Introduction to Combinatorics
Welcome to Math 28! This webpage will be home to the syllabus, homework assignments, and announcements.
Math 28 is a course in combinatorial mathematics. Combinatorics is a branch of mathematics that studies sets (usually finite) of objects that satisfy some properties. In particular, it is concerned with "counting" the objects in a set (enumerative combinatorics), with determining when an object with a required list of properties exist, with constructing and analyzing objects meeting certain properties (as in combinatorial designs and matroid theory), with finding "largest", "smallest", or "optimal" objects (extremal combinatorics and combinatorial optimization), and with finding algebraic structures these objects may have (algebraic combinatorics).
The class meets MWF 12:30-1:35 (12 hour), Haldeman 028. X-hour is Tuesday 1-1:50. We will certainly use X-hour the week of January 21st, to replace the Martin Luther King Day lecture; we will use it elsewhen as needed, but sparingly. Our textbook is the course notes Combinatorics Through Guided Discovery by Ken Bogart, available at the Copy Center.
Your instructor is Rebecca Weber (yours truly), and my office is Kemeny 317, phone number 646-1720. It's usually more reliable to email than to call, however. My office hours are Mondays 4-5, Wednesdays 2-3, Thursdays 1-2, and by appointment.
Here is the syllabus that was handed out.
Tips on writing proofs (2-page pdf).
If you want to learn the LaTeX typesetting system for writing up homework (highly recommended), I have a page of resources.
Help on Material
There are many ways to get help with the material. Here are some:
Last modified December 30, 2007