Winter 2011
·
Instructor:
Sergi Elizalde
· Lectures: MWF 12:30-1:35 in Kemeny 108
· X-hour: Tu 1:00-1:50
· Office Hours: M 10:00-11:00, F 1:40-3:30
· Office: Kemeny 332
· Email:
· Phone: 646-8191
Schedule and
homework assignments
Announcements
The final exam will take place on Tuesday, March 15 at 8:00 in Kemeny 008. There can be questions about anything covered in class from Chapters 1-4, with an emphasis on Chapters 3 and 4.
Course description
Math 28 is a course in combinatorial mathematics. Combinatorics is a branch of mathematics that studies sets (usually finite) of objects that satisfy some properties. In particular, it is concerned with "counting" the objects in a set (enumerative combinatorics), with determining when an object with a required list of properties exist, with constructing and analyzing objects meeting certain properties (as in combinatorial designs and matroid theory), with finding "largest", "smallest", or "optimal" objects (extremal combinatorics and combinatorial optimization), and with finding algebraic structures these objects may have (algebraic combinatorics).
Textbook
Combinatorics Through Guided Discovery, November 2004 edition, by Ken Bogart, available online here. You can also get a printed copy from the math department administrative office (Kemeny 102).
Grading
The course grade will be based on
·
homework (25%)
·
midterm exam (20%)
·
final exam (35%)
· class participation (20%).
Homework will be assigned daily, and due every
Monday. All the homework assignments are posted here. No late
homework will be accepted.
You are encouraged to collaborate on the homework, but what you write
has to be your own understanding of how to do the problem. You must state what
sources you have consulted, with whom you have collaborated, and from whom you
have received help.
No collaboration is permitted on exams.
Extra material
Tips on writing proofs (2-page pdf).
If you want to learn the LaTeX typesetting system for writing up homework (highly recommended), here is a page of resources (courtesy of Rebecca Weber).
Students with disabilities: Students with disabilities enrolled in this course that may need disability-related classroom accommodations are encouraged to make an office appointment to see me before the end of the second week of the term. All discussions will remain confidential, although the Student Accessibility Services office may be consulted to discuss appropriate implementation of any accommodation requested.