Discrete Mathematics (6698.4)

Please note these are the 2017 details for this unit
Home
/
Find your course
/
Discrete Mathematics
Available teaching periods Delivery mode Location
View teaching periods
EFTSL Credit points Faculty
0.125 3 Faculty Of Education, Science, Technology & Maths
Discipline Study level HECS Bands
Academic Program Area - Maths & Technology Level 1 - Undergraduate Introductory Unit Band 1 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 1 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
This unit investigates topics from discrete mathematics in the broad areas of Logic and Proof, Sets, Functions and Relations, Graphs and Trees, and Recursion. The treatment of these topics will cover both practical and theoretical aspects and will usually include at least one important application in Information Technology.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Understand and manipulate the language and notation of symbolic logic;
2. Understand and create proofs of numeric and algebraic propositions;
3. Understand and use the language and notation of sets, relations and functions, graphs and tree;
4. Analyse and create simple automata; and
5. Understand the concept of recursion and solve problems using this concept.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - evaluate and adopt new technology
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development


Skills development

This unit is concerned with the mathematics that underlies numerous aspects of modern computing including logic circuits, algorithm correctness, databases, run-time analysis, and automata. The unit emphasises the rigorous understanding of the mathematical tools that have proven to be of crucial importance for these applications. Students successfully completing this unit will be able to use these tools, and understand mathematical arguments including proof.



Prerequisites

None

Assumed knowledge

ACT: Mathematics Applications major; NSW: Mathematics major.
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
Not available

Required texts

Required text: Susannah S. Epp, Discrete Mathematics with Applications, 4th edition, Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning, 2011.

The electronic version is available from the publisher's website. The hardcover is available from the UC Co-op Bookshop.

Supplementary texts:

Eric Gossett, Discrete Mathematics with Proof, Prentice Hall, 2003.

Ralph P Grimaldi, Discrete and Combinatorial Mathematics, Pearson Education, 2006.

Richard Johnsonbaugh ,Discrete Mathematics, Pearson Education, 2016.

Submission of assessment items

Special assessment requirements

To obtain a particular grade in this unit it is necessary that students must complete all assessment tasks.  All assessment items will receive a numerical mark. The final grade will be determined as a weighted average of the individual assessment items. In order to pass this unit students have to obtain a mark of 50% or greater for the assessment as a whole.  

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Participation requirements

Your participation in lectures and tutorial activities will enhance your understanding of the unit content and therefore the quality of your
assessment responses. Lack of participation may result in your inability to satisfactorily pass assessment items. Experience has shown
that students who do not attend classes, have difficulty passing the unit. Please note that lectures are not recorded.


Students should also be aware that the subject will be examined on material covered in all classes, It is the individual student's
responsibility to ensure that they are sufficiently familiar with this material. Attendance at classes is one of the best ways of ensuring this
familiarity. While some of the lecture notes and course materials are available online, these are intended to be broad outlines of the
lectures. Do not make the mistake of assuming that the materials perfectly substitute for class attendance and participation.


There will be an assessment item in each tutorial. Make-up assessment for missed tutorials will only be provided in exceptional
circumstances.

Required IT skills

All students are assumed to be able to:

  • Read and print documents on the unit website – mostly in Adobe PDF format.
  • Communicate using e-mail.
  • Use their own scientific calculator.

In-unit costs

The e-book version of the textbook should be available for around $85. If you decide to buy the hardcover version, it will be significantly more expensive. The calculator should be available for around $30.

Work placement, internships or practicums

None.

Additional information

Communication with class: It is assumed that all students will regularly (at least weekly) open the unit's website and read any announcements there. It is also assumed that all students will regularly (at least weekly) read e-mail received at their UC student accounts. Announcements made at lectures or circulated by e-mail to UC student accounts will be deemed to have been made to the whole class.

Provision of calculator: It is the student's responsibility to bring a suitable (working!) calculator to the tests and final exam. We will not be supplying these and no consideration can be given to those who come to a test without one.