MATH 108 -- Introduction to Combinatorics and its Applications

"There is no problem in all mathematics that cannot be solved by direct counting." - Ernst Mach
"I hope we'll be able to solve these problems before we leave." - Paul Erdos

Course syllabus

Lectures

April 1: Introduction, Bridges of Konigsberg
April 3: Characterization of Eulerian graphs, a note on Hamiltonicity
April 6: Basic properties of trees, definition of planarity
April 8: Euler formula, K5 is not planar
April 10: Chromatic number, a 6-color theorem for planar graphs
April 13: Subgraphs, induced subgraphs, minors
April 15: Clique number, independence number, Hadwiger's conjecture
April 17: Proof of the Four Color Theorem
April 20: Finishing fake proof of Four Color Theorem, a real proof of a Five Color Theorem,
    more planarity theorems and Conway's thrackle conjecture
April 22: Introduction to Ramsey theory, definition of R(m,n) and some basic properties
April 24: Multicolor Ramsey numbers
April 27: Infinite multicolor hypergraph Ramsey theorem
April 29: Finite multicolor hypergraph Ramsey theorem, Happy Ending Theorem
May 1: Turan's theorem
May 4: Introduction to enumerative combinatorics, binomial coefficients
May 6: Binomial theorem and few of its consequences
May 8: (Exam)
May 11: Multinomial coefficients, unordered selections i.e. "stars and bars"
May 13: Fibonacci numbers, solving linear recurrances
May 15: Catalan numbers, and a nonlinear recurrance
May 18: Generating functions
May 20: Hook length formula, and applications
May 22: Cauchy-Frobenius-Polya-Burnside, counting under symmetry
May 27: Introduction to the probabilistic method: union bounds and expectation
May 29: Graphs with high girth and chromatic number
June 1: Crossing number lemma and the Szemeredi-Trotter theorem
(see also: Terry Tao's comments on his blog)
June 3: Three quickies: applications of the probabilistic method to graph theory, linear algebra, and additive number theory

Office hours

My office hours will be Wednesday 10-12, and Friday 1-2, in 380-382X. Our course assistant, Sukhada Fadnavis, will have her office hours Tuesday and Thursday 8:45-10:15, in 380-380L.

Exams

The midterm will be held in class, on Friday, May 8. This exam will cover the lectures and the homework. We will talk more about the content of the exam as the date gets closer, but if you have done all the required homework problems, and if you understand all the proofs from class, you should be in good shape.
The in-class final will be Friday, June 5, 8:30-11:30am.

Here is your take-home final. It is due by 5pm, on Friday June 5.

Homework

HW #1, due Friday, April 17, by 5pm.
HW #2, due Friday, May 1, by 5pm.
HW #3, due Wednesday, May 20, by 5pm.
HW #4, due Wendesday, June 3, by 5pm.