MATH 189B: Course Information

Class will meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:45-4:00 PM in Beckman B134.

Prerequisites: MATH 55, or permission of the instructor.


GENERAL INFORMATION

As described in the prospectus, this course will survey topics in discrete mathematics developed during the second half of the twentieth century (see schedule of topics). There is no text for the course; references to the literature will be given in topic guides, which will be posted for each topic. There will be no homework assignments. Grades for the course will be based on either a term project due at the end of the course (possible topics will be posted, but students are encouraged to develop their own topics), or a final exam (given only to thoise student who prefer it to a project)


INSTRUCTOR

Name:  Nicholas Pippenger
Office:  Olin B165
E-mail:  njp@math.hmc.edu
Phone:  7-1114
Office Hours:  Tuesday  2:00-3:00 or by appointment (e-mail me!). 


PROSPECTUS & SCHEDULE

Prospectus.

Schedule of Topics (subject to change).


TOPIC GUIDES

Information and Coding.
Interconnection Networks and Expanding Graphs.
Ramsey Theory.
Random Graphs.
Packing and Covering.
Permanents.
Statistical Physics, I: Ferromagnetism.
Dedekind's Problem.
Statistical Physics, II: Percolation.
Perfect Graphs and Interval Graphs.
The Prime Number Theorem.


DISABILITIES

Students who need disability-related accommodations are encouraged to discuss this with me as soon as possible.


HONOR CODE

The Harvey Mudd College honor code applies in all matters of conduct concerning this course.

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Nicholas Pippenger, Math 189B, Spring 2008
Last modified: 1-22-08