Math 182 - Discrete Structures, Spring 2014

Instructor: Ge (Frank) Xia
Lectures: MWF 9:00 - 9:50 am, AEC 500
Office: AEC 506
Phone: 610-330-5415
Office hours: MWF 9:50-10:30 am


[Announcements] [Textbook] [Grading] [Schedule] [Overview]


Announcements


Course Description

An introduction to discrete structures and algorithms and some mathematical tools and methods of reasoning that aid in their development and analysis. Topics include: sets, counting, algorithms, mathematical induction, probability, relations, graphs, and trees.

Course Objectives : At the end of the semester you should:

  • understand basic definitions and properties of sets and functions,
  • understand the definition of algorithms, and be able to evaluate the growth of simple functions,
  • be able to construct proofs using mathematical induction,
  • be able to use the basic counting methods, including permutations and combinations,
  • understand the fundamentals of discrete probability theory, including the definition of discrete probability, conditional probability, and Bayes' Theorem,
  • understand basic definitions and properties of relations, and
  • understand basic definitions and properties of graphs and trees.
Prerequisite: CS I (104, 105, or 106) and Math161 (or 165).

Textbook

  • Kenneth H. Rosen (2011). Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications (7th Ed). McGraw Hill. ISBN: 0073383090


Optional Reading

  • Ronald. L. Graham, Donald E. Knuth, Oren Patashnik. Concrete mathematics : a foundation for computer sciencem, 2nd ed.

Grading Policy

The grades will be based on a combination of assignments and exams. The distribution of the course grade is shown below:

  • Homework assignments and quizzes -- 30% total
  • Midterm exam 1 -- 20%
  • Midterm exam 2 -- 20%
  • Final exam -- 30% (comprehensive)

All assignments are to be submitted on Moodle at 11:55pm on the due date. Each student is allowed a one-time lateness of up to 48 hours. Beyond this, no exceptions will be made on late or missing assignments unless the student has an allowed excuse. An allowed excuse is an approved Dean's excuse or the instructor's permission. The final letter grades will be assigned based on criteria specified in the Student Handbook.


Academic Honesty

All students must adhere to the college academic honesty policy in the Student Handbook. Discussion of concepts with others is encouraged, but the work you submit in this course must be your own work, unless otherwise instructed. Copying is strictly forbidden.

The Student Handbook of Lafayette College has a section on Principles of Intellectual Honesty that defines academic dishonesty to include:

  • Use of other persons' writings without proper acknowledgment,
  • Use of reference material without properly crediting sources used,
  • Use of other students' work, with or without revision,
  • Collaboration beyond the limits established by the instructor,
  • Submission of the same work in more than one course

A student who commits academic dishonesty is subject to Disciplinary actions including suspension or expulsion.


Attendance

Students are expected to attend classes. If a quiz is given in a class and a student is absent without an allowed excuse, they will receive a zero for the quiz. An allowed excuse is an approved Dean's excuse or the instructor's prior permission.

Tentative Schedule

Changes will be made according to the progress of the course.

 
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Week 1
Ch 1.1
Propositional Logic
  Ch 1.3
Propositional Equivalence

  Ch 1.4
Predicates and Quantifiers
 

Week 2
Ch 2.1
Sets
  Ch 2.2
Set Operations
  Ch 2.3
Functions
Deadline for Changing Courses
 

Week 3
Ch 2.4
Sequences and Summations

  Ch 2.4
Cardinality of Sets
  Ch 3.1, 3.2
Algorithms and Growth of Functions
 

Week 4
Ch 3.2
Growth of Functions
  Ch 5.1
Mathematical Induction
  Ch 5.1
Mathematical Induction
 

Week 5
Ch 5.2
Strong Induction and Well-Ordering
  Ch 5.2
Strong Induction and Well-Ordering
  Ch 6.1
The Basics of Counting
 

Week 6
Ch 6.1
The Basics of Counting
  Ch 6.2
The Pigon Hole Principle

  Ch 6.3
Permutations and Combinations
 

Week 7
Ch 6.3
Permutations and Combinations

  Ch 7.1
Probability
  Exam I  


Spring Break

--

--
--
Spring Break
 

Week 8
Ch 7.2
Probability Theory
  Ch 7.3
Bayes' Theorem
  Ch 7.3
Bayes' Theorem
Midterm grades due
 

Week 9

Ch 7.3
Bayes' Theorem

  Ch 7.4
Expected Value and Variances
  Ch 7.4
Expected Value and Variances
 

Week 10
Ch 9.1
Relations and Their Properties

  Ch 9.3
Representing Relations
  Ch 9.3
Representing Relations
 

Week 11
Ch 10.1
Graphs
  Ch 10.1
Graphs


  Ch 10.1
Graphs and Graph Models
Last Day to Withdraw from Courses
 

Week 12
Ch 10.1
Graphs and Graph Models
  Exam 2   Ch 10.2
Graph Terminology and Special Types of Graphs
 

Week 13
Ch 10.3
Representing Graphs and Graph Isomorphism
  Ch 11.1
Trees
  Ch 11.1
Trees
 

Week 14
Ch 11.3
Tree Traversal

  Ch 10.3
Tree Traversal
  Review
Last Day of Classes
 

Final Exam period begins
         

Final Exam period ends

Final Grades Due to Registrar by 12 Noon

       

     

 


Federal Credit Hours:

The student work in this course is in full compliance with the federal definition of a four [two or one as appropriate for half and quarter unit courses] credit hour course. Please see the Registrar’s Office web site (http://registrar.lafayette.edu/additional-resources/cep-course-proposal/) for the full policy and practice statement.