. The hyperlinks in the class notes are meant to make that easier. .
Problem sets: I will post weekly problem sets here in .pdf format. The problem sets will be due on Thursdays. I will try to post the problem sets a week before they are due.
Grades: I assign grades based on your rank within the class. I usually employ 3-4 schemes for producing a ranking. They are based on exams and homework. I give you the best grade among the different schemes. You may care about grades. The university may care about grades. I do not care about grades. For more information on grades and such, read the .pdf on grades and class logistics below.
Class announcements:
- I ended up adding two additional parts to the first midterm and made one of the parts more general. The exam is now worth 70 points. The new parts are not any more difficult than the other problems. The more general problem is also no more difficult than the earlier more explicit version. It is important to emphasize that I view exams, first and foremost, as a learning opportunity and as an important tool for teaching. I view the additional parts as adding to educational aspect of the exam. I appreciate that exams can be stressful and sincerely hope that you can enjoy them. Overall, I think the exam is manageable as no part of any problem is especially difficult.
The lecture schedule with topic is below (this is tentative):
- Lecture 0. January 10. Overview.
- Lecture 1. January 12. Sets and Functions (1.1 in class notes).
- Lecture 2. January 17. Basic Login (1.2 in class notes).
- Lecture 3. January 19. Induction (1.3 in class notes). Problem Set 1 due.
- Lecture 4. January 24. Counting, I (2.1 in class notes).
- Lecture 5. January 26. Counting, II (2.2 in class notes). Problem Set 2 due.
- Lecture 6. January 31. Counting, III (2.3 in class notes).
- Lecture 7. February 2. Counting, IV (2.4 in class notes). Problem Set 3 due.
- February 7. Review.
- February 9. Midterm 1 (covers Chapters 1-2 in class notes).
- February 14. Hand back exam.
- February 16. Day off.
- Lecture 8. February 21. Probability, I (3.1 in class notes).
- Lecture 9. February 23. Probability, II (3.2 in class notes).
- Lecture 10. February 28. Arithmetic, I (4.1 in class notes).
- Lecture 11. March 2. Arithmetic, II (4.2 in class notes). Problem Set 4 due
- March 7. Review. Problem Set 5 due.
- March 9. Midterm 2 (covers Chapters 3-4 in class notes).
- March 14. No class. Spring Break.
- March 16. No class. Spring Break
- March 21. Hand back exam.
- March 23. No class. (Ben is away).
- Lecture 12. March 28. Graph Theory, I (5.1 in class notes).
- Lecture 13. March 30. Graph Theory, II (5.2 in class notes). Problem Set 6 due.
- Lecture 14. April 4. Graph Theory, III (5.2 in class notes).
- Lecture 15. April 6. Graph Theory, IV (5.3 in class notes). Problem Set 7 due.
- April 11. Review.
- April 13. Midterm 3 (covers Chapter 5 in class notes).
- April 18. Final Grades given. Last class.