Discrete Structures

The final exam will be held on Wed, Dec 19, 8:30-11:30am, in our usual room Smith 241. The final will cover all the material we covered in the course, but the material after Test 2 will be emphasized (6.6, 7.1-7.3, 10.1-10.5, 1.3).

Graded quizzes will be available on the door of my office, Smith 309, after Dec 12.

Office hours until the final exam:

Here are sample questions for the material on 7.1-7.3, 10.1-10.5, and 1.3, with solutions.

Here are sample questions for the material from 4.1, 4.4-4.8, 5.1-5.3, 6.1-6.6, with solutions.

Here are sample questions for the material on Test 1, with solutions.

You should also look over your class notes, your homework, and your old tests: Here are solutions to Test 1 and to Test 2.

MW 10-11:20, Smith Hall 241

Course Schedule (including syllabus)
Instructor Prof. John Loftin, 309 Smith Hall, Phone: (973)353-5156, ext. 23.
Email loftin AT rutgers DOT edu
Email is the best way to get in touch with me.
Website http://www.andromeda.rutgers.edu/~loftin (this syllabus is attached to the website)
Department Website http://math.newark.rutgers.edu/
Prerequisites Math 119 or 135 or 155 (Basic Calculus, Calculus I or Honors Calculus I)
Who Should Take This Course This course is required for the Computer Science and Information Systems majors and for the Computer Science minor. It also satisfies a requirement for Applied Mathematics majors. This course DOES NOT, however, satisfy any requirements for the Mathematics major (Math 238 should be taken instead).
Course Material
(more details
are on the 
Course Schedule)
  • Fundamentals
  • Theorems and Methods of Proof
  • Counting
  • Relations and Digraphs
  • Functions
  • Order Relations and Structures
  • Trees
  • Languages and Finite-State Machines
Text Kolman, Busby, Ross, Discrete Mathematical Structures, 5th ed., Prentice Hall
Homework The homework will be assigned but not collected or graded. However, the quizzes will be strongly based on the homework problems (and will typically include some homework problems verbatim). Homework will be assigned a week or so ahead of time: See the Course Schedule. Students are encouraged to work together on the homework.
Quizzes About every week, there will be an in-class 15-minute quiz based on the homework. These quizzes will make up 20% of your grade. The lowest 2 quiz grades (including absenses for any reason) will be dropped. (See the Course Schedule.)
Exams There will be two exams during the term and a final exam. The first two exams will be held in class, and will test your knowledge of the material covered in the past few weeks' classes. The final exam will be comprehensive. The final exam will take place on Wed, Dec 19, 8:30-11:30am, room TBA. YOU MAY NOT TAKE THE FINAL EARLY. (See the Course Schedule.)
Grades Your grade will be determined by your quizzes (20%), Exam 1 (20%), Exam 2 (20%), and the Final Exam (40%).
Office Hours M 1:00-2:00, W 11:30-12:30, in 309 Smith Hall. You may see me any time during office hours without an appointment. You may also make an appointment to see me other times.
Course Schedule


John Loftin
2007-08-28