Discrete Mathematics

his text was written to be used as the primary text for the class Discrete Mathematics (Math 228) at the University of Northern Colorado. The course serves as the role of a transitions course (introduction to proof), as well as an introduction to topics in discrete mathematics. While we have a few students each semester who will go on to study computer science, pure mathematics or applied mathematics, the majority of students are studying to be elementary or secondary math teachers. For this reason, most of the standard discrete textbooks are not appropriate for us. For many years we used Discrete and Combinatorial Mathematics by Richard Grassl and Tabitha Mingus. This is a very nice book in many ways (Grassl taught at UNC) but the print-on-demand publishing was expensive for students and some sections needed updating and (as I saw it) rearranging.

While the book began as a set of lecture notes, it now contains a number of features that should support its use as a primary textbook:

363 exercises, including 233 with answers or full solutions, as well as 130 more involved problems suitable for homework.
Investigate! activities throughout the text to support active, inquiry based learning.
A full index and list of symbols.
Consistent and (hopefully) helpful page layout and formatting (i.e., examples are easy to identify, important definitions and theorems in boxes, etc.)

Cut Rita Zahara

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