Math 301: Introduction to Combinatorial Theory
Colorado State University, Fall 2015
Instructor: Henry Adams
Email: henry dot adams at colostate dot edu
Office: Weber 125
Office Hours:
- Wednesdays 3:00-4:30 in Clark C364,
- Thursdays 4:15-5:45 in Engineering E104, or
- by appointment.
Lectures: MWF 2:00-2:50pm in Engineering E105
Textbook: Discrete Mathematics: Elementary and Beyond by László Lovász, József Pelikán, and Katalin Vesztergombi.
List of typos
Overview: This course is an introduction to combinatorics. Topics covered include combinations, permutations, sets, induction, inclusion and exclusion, the pigeonhole principle, binomial coefficients, recurrence, prime numbers, graph theory, and trees. Additional topics will be chosen from Euler's formula, finite geometries, cryptography, and Ramsey's theorem.
Syllabus: Here is the course syllabus.
Book
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Update from 2023: Together with Kelly Emmrich, Maria Gillespie, Shannon Golden, and Rachel Pries, I wrote the book Counting Rocks! An Introduction to Combinatorics (2023). This book has been used for the class Math 301, Introduction to Combinatorial Theory, at Colorado State University. [Book Webpage, Book PDF, Videos] |
Homework
Homework 1 is due Friday, August 28.Homework 2 is due Friday, September 4.
Homework 3 is due Friday, September 11.
Homework 4 is due Friday, September 18.
Homework 5 is due Friday, September 25.
Homework 6 is due Friday, October 9.
Homework 7 is due Friday, October 16.
Homework 8 is due Monday, October 26.
Homework 9 is due Friday, October 30.
Homework 10 is due Friday, November 13.
Homework 11 is due Friday, November 20.
Homework 12 is due Friday, December 4.
Homework 13 is due never.
All homework is due in class at the beginning of class. Your homework should be legible and stapled.
Exams
Here is Practice Midterm 1.Here is Midterm 1.
Here is Practice Midterm 2.
Here is Midterm 2.
Here is a Practice Final.
Here is the Final Exam.
Schedule
| Date | Class Topic | Remark |
| Aug 24 | Introduction and course overview | |
| Aug 26 | §1.1, 1.2 | |
| Aug 28 | §1.2, 1.3 | Homework 1 due |
| Aug 31 | §1.3, 1.5 | |
| Sept 2 | §1.6, 1.7 | |
| Sept 4 | §1.8 | Homework 2 due |
| Sept 7 | Holiday - no class! | |
| Sept 9 | §2.1 | Pass/fail/audit grading forms due |
| Sept 11 | §2.4 | Homework 3 due |
| Sept 14 | §3.1 | |
| Sept 16 | §3.2, 3.3 | |
| Sept 18 | §3.4 | Homework 4 due |
| Sept 21 | §3.5, 3.6 | |
| Sept 23 | §4.1 | |
| Sept 25 | §4.2 | Homework 5 due |
| Sept 28 | §4.3 | |
| Sept 30 | Review | |
| Oct 2 | Midterm #1 | Midterm through §3.6 |
| Oct 5 | §6.1, 6.2 | |
| Oct 7 | §6.3 | |
| Oct 9 | §6.4 | Homework 6 due |
| Oct 12 | §6.6 | |
| Oct 14 | §6.7, 6.8 | |
| Oct 16 | §6.8 and public key cryptography | Homework 7 due |
| Oct 19 | §7.1 | End of course withdrawal period |
| Oct 21 | §7.2 | |
| Oct 23 | Class cancelled | |
| Oct 26 | §7.3 | Homework 8 due |
| Oct 28 | §12.1 | |
| Oct 30 | §12.2 | Homework 9 due |
| Nov 2 | §12.3 | |
| Nov 4 | Review | |
| Nov 6 | Midterm #2 | Midterm through §7.3 |
| Nov 9 | Midterm #2 solutions | |
| Nov 11 | §8.1, 8.2 | |
| Nov 13 | §8.3 | Homework 10 due |
| Nov 16 | §8.4 | |
| Nov 18 | §8.4 | |
| Nov 20 | §9.1 | Homework 11 due |
Fall Recess, Nov 23-27 | ||
| Nov 30 | §9.2, 13.1 | |
| Dec 2 | §13.2 | |
| Dec 4 | §13.3 | Homework 12 due |
| Dec 7 | §13.4 | |
| Dec 9 | Review and class picture | |
| Dec 11 | Review | |
| Dec 11 | Dinner at Henry's! | |
Final Exam, Thursday December 17 | ||
| 7:30-9:30am in Engineering E105 | ||