🔗 MemoLearning Discrete Mathematics

Master logic, set theory, combinatorics, and mathematical structures

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Curriculum Overview

12
Total Units
~160
Skills to Master
8
Core Units
4
Advanced Units
1

Logic and Propositional Logic

Master the foundations of mathematical logic and logical reasoning.

  • Propositions and logical statements
  • Logical connectives (AND, OR, NOT, IF-THEN, IFF)
  • Truth tables
  • Logical equivalences
  • Tautologies and contradictions
  • Conditional and biconditional statements
  • Logical arguments and validity
  • Rules of inference
2

Predicate Logic and Quantifiers

Extend logic to work with predicates, variables, and quantifiers.

  • Predicates and propositional functions
  • Universal quantifier (∀)
  • Existential quantifier (∃)
  • Nested quantifiers
  • Negation of quantified statements
  • Domain of discourse
  • Logical arguments with quantifiers
  • Equivalences involving quantifiers
3

Set Theory

Learn the fundamental concepts of sets and set operations.

  • Set notation and terminology
  • Set operations (union, intersection, complement)
  • Venn diagrams
  • Set identities and laws
  • Cartesian products
  • Power sets
  • Cardinality and counting
  • Russell's paradox and set theory axioms
4

Functions and Relations

Study mathematical functions, relations, and their properties.

  • Definition of functions and relations
  • Domain, codomain, and range
  • One-to-one (injective) functions
  • Onto (surjective) functions
  • Bijective functions
  • Inverse functions
  • Composition of functions
  • Equivalence relations and partitions
5

Proof Techniques

Master various methods of mathematical proof and reasoning.

  • Direct proof
  • Proof by contrapositive
  • Proof by contradiction
  • Proof by cases
  • Mathematical induction
  • Strong induction
  • Structural induction
  • Existence and uniqueness proofs
6

Number Theory

Explore properties of integers and fundamental number theory concepts.

  • Divisibility and division algorithm
  • Prime numbers and factorization
  • Greatest common divisor (GCD)
  • Euclidean algorithm
  • Least common multiple (LCM)
  • Modular arithmetic
  • Congruences and their properties
  • Applications to cryptography
7

Combinatorics

Learn counting techniques and combinatorial reasoning.

  • Basic counting principles
  • Addition and multiplication principles
  • Permutations
  • Combinations
  • Binomial coefficients
  • Pigeonhole principle
  • Inclusion-exclusion principle
  • Generating functions
8

Graph Theory

Study graphs, networks, and their mathematical properties.

  • Graph terminology and notation
  • Types of graphs (directed, undirected, weighted)
  • Graph representation (adjacency matrix, list)
  • Paths, cycles, and connectivity
  • Euler and Hamiltonian paths
  • Trees and spanning trees
  • Graph coloring
  • Planar graphs and graph algorithms
9

Recurrence Relations

Solve recurrence relations and analyze recursive algorithms.

  • Definition of recurrence relations
  • Initial conditions and solutions
  • Linear homogeneous recurrences
  • Characteristic equation method
  • Non-homogeneous recurrences
  • Generating functions for recurrences
  • Master theorem
  • Applications to algorithm analysis
10

Boolean Algebra

Learn Boolean algebra and its applications to digital logic.

  • Boolean variables and operations
  • Boolean expressions and functions
  • Truth tables for Boolean functions
  • Boolean identities and laws
  • Simplification of Boolean expressions
  • Karnaugh maps
  • Logic gates and circuits
  • Applications to computer science
11

Algebraic Structures

Study abstract algebraic structures and their properties.

  • Binary operations
  • Groups and group properties
  • Subgroups and group homomorphisms
  • Rings and ring properties
  • Fields and field operations
  • Lattices and partial orders
  • Monoids and semigroups
  • Applications to computer science
12

Applications and Advanced Topics

Apply discrete mathematics to computer science and real-world problems.

  • Finite state machines
  • Regular expressions and formal languages
  • Complexity theory basics
  • Network flows and matching
  • Error-correcting codes
  • Cryptographic applications
  • Database theory connections
  • Algorithm design using discrete math

Unit 1: Logic and Propositional Logic

Build the foundation of mathematical reasoning with propositional logic.

