| When | MWF 10:00-10:50 |
|---|---|
| Where | 241 Everitt |
| Instructor | Peter Brinkmann |
| Office | 225 Coble |
| brinkman@math.uiuc.edu | |
| URL | http://www.math.uiuc.edu/~brinkman/ |
| Phone | (217) 333-4798 |
| Office hours | by appointment |
| Text | Brualdi: Introductory Combinatorics, Prentice-Hall, 1999, Third Edition |
| Prerequisites | Math 242 or Math 243 or Math 245 or equivalent |
The aim of this course is to give an introduction to finite mathematics, like enumerations, sieve method, designs, and other symmetric configurations. We emphasize techniques, but also present proofs of theorems.
Grades will be based on homework assignments (50%), two midterm exams (15% each), and one comprehensive final exam (20%). There will be no make-up exams, and late homework will not be accepted. Grades will be assigned according to the following table.
| A+ | 97-100% |
|---|---|
| A | 93-96.9% |
| A- | 90-92.9% |
| B+ | 87-89.9% |
| B | 83-86.9% |
| B- | 80-82.9% |
| C+ | 77-79.9% |
| C | 73-76.9% |
| C- | 70-72.9% |
| D+ | 67-69.9% |
| D | 63-66.9% |
| D- | 60-62.9% |
| F | 0-59.9% |
If you want to take this class for graduate credit, please contact me at the beginning of the semester.
You are encouraged to do the homework in groups (3-4 students seems to be the ideal size), but each member of the class is required to turn in a neatly written set of solutions.
| Week 1 (08/23) | Introduction (What is Combinatorics?) |
|---|---|
| Week 2 (08/28) | Introduction (cont.) |
| Week 3 (09/06) | Pigeonhole Principle |
| Week 4 (09/11) | Pigeonhole Principle (cont.), Permutations and Combinations |
| Week 5 (09/18) | Permutations and Combinations |
| Week 6 (09/25) | Permutations and Combinations |
| Week 7 (09/25) | Binomial Coefficients |
| Week 8 (10/02) | Binomial Coefficients |
| Week 9 (10/09) | Inclusion-Exclusion |
| Week 10 (10/16) | Recurrence and Generating Functions |
| Week 11 (10/23) | Recurrence and Generating Functions (cont.) |
| Week 12 (10/30) | Recurrence and Generating Functions (cont.) |
| Week 13 (11/06) | Special sequences |
| Week 14 (11/13) | Combinatorial designs |
| Week 15 (11/20) | Thanksgiving holiday |
| Week 16 (11/27) | Combinatorial designs (cont.) |
| Week 17 (12/04) | Review |
| First midterm | Friday, 22 September |
|---|---|
| Last day to drop | Friday, 13 October |
| Second midterm | Friday, 27 October |
| Final exam | 8:00-11:00am, Tuesday, December 12 |
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that reasonable accommodations be provided for students with phyiscal, cognitive, systemic, learning and psychiatric disabilities. Please contact me at the beginning of the quarter to discuss any such accomodations for this course.