Professor Kimberly Tucker
Office: Olin 1279
tucker at math.hmc.edu
Class time Tues, Thurs 1:15-2:30 pm
Office hours Mon   4:00-5:00 pm
Thurs   2:30-3:30 pm

Course Overview

This course is comprised of three main acts:
  • combinatorics (counting objects in clever ways),
  • number theory,
  • and graph theory.
Throughout each of these areas, there will be an emphasis on creative problem solving and learning to read and write rigorous proofs.

Textbook

Mathematics: A Discrete Introduction, 2nd edition by Edward R. Scheinerman (ISBN 0-534-39898-7).

List of errata

Homework

  • There will be a homework assignment
    due each week on Tuesday at the start of class
    and announced on the "Homework" page of this course website.
  • You should adhere to the mathematics homework guidelines on the math department website.
  • No late homework assignments will be accepted. Your "get out of jail free card" is that your lowest homework score will be dropped.
  • Each student is also responsible for attending all lectures and hearing all announcements.

Grading and Exams

  • There will be three take-home exams corresponding to the three main sections of this course: combinatorics, number theory, and graph theory. Tentative dates for exams:
    Exam 1    Feb 21-26
    Exam 2Apr 3-8
    Exam 3May 8-15
  • Grades for this course are based on performance on homework and the three exams. These four components will each count as one-fourth of your overall course grade.

Tutoring

Who?Academic Excellence (AE) Tutors
Where?Riggs Room (upstairs in LAC)
When?Sun and Thurs at 8-10 pm, Mon at 9-11 pm

Honor Code

Cooperation among students on homework is very much encouraged, but each student is expected to write up his or her own solutions individually. Comprehension is the goal of working on problems, so you should understand solutions well enough to write them up yourself.

In addition, you should cite any sources of help that you use. If you work with a classmate on a problem, be sure to acknowledge that person in your homework write-up.

Harvey Mudd's honor code applies in all matters of conduct concerning this course.

Disabilities

Students who need accommodations for a disability are encouraged to discuss this with us as soon as possible so that we may make the appropriate arrangements.