Course Overview: what to expect


Welcome to COSC 208: Discrete Structures


Note to Students

If you don't see content in this course, please check with your instructor first! Instructors manage content and activities deployed in courses. All Faculty members are expected to establish a ''minimum presence" on Blackboard consisting of a course syllabus, attendance record, use of Grade Center to post grades, and use of iCAN system for early warning on academic issues. Course content will be available only during the semester or term. If an extension is needed, the instructor must request it from Academic Computing.

Course Description

This is a course in discrete mathematics that is an integral part of the undergraduate curriculum in computer science. The purpose of the course is to insure that the students become comfortable with the theoretical framework within which ideas in computer science are expressed. MAA, IEEE, and ACM mandate a course in discrete structures. 

This course will cover fundamental mathematical concepts and algebraic structures, such as logic, sets, relations, functions, induction, recursion, probability, statistics, and an introduction to the theory of graphs and trees.

Course Syllabus

Review, download, or print the course syllabus on the next page.

Course Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Apply set operations to solve problems

  2. Construct functions to solve problems

  3. Apply fundamental concepts in logic to solve problems

  4. Complete various functions significant in the field of computer science

  5. Apply mathematical induction to prove properties and mathematical statements

  6. Construct basic mathematical graphs based on graph theories

  7. Apply concepts of relations and digraphs to solve problem

  8. Construct mathematical arguments using mathematical reasoning

  9. Solve counting problems through combinational analysis

  10. Analyze algorithms through combinational analysis

  11. Demonstrate knowledge of discrete data structures

ABET Standards:

  • Analyze a complex computing problem and to apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions (1).

  • Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities appropriate to the program's discipline (3).

  • Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts (5).

  • Apply computer science theory and software development fundamentals to produce computing-based solutions (6).

Required Course Materials

Kolman, B., Busby, R. C., & Ross, S.C. (2009). Discrete mathematical structures (6th ed.). Pearson.

Course Structure

  • Please, follow the syllabus

The modules contain most (if not all) of the following components:

  • Introduction: module overview, learning objectives, and activity checklist

  • Learning Materials: readings, videos, websites, and other materials that contain the key content and information that you will need to progress through the module activities and prepare for assessments

  • Activities and Assessments: practice activities and graded assignments

  • Reflections: summary and highlights of current module and preview of next module

Milestone Activities 

  • Sets Test

  • Logic Test

  • Trees Test

  • Small Team Project

  • Final Exam


Student Outcomes (SO)
1. Analyze a complex computing problem and to apply principles of computing and other
relevant disciplines to identify solutions.

2
3. Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts.
5. Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities appropriate to the
program’s discipline.
6. Apply computer science theory and software development fundamentals to produce
computing-based solutions.
Student Expected Outcomes (SEO): Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Use mathematical reasoning in order to read, comprehend, and construct mathematical
arguments.
2. Perform combinatorial analysis to solve counting problems and analyze algorithms.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of discrete data structures, which are the abstract mathematical
structures used to represent discrete objects and relationships between these objects.
Student Course Learning Objectives (SCLO): Students will be required to:
• Solve problems on sets and set operations, propositions, predicates, and rules of inference o
Instruments: Final Exam [Covering logic](Covers SO 1.1, SO 1.3, SO 6.2, and SEO (1))
• Prove mathematical statements using direct, contraposition and contradiction methods, and
induction - Instruments: Quizzes, and Final Exam [Covering Induction] (Covers SO 1.1, SO
1.2, SO 1.3, SO 1.4 and SEO (1)).
• Solve counting problems using sum and product rules, permutation, combination formulas o
Instruments: Final Exam [Covering probability] (Covers SO 1.1, SO 1.2, SO 1.3 and SEO
(2))
• Follow the steps of various data structure algorithms using arrays, trees, graphs o
Instruments: Project, and Final Exam [ Covering Functions] (Covers SO 6.2 and SEO (1),
(3))
• With a team, develop, test, and present a programming project o Instruments: Project report,
Project presentation, Programming (Covers SO 3.1, SO 3.2, SO 5.1 and SO 5.2, SEO (1) and
(3) )