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Computer Science 547 - Discrete Mathematics
Spring 1999
Instructor: Steven Skiena
Office: 1411 Computer Science Building
Phone: 516-632-9026
Email: skiena@cs.sunysb.edu
Office Hours: 10-11:30AM Tuesday-Thursday, and by appointment.
Course Time: 2:20-3:40PM Tuesday-Thursday Place: Studio A ECC
Teaching Assistant: Hui (Huey) Xie
Office: Room 1208 CS Building, 632-7678
Email: xhui@cs.sunysb.edu
Office Hours: Monday-Wednesday 4:45-6:15PM
Textbook:
Graham, Knuth, and Patashnik, Concrete Mathematics, a
foundation for computer science, second edition,
Addison-Wesley, Reading MA, 1994.
Recommended Books:
(1) Lecture notes course pack at Solutions.
(2) West, Introduction to Graph Theory, Prentice-Hall, 1996.
Rules of the Game:
- 1.
- The WWW page for the course is
http://www.cs.sunysb.edu/skiena/547/.
All course handouts and notes are available there, along with the
latest announcements.
Please check it out.
- 2.
- This course is being taught as
part of EngiNet,
meaning that some students will be taking this course remotely at other
sites.
If you are a remote student, be sure to contact me ASAP so that we can
arrange an appropriate hw/exam delivery mechanism.
One benefit is that video tapes of lectures you may have missed
might be available, but don't rely too heavily on this technology.
- 3.
- I will lecture from slides, which are
available from the campus printshop, Solutions.
All the material in this course is presented in the
transparencies and/or the book, although sometimes the treatment may not be
complete.
The recommended book covers graph theory, our topic for the last three
weeks of the course, which is not covered by
Graham-Knuth-Patashnik.
- 4.
- The best way to learn the material is by solving problems.
You are encouraged to work in pairs, for the best way to understand the
subtleties of the homework problems is to argue about the answers.
Each of you should look at all the problems
independently, and not just divide the list in two parts each time.
Don't be a leech and let your partner do all the work. Unless you learn how
to solve problems, I promise that you will get burned on the exams and
thus for your final grade.
- 5.
- The partner system relies upon a certain maturity among the students.
If you don't have a partner, tell me and I will hook you up with one.
If you are having trouble with your partner and want a divorce, tell me
and I will set you up with a new one.
I will act as a broker but not as a counselor.
I do not want to hear what a louse your old partner is, and you will get
a dirty look from me when you demand a divorce regradless of who was at fault.
- 6.
- Only one solution to the assignment per pair should be turned in, with the
partners alternating who writes up the final solution.
The scribe for each assignment will have to label themselves as such.
Unless announced otherwise in class, any
solution to a part of a homework problem which takes more than
one side of a sheet of paper will not be graded.
This is to save you the ordeal of trying to impress
with volume instead of quality.
- 7.
- Because a primary goal of the course is to teach professionalism,
any academic dishonesty will be viewed as evidence that this goal has not
been achieved, and will be grounded for receiving a grade of F.
(See CEAS Procedures and Guideline Governing Academic Dishonesty, 1/81.)
- 8.
- If you have a physical, psychological, medical or
learning disability that may impact on your ability
to carry out assigned course work, I would urge that you
contact the staff in the Disabled Student Services office
(DSS), Room 133 Humanities, 632-6748/TDD. DSS will review
your concerns and determine, with you, what accommodations
are necessary and appropriate. All information and
documentation of disability is confidential.
- 9.
- I understand that everyone gets into a time bind now and then, and that
accidents and troubles befall even the most dedicated student.
Thus every student will get one free extension on a homework for up to a
week without a late penalty.
You do not have to ask for this - just write that you are using your
free extension when you turn it in.
Don't waste this extension or feel obligated to use it, since
you will get a very dirty look if try to get another one even with
a good excuse.
- 10.
- Homework assignments will be due at the beginning of class.
The penalty will be 20% per day.
- 11.
- I hope to establish as much personal contact with each of you as is possible
in a class this size.
Don't be afraid to stop by during office hours to ask questions or say hello.
To facilitate interaction, every few weeks there will be 'Pizza with
the Prof'.
Outside my office will be a sheet for you to sign-up
to join 5-10 other students from the class for a pizza lunch (on me).
I look forward to getting to know you.
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Steve Skiena
1999-01-20