Last Updated: Spring 2025
Offered during Fall and Spring Semesters each year.
- Credits and contact hours: 3 credits, 4 contact hours
- Text book, title, author, and year: Discrete Mathematics and its Applications, Kenneth Rosen, 7th or 8th edition; Mathematics for Computer Science, Eric Lehman, F. Thompson Leighton and Albert Meyer.
- Other supplemental materials: none
Specific course information
- Brief description of the content of the course: Concepts in discrete mathematics as applied to computer science. Logic, set theory, functions, relations, combinatorics, discrete probability, graph theory and number theory. Proof techniques, induction and recursion.
- Prerequisites or co-requisites: Minimum of C- in COMS 2270 and MATH 1650; ENGL 1500
- Required, elective, or selected elective? Required
Specific goals for the course
We stress Mathematical Reasoning, Combinatorial Analysis and the study of Discrete Computational Structures as needed in your study of computer science. These are expanded on below.
Mathematical Reasoning is the skill to read, comprehend and construct mathematical arguments. We will study mathematical logic, which is a foundation for developing proof methods. An important proof technique, the principle of mathematical induction, will be studied.
Combinatorial Analysis involves different techniques for counting or enumerating objects, an important skill for problem-solving.
Discrete Structures are the abstract mathematical structures used to represent discrete objects and the relationships between these objects. The discrete structures we will be studying include sets, permutations, relations, graphs, and trees. These will be used to model and solve computational problems.
Brief list of topics to be covered
- Logic
- Methods of Formal Proof
- Sets
- Functions and relations
- Countable and uncountable sets
- Induction
- Recursion
- Number Theory
- Basics of Counting
- Graphs