CSCI/MATH 3080: Discrete Structures
3 Credit Hours
Course Syllabus
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
| Instructor: | Dr. Xin Yang |
|---|---|
| Email: | Xin.Yang@mtsu.edu |
| Office Phone: | 615-898-2129 |
| Course URL: | https://xinyangmtsu.github.io/3080.html |
| Office hours: | ROTC annex 113E |
COURSE INFORMATION
Description
This course is a fundamental mathematics course for computer scientists. Topics include formal logic, proof techniques, matrices, graphs, finite state machines, Turing machines, and binary encoding schemes. This course consists of lectures, written assignments, programming labs, and non-graded quizzes.Objectives
The primary goal of this course is to introduce students to theoretical concepts, data structures, and algorithms in discrete mathematics to establish a theoretical basis for future study in computing applications and algorithms. Upon successful completion of this course, the students should be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes:- An understanding of concepts of formal logic such as statements, symbolic representation, tautologies, propositional logic, and validity.
- An understanding of proof techniques, induction, recursive definitions, and recurrence relations.
- An understanding of matrix operations.
- An understanding of graphs and trees and their representations.
- An understanding of various graph algorithms.
- An understanding of finite state machines, Turing machines, and formal languages.
- An understanding of various encoding schemes.
Topics Covered
Key topics covered include:
- Selected portions of Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9 in the book.
- The Handout on Encoding Schemes located on the course website will be covered during the semester (ChX).
- Ch1, Ch2, Ch3, Ch5, Ch6, Ch7, Ch9, ChX
Prerequisites and Co-requisites
CSCI 1170-Computer Science I and MATH 1910-Calculus I or consent of instructor. Since the course covers approximately one new mathematics concept each class meeting, it is imperative that students have the mathematical experience to learn new concepts quickly. To that end, students must have completed MATH 1910 or equivalent with a grade of C (2.0) or better before taking this course. Additionally, since there will be several programming assignments, students will need a fundamental knowledge of functional programming. To that end, students must have completed CSCI 1170 or equivalent with a grade of C (2.0) or better before taking this course.COURSE MATERIALS
Required Textbooks
- Judith L. Gersting, Mathematical Structures for Computer Science (Seventh Edition), 2014
- ISBN-13: 978-1-4292-1510-7
- ISBN-10: 1-4292-1510-0
Purchase options:
- 1. The textbook may be ordered online at Phillips Bookstore. (New: $273.15, Used: $204.85)
- 2. An eTextbook option is available from VitalSource. (180 Days: $79.99 Lifetime: $204.99)
- 3. If you have a used book, don't worry if the silver wax strip on the inside cover has been scratched off---we will provide the textbook's digital resources.
Chapters covered: Ch1, Ch2, Ch3, Ch5, Ch6, Ch7, Ch9, ChX
Supplementary Materials
- Course material can be found in Course Calendar: https://xinyangmtsu.github.io/3080.html
- To successfully complete this course, it is your responsibility to read all the course material in the Course Calendar each week.
- Free Online Resource: Discrete Structures
- The D2L course management system will be used to post grades for this class.
ASSESSMENT AND GRADING
Grading Procedure
Your grade in this class will be calculated based on: Open Lab Assignments (OLA), Tests, Final Exam, Programming Labs and Attendance.- Open Lab Assignments (OLA) Open written assignments are designed for the students to solve problems without teacher supervision. OLAs are graded based upon correctness, and compliance with requirements.
- Tests Two in-class tests will be given. The tests will include questions related to handout materials, textbook materials, and open lab assignments.
- Final Exam The final exam is comprehensive. The final exam will include questions related to handout materials, textbook materials, programming projects, and open lab assignments.
- Programming Labs It will contain a programming problem that you need to solve by coding and debugging the programs. Programs are graded based upon design, correctness, documentation, style, efficiency, and compliance with requirements.
- Attendance Attendance is mandatory. You are expected to attend all classes and to arrive on time. I will take attendance every day. Your attendance grade is based on your attendance record in D2L.
Grading Scale
| Assignment | Points/Percentage |
|---|---|
| Open Lab Assignment (OLA) | 30% |
| Tests (2) | 30% |
| Final Exam | 20% |
| Programming Lab | 15% |
| Attendance | 5% |
| Total | 100% |
| Letter Grade | Range |
|---|---|
| A | 90~100 |
| B | 80~89 |
| C | 70~79 |
| D | 60~69 |
| F | Below 60 |
PARTICIPATION
Class Participation
Student participation is required in all aspects of the course. Please adhere to the following:- Participation is required; you are expected to log into the course a minimum of 3 times per week.
- Adhere to all due dates and deadlines as listed in your course calendar.
- Communicate with the instructor as a learning resource.
- Check the course homepage/D2L/MTSU email for important announcements from the instructor.
