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Session 1 Introduction To Discrete Mathematics

Discrete Structures is a branch of mathematics focused on the study of distinct objects, contrasting with continuous mathematics. It is essential for students in computer science and related fields, enhancing skills in mathematical reasoning, algorithmic thinking, and problem-solving. The course covers various topics including mathematical logic, sets, and graph theory, with applications across diverse disciplines.

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78 views4 pages

Session 1 Introduction To Discrete Mathematics

Discrete Structures is a branch of mathematics focused on the study of distinct objects, contrasting with continuous mathematics. It is essential for students in computer science and related fields, enhancing skills in mathematical reasoning, algorithmic thinking, and problem-solving. The course covers various topics including mathematical logic, sets, and graph theory, with applications across diverse disciplines.

Uploaded by

shoibbasil62
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Session 1: Introduction to Discrete Structures

1.1 Definition: Discrete Structures


Discrete Structures or Mathematics is the part of mathematics devoted to the
study of discrete objects. (Here discrete means consisting of distinct or
unconnected elements.)

Discrete Structures is the study of mathematical structures that are fundamentally


discrete rather than continuous.
A course in discrete mathematics should teach students how to work with
discrete structures, which are the abstract mathematical structures used to
represent discrete objects and relationships between these objects.
These discrete structures, in contrast to real numbers that have the property of
varying "smoothly", the objects studied in discrete mathematics – such as
integers, graphs, and statements in logic – do not vary smoothly in this way, but
have distinct, separate values.
Discrete mathematics therefore excludes topics in "continuous mathematics" such
as calculus or Euclidean geometry. Discrete objects can often be enumerated by
integers.
More formally, discrete mathematics has been characterized as the branch of
mathematics dealing with countable sets (finite sets or sets with the same
cardinality as the natural numbers). However, there is no exact definition of the
term "discrete mathematics.
Although the main objects of study in discrete mathematics are discrete objects,
analytic methods from continuous mathematics are often employed as well.

1.2 Target audience


Students taking BTIT, BSIT, BSCS who want to learn computer programming

1.3 Why study Discrete Structures


a) It develops your:
mathematical thinking/ reasoning - Students must understand mathematical
reasoning in order to read, comprehend, and construct mathematical
arguments.

Algorithmic Thinking: Certain classes of problems are solved by the


specification of an algorithm. After an algorithm has been described, a
computer program can be constructed implementing it.

Combinatorial Analysis: An important problem-solving skill is the ability to


count or enumerate objects. The stress is on performing combinatorial

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analysis to solve counting problems and analyze algorithms, not on applying
formulae.

Applications and Modeling: Discrete mathematics has applications to almost


every conceivable area of study. There are many applications to computer
science and data networking, as well as applications to such diverse areas as
chemistry, biology, linguistics, geography, business, and the Internet. These
applications are natural and important uses of discrete mathematics and are
not contrived. Modeling with discrete mathematics is an extremely important
problem-solving skill, which students have the opportunity to develop by
constructing their own models in some of the exercises.

b) It improves your problem-solving stability


c) If you are computer science student, then Discrete Structures is for you –
Discrete Structures as a Unit is important to survive in subjects such as Compiler
Design, Databases, Computer Security, Operating Systems, Automata Theory,
etc.
d) Many problems can be solved using Discrete Structure:

Examples
1) Sorting list of integers
2) Finding the shortest path from your home to your friend’s home
3) How ways different combinations of passwords are possible with just 8
alphanumeric characters?
4) Encrypt a message and deliver it to your friend and you don’t want
anybody to read that message except your friend
5) Drawing a graph with two conditions:
a) You are not allowed to lift your pen
b) You are not allowed to repeat edges e.g. try drawing these
graphs

i) ii) iii) Connect 9 Dots with 4 Lines

Solution

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Other kinds of problems solved using discrete mathematics include:
- How many ways are there to choose a valid password on a computer
system?
- What is the probability of winning a lottery?
- Is there a link between two computers in a network?
- How can I identify spam e-mail messages?
- How can I encrypt a message so that no unintended recipient can read it?
- What is thshortest path between two cities using a transportation system?
- How can a list of integers be sorted so that the integers are in increasing
order?
- How many steps are required to do such a sorting?
- How can it be proved that a sorting algorithm correctly sorts a list?
- How can a circuit that adds two integers be designed?
- How many valid Internet addresses are there?

1.4 Discrete versus continuous


Discrete means Distinct or Not connected or not continuous. The whole world of
mathematics is divided in two realms:
a) Discrete
b) Continuous

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The topics mathematical logic, sets, relations, function, Boolean algebra, logic
gates, combinations, graph theory and finite state machines will be discussed in
this Unit. Throughout I have made an extensive use of worked examples to
develop the general ideas.

Remark
You will learn the discrete structures and techniques needed to solve problems
such as these. More generally, discrete mathematics is used whenever objects are
counted, when relationships between finite (or countable) sets are studied, and
when processes involving a finite number of steps are analyzed. A key reason for
the growth in the importance of discrete mathematics is that information is
stored and manipulated by computing machines in a discrete fashion.

1.5 Student Activity


Identifies five other kinds of problems you can solve using discrete mathematics

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