Math 3050

Discrete Mathematics
Discrete Mathematics deals with
Separated or discrete sets of objects
(rather than continuous sets)
Processes with a sequence of
individual steps
(rather than continuously changing processes)
 Kind of problems solved by
discrete mathematics
How many ways are there to choose a computer password?

What is the probability of winning a lottery?

Is there a link between two users in a social network?

What is the shortest path between two cities using a

transportation system?

How can a list of integers sorted in increasing order? How

many steps are required to do such a sorting?
 Importance of
Discrete Mathematics

Information is stored and manipulated by

computers in a discrete fashion
Applications in many different areas
Discrete mathematics is a gateway to more
advanced courses
Develops mathematical reasoning skills
Emphasizes the new role of mathematics
 The new role of Mathematics
Make the computer to solve the problem for you
Modeling (vs. calculations)
Using logic
to choose the right model
to write a correct computer program
to justify answers
Efficiency
make the computer to solve the problem fast
choose the more efficient model
 Goals of Math 3050
Study of standard facts of discrete mathematics

Development of mathematical reasoning skills

(emphasis on modeling, logic, efficiency)

Discussion of applications
 Outline of Topics
Auxiliary topics
Sequences, Proofs, Induction, Recursion
Main topics
Graph Theory
Counting Techniques
Application areas
Computer Science
Discrete Optimization
Discrete Probability
 Situations where counting
techniques are used
You toss a pair of dice in a casino game.
You win if the numbers showing face up
have a sum of 7.

Question: What are your chances of

winning the game?
 Situations where counting
techniques are used
To satisfy a certain degree requirement, you
are supposed to take 3 courses from the
following group of courses:
Math300, Math301, Math302, Math304,
Math305, Math306, Math308.

Question: In how many different ways the

requirement can be satisfied?
 Situations where counting
techniques are used
There are 4 jobs that should be processed
on the same machine.
(Cant be processed simultaneously).
Here is an example of a possible schedule:

Job 3 Job 1 Job 4 Job 2

Counting question: What is the number of all possible

schedules?
Optimization question: Find a schedule that minimizes the
average completion time of the four jobs.
 Examples of Graph Models:
Shortest Path Problem
In a directed network, we have distances on arcs ;
source node s and sink node t .
3
a d
4
1 1 1
4
2 7
s c t
2 2
1
2
b 5 e

Goal: Find a shortest path from the source to the sink.

 Examples of Graph Models:
Traveling Salesman Problem
There are n cities. The salesman
starts his tour from City 1,
visits each of the cities exactly once,
and returns to City 1.
For each pair of cities i, j there is a cost cij associated with
traveling from City i to City j .
Goal: Find a minimum-cost tour.
1
 Examples of Graph Models:
Assignment Problem
Given: n people and n jobs
Each person can be assigned to exactly one job
Each job should be assigned to exactly one person
Person-job compatibility is given by a directed network
(e.g., having a link A x means person A can do job x )
Goal: Find an assignment of n jobs to n people
(if such an assignment exists).
Example:
people A B C D E

jobs x y z u v