Subject Code/Name: MATH1081 - Discrete Mathematics Contact Hours: 4 x 1 hours of Lecture (painfully disgusting), 2 x 1 hour of Tutorial
Assumed Knowledge: MATH1131/41/51 serves as a corequisite. It is recommended that a combined mark of 100 was achieved between Mathematics and Mathematics Extension 1. (Whilst not specified by the school, a combined mark of about 140 is the corresponding value to between Extension 1 and Extension 2)
Assessment: Four online quizzes as with MATH1131/41/51, however no more computing component. The final exam is weighted a massive 80%!
Lecture Recordings?: This semester, half yes half audio only
Notes/Materials Available: The course pack offers all the notes required for the course, including past exam papers. However, the past tutorial papers are outdated and somewhat irrelevant, in fact, too easy more often than not. My tutorial papers are available upon request.
Textbook: None, but the following textbook has been recommended: Franklin and Doud - "Proof in Mathematics". Not really needed, but a good read, since tutorial problems have been taken out of here.
Lecturer(s): James Franklin, Peter Brown
Year & Semester of completion: 2016/2
Difficulty: 3/5
Overall Rating: 5/5
Your Mark/Grade: 91 HD
Comments: Unlike MATH1xx1, success in high school mathematics has generally no impact whatsoever on success in this course. The course places an emphasis on clarity in mathematics, requiring far more carefulness with setting out proofs, as well as the more computational and algorithmic side of mathematics. Whilst students majoring in mathematics need to take this course, the main focus is therefore to people studying a degree offered by the school of CSE.
Abstractness is essentially the same as for linear algebra, but in a different manner. Whilst some computer scientists are still hammered down by this course, in general they like it TREMENDOUSLY more to how they feel about MATH1xx1. The course is designed to be more friendly towards them.
The huge weighting on the final exam speaks for itself; consistency is key but relatively speaking, a greater focus towards the end will be required here.
This course, on the other hand, sometimes hammers down on people who are good at maths otherwise. It is nonetheless a 'fun' course to take, and many interesting things are taught here, which usefulness is far more than what meets the eye.