ECS 20 - Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science

Fall 2010

Schedule and assignments listed below; (Basic course info page here.)


Tentative Lecture Plan#:

Lecture Date Topics Covered Pages in Textbook Web Links/ Handouts
1 Sep 23 Intro, Propositions,
Logical Connectives, Truth tables
*, 1-15, 21-27 Math Symbols
Logic Symbols
Truth Tables for Logic Operators
Handout 1 (pdf)
2 Sep 28 Equivalences, Predicates and Quantifiers 21-27, 30-46 Propositional Calculus
Handout 2 (pdf)
3 Sep 30 Rules of Inference, Logical forms
63-70 Prolog language
Common fallacies
4 Oct 5 Methods of Proof 75-85 Mathzone (more examples)
Handout 3 (pdf)
5 Oct 7 More Proofs
86-102
Millenium Prizes
Existence Proof: Tic-tac-toe
Handout 3 (pdf)
6 Oct 12 Sets 111-130 Handout 4 (pdf)
Slides Lec 6 (pdf)
7 Oct 14 Functions
133-146 
Handout 5 (pdf)
8 Oct 19 Sequences and Summations 149-158 Sloane's Online Encyclopedia
Handout 6 (pdf)
9 Oct 21 Finish Summations and mini-review
Sec 2.4 Review probs for midterm
Solutions to review probs
10 Oct 26 Algorithms, Complexity Sec 3.1-3.3 Handout 7 (pdf)
Nature article on CS, Oct 13, 2010
Oct 28 MIDTERM

Midterm solutions
11 Nov 2 Function Growth, Complexity Sec 3.2-3.3 Big-Oh notation
Handout 8 (pdf)
12 Nov 4 Mathematical Induction, Strong induction 
Sec 4.1-4.2 Induction
Why induction is valid
Handout 9 (pdf)
13 Nov 9 Recursive Definitions, Structural Induction, Recursive Algorithms Sec 4.3-4.4 Fibonacci Numbers
Handout 10 (pdf)
-- Nov 11 (Veteran's Day Holiday)
14 Nov 16 Counting, Combinations, Pigeonhole Sec 5.1-5.2 Counting Problems
Handout 11 (pdf)
15 Nov 18 Permutations, Combinations, Poker,
Binomial Coefficients
Sec 5.3-5.4
Travelling Salesman Prob (TSP)
Counting Problems
Handout 12 (pdf)
16 Nov 23 Discrete Probability
Sec 6.1-6.2 The Monty Hall Problem
The Eudaemonic Pie
Handout 13 (pdf)
-- Nov 25 (Thanksgiving Holiday)
17 Nov 30 Conditional Probability;
Recurrences (Applications)
Sec 6.2, 7.1 Handout 14 (pdf)
18 Dec 2 Soliving linear recurrence relations
Divide and Conquer Algorithms
Sec 7.2-7.3 Master Theorem
Strassen algorithm (extra)
Handout 15 (pdf)
Dec 10 Final Exam, 8am
Resources for Internships:
  • UCD Internship and Career Center
  • NSF Research Experiences for Undergrads
    (NSF, REU CS opportunities)
  • AMS many listings (cisco, dell, ibm, xerox)
  • Microsoft
    Microsoft Research
  • Google
  • Fogcreek (NYC, includes housing)
  • Apple
  • Adobe
  • Bell Labs
  • internships.com
  • Dept of Commerce, D.C (Spring quarter also.)
  • Oak Ridge Natl Lab (NEW!)
  • Dept of Energy (Jan/31 deadline) (NEW!)
  • Postings typically updated early Dec.

  • Deadlines tend to be
    early Jan through mid-Feb.
  • Resources for CS students:
  • ACM student magazine
  • # may change as we progress into the quarter; you should check it every week
    * material was/maybe used that is not in your book


    Watch this space for assignments and solutions:

  • Discussion section page --- with notes that should help with HWs