Alexander Knop
S.E. Warschawski Assistant Professor
Research interests:
Proof complexity, structural complexity, differential privacy.
En Ru

For UCSD students
Math 15A (Introduction to Discrete Mathematics)

Winter, 2018 Winter, 2019

Links

Information

Textbook:
The textbook for this course is: Essentials of Discrete Mathematics, Second Edition. David J. Hunter. Jones & Bartlett Publishing, 2012
Grading policy:
Student's cumulative average will be computed by taking the maximum of these two grading schemes:
  • 5% Quizzes, 5% Homework, 25% Midterm I, 25% Midterm II, 40% Final Exam
  • 5% Quizzes, 5% Homework, 30% maximum of Midterm I and Midterm II, 60% Final Exam
Homework:
Homework is a very important part of the course and in order to fully master the topics it is essential that you work carefully on every assignment and try your best to complete every problem.
Your total homework score will be based on the total possible homework points available. After each homework you can complete an optional online HW review highlighting key concepts. If you complete the questionnaire for an assignment and that assignment is your lowest homework score, that score will be dropped from your homework average.
Homework must be done alone! For homework help, consult your textbook, class notes, lecturer, and TAs. It is considered a violation of the policy on academic integrity to:
  • look or ask for answers to homework problems in other texts or sources, including the internet, or to
  • discuss the homework problems with anyone (unless you are in office hours with someone from the instructional team).
Homework solutions should be neatly written or typed and turned in through Gradescope by 11pm on Friday. Illegible assignments will not be graded. For step-by-step instructions on scanning and uploading your homework, see this handout. Late homeworks will not be accepted. Submit early drafts well before the deadline to make sure partial work is graded.
Quizzes:
Quizzes are another significant part of the course. We will have them in the last ten minutes of each Friday lectures and they will cover the material covered in the previous three lectures.
Discussion Board:
The Piazza forum for our class where questions can be posted and answered. It is a very helpful resource!

Office Hours

  • 5880B, AP&M building,
    • Wednesday: 2-3 PM
    • Thursday: 2-3 PM
    • Friday: 2-3 PM

Teaching assistants

  • Vincent Yu,
    5412, AP&M building:
    • Monday: 10:20 AM-12:20 PM

Calendar

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
January 07 January 08
0 Introduction
January 09 January 10
1.1 Formal Logic
January 11
Discussion
January 12
1.2 Propositional Logic
January 13
January 14 January 15
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
January 16 January 17
1.2, 1.3 Propositional Logic, Predicate Logic
January 18
Discussion
January 19
1.3 Predicate Logic
January 20
January 21 January 22
1.4 Logic in Mathematics
January 23 January 24
Catch up Review
January 25
Discussion
January 26
Midterm I
January 27
January 28 January 29
1.5 Methods of Proof
January 30 January 31
1.5 Methods of Proof
February 01
Discussion
February 02
2.1 Graphs
February 03
February 04 February 05
2.2 Sets
February 06 February 07
2.3 Functions
February 08
Discussion
February 09
2.4 Relations and Equivalences
February 10
February 11 February 12
2.5 Partial Orderings
February 13 February 14
3.1 Recurrence Relations
February 15
Discussion
February 16
3.2 Closed-Form Solutions and Induction
February 17
February 18 February 19
Presidents' Day Holiday
February 20 February 21
Catch up Review
February 22
Discussion
February 23
Midterm II
February 24
February 25 February 26
3.3 Recursive Definitions
February 27 February 28
3.4 Proof by Induction
March 01
Discussion
March 02
3.4 Proof by Induction
March 03
March 04 March 05
3.5 Recursive Data Structures
March 06 March 07
4.1 Basic Counting Techniques
March 08
Discussion
March 09
4.2 Selections and Arrangments
March 10
March 11 March 12
4.3 Counting with Functions
March 13 March 14
4.4 Discrete Probability
March 15
Discussion
March 16
Catch up Review
March 17
March 18 March 19 March 20 March 21 March 22 March 23
Final Exam
March 24