Propositions and Logical Statements

Understand what makes a statement a proposition: declarative sentences that are either true or false. Learn to identify propositions vs. questions, commands, or ambiguous statements.

Logical Connectives

Master the five main logical connectives: conjunction (∧), disjunction (∨), negation (¬), implication (→), and biconditional (↔). Understand their meaning and usage.

Truth Tables

Construct and interpret truth tables for compound propositions. Use truth tables to determine when complex logical statements are true or false.

Logical Equivalences

Learn important logical equivalences like De Morgan's laws, distributive laws, and absorption laws. Use these to simplify complex logical expressions.

Tautologies and Contradictions

Identify tautologies (always true statements) and contradictions (always false statements). Understand their role in logical reasoning and proof.

Conditional Statements

Master conditional statements (if-then) and biconditionals (if and only if). Understand the difference between converse, inverse, and contrapositive.

Logical Arguments

Analyze the validity of logical arguments. Distinguish between valid and invalid arguments, and between validity and soundness.

Rules of Inference

Learn fundamental rules of inference like modus ponens, modus tollens, hypothetical syllogism, and disjunctive syllogism for constructing proofs.

Unit 2: Predicate Logic and Quantifiers

Extend logic to handle variables, predicates, and quantified statements.

Predicates and Propositional Functions

Understand predicates as functions that return true or false values. Learn to work with predicates involving one or more variables.

Universal Quantifier

Master the universal quantifier (∀x) meaning "for all x". Learn to read, write, and interpret universally quantified statements.

Existential Quantifier

Understand the existential quantifier (∃x) meaning "there exists an x". Practice constructing and interpreting existentially quantified statements.

Nested Quantifiers

Work with multiple quantifiers in the same statement. Understand the importance of quantifier order and how switching order changes meaning.

Negation of Quantified Statements

Learn to negate quantified statements correctly: ¬(∀x P(x)) ≡ ∃x ¬P(x) and ¬(∃x P(x)) ≡ ∀x ¬P(x). Apply De Morgan's laws to quantifiers.

Domain of Discourse

Understand how the domain of discourse affects the truth value of quantified statements. Work with restricted domains and implicit quantification.

Logical Arguments with Quantifiers

Analyze arguments involving quantified statements. Use rules of inference extended to predicate logic, including universal and existential instantiation.

Quantifier Equivalences

Learn equivalences involving quantifiers and logical connectives. Understand when quantifiers can be distributed over conjunctions and disjunctions.

Unit 3: Set Theory

Master the fundamental language of mathematics through set theory.

Set Notation and Terminology

Learn set notation including roster and set-builder notation. Understand elements, membership (∈), empty set (∅), and subset relationships (⊆).

Set Operations

Master fundamental set operations: union (∪), intersection (∩), complement, and difference. Understand their properties and relationships.

Venn Diagrams

Use Venn diagrams to visualize sets and set operations. Apply them to solve problems involving multiple sets and their relationships.

Set Identities and Laws

Learn important set identities including commutative, associative, distributive, De Morgan's laws, and absorption laws for sets.

Cartesian Products

Understand Cartesian products A × B as sets of ordered pairs. Learn properties of Cartesian products and their relationship to relations and functions.

Power Sets

Master the concept of power sets P(A) containing all subsets of A. Understand the relationship between |A| and |P(A)| = 2^|A|.

Cardinality and Counting

Learn to count elements in finite sets using inclusion-exclusion principle. Understand cardinality of infinite sets and countability concepts.

Set Theory Foundations

Understand Russell's paradox and why naive set theory needs axioms. Learn basic axioms of set theory and their importance in mathematics.

Unit 4: Functions and Relations

Study the fundamental concepts of mathematical functions and relations.

Functions and Relations Definition

Understand relations as subsets of Cartesian products and functions as special relations. Learn the formal definition of functions and their notation.

Domain, Codomain, and Range

Distinguish between domain (input set), codomain (target set), and range (actual output set). Understand how these concepts define a function completely.

Injective Functions

Master one-to-one (injective) functions where different inputs produce different outputs. Learn tests for injectivity and their applications.

Surjective Functions

Understand onto (surjective) functions where every element in the codomain is mapped to. Learn to prove and disprove surjectivity.

Bijective Functions

Study bijective functions that are both injective and surjective. Understand their importance in establishing one-to-one correspondence between sets.