CMPSCI 190DM: A Mathematical Foundation for Informatics

David Mix Barrington

Fall, 2014

This is the home page for CMPSCI 190DM. CMPSCI 190DM is an experimental version of an introductory undergraduate course in discrete mathematics and the mathematical method. I am developing it for possible use in a new degree program in the School of Computer Science called "Informatics", a program that will teach computational thinking at a less technical level than the Computer Science majors. The intended audience for this course is students who intend to pursue computing, perhaps in programming courses for majors like CMPSCI 121 and 187, but could use more exposure to mathematical thinking first.

Instructor Contact Info: David Mix Barrington, 210 CMPSCI building, 545-4329, office hours Tue 11-12, Wed 12-1, Fri 2-3 I generally answer my email fairly reliably.

TA Contact Info: There is no TA or grader for this course.

The material of the course does not overlap much with that of the conventional pre-calculus and calculus courses, but it will demand some basic skill in calculation. There is no formal prerequisite, but an average high-school math background will be useful (e.g., the University's R1 gen-ed requirement). (This course does not carry gen-ed credit itself, though I expect that future versions will be R2 courses.)

On the opposite end of the spectrum, someone who has taken MATH 132 or CMPSCI 187 probably has too much mathematical maturity to be in the appropriate audience for this course.

The textbook for the course is Discrete Mathematics: Mathematical Reasoning and Proof with Puzzles, Patterns, and Games by Douglas E. Ensley and J Winston Crawley. The Textbook Annex has been informed about the book. It's pretty expensive, but there are the cheaper options of buying it used, renting it, or getting the e-book. We'll work through most of the book, with specific sections as specified on the syllabus.

The course will meet for three lecture meetings a week, MWF 10:10-11:00 in my office, room 210 in the Computer Science building (it was moved from LGRC A203 on 15 September.) There will be graded activity in every class section, so attendance is required.

Announcements (24 September 2014):

Last modified 24 September 2014