MATH 387, Fall 2008

This class has completed. Information on this web page may not be applicable to future semesters.


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Course information:

Instructor: Jake Wildstrom
Office: Natural Sciences Building 239
Primary office hours: Tuesday 2:30–3:30, Wednesday 11–12
Secondary office hours: Wednesday 12–1, Thursday 2–3
Phone number: (502)852-5845 (x5845)
E-mail: dwildstr@erdos.math.louisville.edu
Lecture: TR 4:00–5:15 PM in Humanities Building 217
Prerequisites: MATH 206 or EAC 102 and MATH 325, or permission of instructor.
Description: Pigeon-hole principle, counting techniques, binomial coefficients, generating functions, stirling and catalan numbers, permutations and graphs.
Textbook: Applied Combinatorics with Problem Solving by Jackson and Thoro. This book is out of print and copies can be obtained at Gray's Bookstore only.
Objectives: In this class, we will study the fundamentals of discrete mathematics, including deductive proof, inductive proof, counting techniques, binomial coefficients, the pigeonhole principle, the inclusion-exclusing principle, recurrence relations, generating functions, and graphs.
Responsibilities: You are responsible for attending class on a regular basis and maintaining comprehension of the scheduled class objectives for each day. You are expected to be active participants in class, to turn in assignments promptly, and to attend examinations.
Special needs: Any scheduled absence during a quiz or examination, or any other special needs, must be brought to my attention before the end of the week of class. Unscheduled absences will be handled on a case-by-case basis, with exceptions generally made only for documented emergencies.
Honesty: There are many resources available to help you succeed in this class, including consultation during office hours, secondary textbooks, and cooperation with other students. It is important, however, that all papers handed in be the result of your individual comprehension of the course material. Duplication of others' work is both a disservice to your own education and a serious violation of the university's academic honesty policy.
Grades: Homework problems account for 25% of your grade. The lowest score will be discarded. Each of the two midterm examinations will be 20% of your grade, the final examination will contribute 30%, and attendance and participation will make up 5%. A 90% overall guarantees a grade of A–, 80% guarantees a B–, and 70% guarantees a C–.
Changes: The syllabus is subject to change. Changes will be announced in class and updated online.

Course schedule

This schedule is tentative and subject to change, but exam and homework dates are fixed, barring extraordinary circumstances or class consensus.

Week Tuesday Thursday
1
January 8
Section 1.1
January 10
Section 1.2
2
January 15
Section 1.3
January 17
Section 1.4
3
January 22
Section 2.1
PS #1 due
January 24
Section 2.2
4
January 29
Section 2.3
PS #2 due
January 31
Section 2.4
5
February 5
Section 2.5
PS #3 due
February 7
Section 2.6
6
February 12
Exam #1
PS #4 due
February 14
Section 3.1
7
February 19
Section 3.2
PS #5 due
February 21
Section 3.3
8
February 26
Section 7.1
PS #6 due
February 28
Section 7.2
9
March 4
Section 7.3
PS #7 due
March 6
Section 7.4
10
Spring break
11
March 18
Section 8.1
PS #8 due
March 20
Section 8.2
12
March 25
Section 4.1
PS #9 due
March 27
Section 4.2
13
April 1
Exam #2
PS #10 due
April 3
Section 5.1
14
April 8
Section 5.2
PS #11 due
April 10
Section 5.3
15
April 15
Section 5.5
PS #12 due
April 17
Review
16
Tuesday, April 29
Final exam, 5:30PM–8:00PM

Schedule of assignments

It is important that you show your work or outline the process of discovery for each problem. No credit will be given for answers which do not include work. Questions in boxes are more difficult and need not be done, but may be completed for extra credit.


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