Undergraduate Seminar in Discrete Mathematics
18.304 – Fall 2011
General Information.
Instructor: Olivier Bernardi, bernardi@math.mit.edu.
Classes: Tuesday, Friday 11am-12.30am. Room 2-136.
Office Hours: Monday 2.30-3.30, Tuesday 1.30-2.30pm and by appointment.
Room 2-279.
Goals.
The purpose of this course is to give you experience reading, writing and presenting results in mathematics. There is no fixed set of topics to be covered,
instead students may choose from a broad selection of topics within discrete
mathematics.
Requirements.
• Give at least 3 presentations (35 minutes each) on some topic in discrete
mathematics. At least one presentation must be based on a research paper
published in a mathematics journal.
• Submit an abstract before each of your presentations.
• Write a term paper of approximately 10 pages on a topic in discrete mathematics.
• Listen to all presentations. It would be particularly nice if you could give
feedback, and ask questions.
Calendar.
Tue
9 /08
Tue
10/13
Tue
10/4
Tue
10/11
Tue
10/20
Tue
11/1
Thur 11/17
Thur 11/24
Thur 12/1
Tue
13/8
Tue
12/13
First day of class.
Practice.
Every student must have given one presentation.
Columbus Day – Holiday.
The subject of term paper must be selected.
Every student must have given two presentations.
First draft of paper due.
Thanksgiving Vacation.
Second draft of paper due.
Every student must have given three presentations.
Final version of term paper due.
Grading Policy.
Grades are based on the quality of your presentations (50%), term paper (30%),
Abstracts and participation (20%).