SYLLABUS

21-301 Combinatorics, Fall 2010
MWF 12:30-1:20, Baker Hall A51

Professor Alan Frieze                                                                       
Department of Mathematical Sciences                                                    
Carnegie Mellon University                                                                    
Pittsburgh PA 15213-3890
Office: Wean Hall 7130
Fax:  412-268-6380
Email: alan@random.math.cmu.edu

Office hours:   M,Th 11.00--12.00. Wean Hall 7130 (AMF)
                     Tu 3pm-4pm,  W,F 11AM--12AM Gates Center 8129 (YZ)
                        
                      
        


Grading Policy:
Homework: 10%
4 Tests          90%

Each test will have three questions and their points values will be 40+40+20.
The third question will be more challenging than the first two.
The tests will be closed book.

You will receive a letter grade at midsemester, based on the first two tests and homework, and a letter grade at the end of the course, but individual tests are not assigned letter grades.

The letter grades are computed as follows: Your overall numerical score will be a pair of numbers X,Y.

X will be computed in the normal way: 10% from homework and 90% from test scores.
This will be based on your best 8 homeworks and your best 3 tests.
Y is the sum of your three best scores from the third question of each test.

A: 85 ≤ X ≤ 100 and Y ≥ 45.      
B: 70 - 84 C: 60 - 69 D: 50 - 59.

This scheme is desribed more precisely here.


Make-up tests will be given only in the case of a documented medical excuse, a university-sanctioned absence (e.g., participation in a varsity sporting event), or a family emergency. Please see me at the earliest time possible to schedule a make-up. Make-up exams may be oral.

No collaboration is permitted on the tests.

On homework, collaboration is permitted subject to the following:
You may discuss homework problems with fellow students and with instructors in order to get help on various parts of a problem, but you may not simply copy someone else's solution;

  • Exam Schedule (Provisional):
    • Test 1: Monday,    September 20, 2010

    Test 2: Monday,    October 18, 2010

    Test 3: Monday,    November 8, 2010.

    Test 4: Friday,    December 3, 2010.

    Old Tests

    Curriculum Goals: The aim of this course is to introduce the student to some of the most important ideas in Discrete Mathematics.
                                   A subsidiary goal is to show how these ideas can be used to solve problems in Computer Science.