Attendance Reporting
Attendance is mandatory. You are expected to attend all classes and to arrive on time. I will take attendance every day. Your attendance grade is based on your attendance record in D2L. MTSU Administration requires that instructors complete an attendance report for each course each semester. Regular class attendance is required and will be monitored by: the D2L system report; participation in the discussion board; and timely submission of course assignments. If several class assignment submissions are missing, student attendance will be reported as “no longer attending.”Feedback
- The grades and assignment feedback will be provided in D2L within one/two weeks of the assignment submission.
- Email responses will be provided within 24 hours.
- All OLA/Lab assignments must be submitted through D2L and will not be accepted via email.
- All assignment deadlines are listed on the course calendar: https://xinyangmtsu.github.io/3080.html
Advice for succeeding in this course:
- Attend every class.
- Don’t wait until the test time to ask questions. Instead, ask questions in class, or immediately after the lecture to clear any misunderstandings.
- Start working on the open lab assignments as soon as possible, and seek help as soon as needed.
Academic Integrity/Misconduct
Please review the information on Academic Integrity and Misconduct. The instructor will be submitting materials to an online service (Turnitin.com) that will review the work for plagiarism. Students should also review the report generated for each assignment and self-check for plagiarism. Information on how to cite work correctly is provided within the course modules or through the University Writing Center. You may read more about how to avoid plagiarism from the Office of the University Provost.Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to:
- • Submitting as one’s own work, themes, reports, drawings, laboratory notes, computer programs, or other projects prepared by another person
- • Knowingly assisting another student in obtaining or using unauthorized materials
- • Submitting assignments previously used in other courses where you received credit for the work
- • Improperly crediting or lack of crediting an original author’s work
Students guilty of academic misconduct are immediately responsible to the instructor of the class. In addition to other possible disciplinary sanctions (including expulsion from the university), which may be imposed through the regular institutional procedures as a result of academic misconduct, the instructor has the authority to assign an “F” or zero for an activity or to assign an “F” for the course. Students guilty of plagiarism will be immediately reported to the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs.
Artificial Intelligence
All assignments must include a prominent disclaimer statement on the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) at the very beginning of the assignment, regardless of whether you did or did not utilize artificial intelligence tools (ChatGPT, MS Copilot, other LLMs, etc.) for your work. If such A.I. was utilized in any way for the assignment, then comprehensive documentation of all input provided to, and output obtained from, the A.I. that is in any way related to the assignment should be provided in PDF format.For example, if you did not utilize AI in any manner for the assignment, you should put the following disclaimer at the top of your assignment:
A.I. Disclaimer: All work for this assignment was completed by myself and entirely without the use of artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT, MS Copilot, other LLMs, etc.
However, if you did utilize AI in any manner for the assignment, then you should put the following disclaimer at the top of your assignment:
A.I. Disclaimer: This assignment was completed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools, and a detailed record of the tools used, the inputs provided, and the outputs obtained are included in my submission. You should then provide a list of all of the tools that were used to complete any part of the assignment, and attach complete and comprehensive electronic transcripts of all your provided inputs to these tools and the outputs returned by these tools in PDF format at the end of your assignment (or as a separate PDF document if submitting a ZIP archive).
Failure to provide the A.I. disclaimer statement, or appropriate documentation as requested above, will be treated as a violation of the academic integrity policy above.
STUDENT RESOURCES
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D2L Resources are available to MTSU Online Students. You can also find help for the basic D2L functions used most often directly in your D2L course under the D2L Help for Students module.Students with Disabilities
Middle Tennessee State University is committed to campus access in accordance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Any student interested in reasonable accommodations can consult the Disability & Access Center (DAC) website and/or contact the DAC for assistance at 615-898-2783 or DAC EmailTutoring
MTSU Online supports multiple Online Student Services.Grade Appeals
University Policy 313, Student Grade Appeals, provides an avenue for MTSU students to appeal a final course grade in cases in which the student alleges that unethical or unprofessional actions by the instructor and/or grading inequities improperly impacted the final grade.Incomplete Grades
Incomplete grades are given rarely and only in extenuating circumstances. Page 56 of the MTSU Undergraduate Catalog states: “The grade I indicates that the student has not completed all course requirements because of illness or other uncontrollable circumstances, especially those which occur toward the end of the term. Mere failure to make up work or turn in required work on time does not provide the basis for the grade of “I” unless extenuating circumstances noted above are present for reasons acceptable to the instructor.” Please refer to the Undergraduate catalog for the complete Incomplete Grade Policy.Title IX
Students who believe they have been harassed, discriminated against or been the victim of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence or stalking should contact a Title IX/Deputy Coordinator at 615-898- 2185 or 615-898-2750 for assistance or review MTSU’s Title IX website for resources.MTSU faculty are concerned about the well-being and development of our students and are legally obligated to share reports of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking with the University’s Title IX coordinator to help ensure student’s safety and welfare. Please refer to MTSU’s Title IX website or contact information and details.
Hope (Lottery) Scholarship Information
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For additional Lottery rules, please refer to your Lottery Statement of Understanding form or contact your MT One Stop Enrollment Counselor.
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