Matthew L. Wright
Associate Professor, St. Olaf College

Discrete Mathematical Reasoning

Math 234 ⋅ Fall 2022

    This is a past course that has already concluded. If you are looking for a current course, please click here.

Thursday
September 8
Do the following before next class:
  • Complete the Introductory Survey, if you haven't done so already.
  • Read the Syllabus (via the tab above), paying special attention to the learning objectives and grading information.
  • Read Chapter 1 in the textbook and begin Homework 1, which is due next Thursday.
  • Read Section 2.1 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. The preview exercises are due at the beginning of the next class session!
Tuesday
September 13
Logic of Compound Statements
Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class (posted above).
  • Finish Homework 1, which is due on Thursday. Submit your solutions to the Homework 1 assignment on Moodle.
  • Begin Homework 2, which is due next Tuesday.
  • Read Sections 2.2 and 2.3 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. The preview exercises are due at the beginning of the next class session!
Thursday
September 15
Logic of Compound Statements
Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class (posted above).
  • Finish Homework 2, which is due on Tuesday. Submit your solutions to the Homework 2 assignment on Moodle.
  • Begin Homework 3, which is due next Thursday.
  • Read Section 3.1 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. The preview exercises are due at the beginning of the next class session!
Tuesday
September 20
Logic of Quantified Statements

Bonus video: John Urschel-NFL Math Whiz

Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class (posted above).
  • Finish Homework 3, which is due on Thursday. Submit your solutions to the Homework 3 assignment on Moodle.
  • Begin Homework 4, which is due next Tuesday.
  • Read Section 3.2 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. The preview exercises are due at the beginning of the next class session!
  • Review conditional statements and truth tables from Chapter 1. Thursday's class will be our first quiz day: quizzes will be on learning objectives L1 and L2 (see the syllabus).
Thursday
September 22
Logic of Quantified Statements
Quiz Day
objectives L1 and L2
Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class (posted above).
  • Finish Homework 4, which is due on Tuesday. Submit your solutions to the Homework 4 assignment on Moodle.
  • Begin Homework 5, which is due next Thursday.
  • Read Section 4.1 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
Tuesday
September 27
Number Theory and Proofs

Bonus videos: Satyan Devadoss — Blue Collar Mathematics and Mage Merlin's Unsolved Mathematical Mysteries

  MSCS Tailgate Party: Wednesday, September 28, 4:30–6:30pm in Tomson 280 (masks required) and outside

Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class. Read Section 4.2 in the text.
  • Finish Homework 5, which is due on Thursday. Submit your solutions to the Homework 5 assignment on Moodle.
  • Begin Homework 6, which is due next Tuesday. Especially for this homework, it is highly recommended to start early and ask questions!
  • Read Section 4.3 in the text and complete the preview exercises. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
Thursday
September 29
Number Theory and Proofs
Quiz Day
objective L3
Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class.
  • Finish Homework 6, which is due on Tuesday. Submit your solutions to the Homework 6 assignment on Moodle.
  • Begin Homework 7, which is due next Thursday.
  • Read Sections 4.4 and 4.5 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
Tuesday
October 4
Number Theory and Proofs

Bonus video: Eugenia Cheng on The Late Show

  Oct. 4: Math Across the Cannon featuring Satyan Devadoss colloquium 3:30pm at Carleton; public lecture 7pm in Viking Theater. Attend any part of Math Across the Cannon and complete this form to earn an extra quiz re-take.

Do the following before next class:
  • If you want to re-take any quizzes on Thursday, indicate which ones on this form by 5pm Wednesday.
  • Review the problems and solutions from class.
  • Finish Homework 7, which is due on Thursday.
  • Begin Homework 8, which is due next Tuesday.
  • Read Section 5.1 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
Thursday
October 6
Quiz Day
objective N2
Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class.
  • Finish Homework 8, which is due on Tuesday.
  • Begin Homework 9, which is due next Thursday.
  • Read Section 5.2 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
Tuesday
October 11
Proof by Induction

Bonus: video How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking - with Jordan Ellenberg and article The Psychology of Statistics by Jordan Ellenberg

Do the following before next class:
  • Check your current quiz scores on Moodle. If you want to re-take any quizzes on Thursday, indicate which ones on this form by 5pm Wednesday.
  • Review the problems and solutions from class.
  • Finish Homework 9, which is due on Thursday.
  • Begin Homework 10, which is due next Thursday.
  • Read Section 5.5 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
Thursday
October 13
Quiz Day
objective N1
Enjoy fall break! No class October 18.
Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class. Also read Section 5.6 in the text for more examples and discussion about recursive sequences.
  • Finish Homework 10, which is due next Thursday.
  • Begin Homework 11, which is due on Tuesday, Oct. 25.
  • Read Section 6.1 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
Thursday
October 20

Two opportunities to earn extra quiz retakes:

MSCS Colloquium: "Gerrymandering and the Attainment of Impossible Electoral Results" by Prof. Steve McKelvey; Friday, October 21, 3:30pm in RNS 310

MSCS Colloquium: "Painful Regressions: Probability and Statistics in Clinical Medicine and Pain Management" by Dr. Akshar Rambachan '12 MD, MPH; Monday, October 24, 3:30pm in RNS 310

Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class.
  • Finish Homework 11, which is due on Tuesday.
  • Begin Homework 12, which is due next Thursday.
  • Read Section 6.2 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
  • If you want to re-take any previous quiz on Tuesday, indicate which ones on this form by 5pm Monday.
Tuesday
October 25
Quiz Day
objectives S2 and S3

Bonus video: Moon Duchin: "Political Geometry" and DistrictR

Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class.
  • Finish Homework 12, which is due on Thursday.
  • Begin Homework 13, which is due next Tuesday.
  • Read Sections 9.1 and 9.2 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
Thursday
October 27
Counting and Probability: Multiplication Rule
Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class.
  • Finish Homework 13, which is due on Tuesday.
  • Begin Homework 14, which is due next Thursday.
  • Read Section 9.3 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
  • If you want to re-take any previous quiz on Tuesday, indicate which ones on this form by 5pm Monday.
Tuesday
November 1
Counting and Probability: Addition Rule
Quiz Day
objectives S1, S4, and T1

Bonus: Federico Ardila on Math, Music and the Space of Possibilities

Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class.
  • Finish Homework 14, which is due on Thursday.
  • Begin Homework 15, which is due next Tuesday.
  • Read Sections 9.4 and 9.5 (through page 450) in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
Thursday
November 3
Counting and Probability: Pigeonhole Principle and Combinations
Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class.
  • Finish Homework 15, which is due on Tuesday.
  • Begin Homework 16, which is due next Thursday.
  • Read Sections 9.5 and 9.6 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
  • If you want to re-take any previous quiz on Tuesday, indicate which ones on this form by 5pm Monday.
Tuesday
November 8
Counting and Probability: Combinations
Quiz Day
objectives T2, C3
Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class.
  • Finish Homework 16, which is due on Thursday.
  • Begin Homework 17, which is due next Tuesday.
  • Read Sections 7.1 and 7.2 (through page 312) in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
Thursday
November 10

Bonus: Susan D'Agostino book and interview

Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class.
  • Finish Homework 17, which is due on Tuesday.
  • Begin Homework 18, which is due next Thursday.
  • Read Sections 7.2 (from page 312) and 7.3 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
  • If you want to re-take any previous quiz on Tuesday, indicate which ones on this form by 5pm Monday.
Tuesday
November 15
Quiz Day
objectives C1, C4
Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class.
  • Finish Homework 18, which is due on Thursday.
  • Begin Homework 19, which is due next Tuesday.
  • Read Section 7.4 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
Thursday
November 17

Bonus video: Yitang Zhang: An Unlikely Math Star Rises

Do the following before next class:
Tuesday
November 22
Big-O notation
Quiz Day
objectives C2 and R2
Have a Thanksgiving! No class November 24.

Bonus: Why is Mathematics Useful — Robert Ghrist, and Prof Ghrist Math on YouTube

Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class.
  • Finish Homework 20, which is due next Tuesday.
  • Begin Homework 21, which is due next Thursday.
  • Read Sections 8.1 and 8.2 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
Tuesday
November 29

Bonus video: Christmas Lectures 2019: How to Get Lucky — Hannah Fry

Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class.
  • Finish Homework 21, which is due Thursday.
  • Begin Homework 22, which is due next Tuesday.
  • Read Section 8.3 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
  • Review your current grades on Moodle and consider which quizzes you would like to re-take. If you want to re-take any previous quiz on Thursday, indicate which ones on this form by 5pm Wednesday. Note that the last day to re-take quizzes will be Friday, Dec. 16.
Thursday
December 1
Equivalence Relations
Quiz Day
objectives R1 and R5
Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class.
  • Finish Homework 22, which is due Tuesday.
  • Begin Homework 23, which is due next Thursday.
  • Read Section 8.4 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
Tuesday
December 6
Equivalence Relations and Modular Arithmetic

Bonus video: Francis Su — Mathematics for Human Flourishing

Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class.
  • Finish Homework 23, which is due Thursday.
  • Begin Homework 24, which is due next Tuesday.
  • Read Section 8.5 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
  • Review your current grades on Moodle and consider which quizzes you would like to re-take. If you want to re-take any previous quiz on Thursday, indicate which ones on this form by 5pm Wednesday. Note that the last day to re-take quizzes will be Friday, Dec. 16.
Thursday
December 8
Relations
Quiz Day
objectives R3 and R4
Do the following before next class:
  • Review the problems and solutions from class.
  • Finish Homework 24, which is due on Tuesday.
  • Read Section 10.1 in the textbook and complete the preview exercises, distributed in class. Bring your completed preview exercises to the next class.
  • If you want to re-take any previous quiz, email the professor to schedule a time. (Office hours on Friday, Dec. 9 will be 1-3pm.) Note that the last day to re-take quizzes will be Friday, Dec. 16.
Tuesday
December 13
Graph Theory

Bonus: Living Proof: Stories of Resilience Along the Mathematical Journey

Study for the final exam. Focus on the core objectives.
Saturday
December 17
Final Exam 2:00–4:00pm