EE 488: Discrete Methods for EE


Syllabus

Textbook Class Homepage: http://syssec.kaist.ac.kr/courses/ee488

Read this document very carefully, as it defines what is required to perform effectively in this class.

Much of the basic mathematical machinery useful in computer and electrical engineering will be presented, with applications. Students will learn actively the art of creating real-world proofs in these areas, preparing them for diverse areas such as coding, information theory, signal processing, architecture, algorithms, automata, programming languages, cryptography, etc., as well as increasing their general problem-solving abilities in all areas. Topics covered include sequences and summation, growth of functions, formal logic, induction & recursion, number theory, enumeration, relations and graph theory.

Warning A majority of students taking this class think they may be able to do only the homework questions as a means of learning the mathematics. This is not sufficient practice for most students to be able to survive the quizzes, and therefore the course. Homework problems are only a guideline to subject area of the upcoming quiz. It is essential for most students to read the relevant sections of the book as the course proceeds, and do a large number of the exercises for which the book provides answers pertaining to those sections, for typically ten (10) hours per week.

Instructor: Yongdae Kim
      Email:  yongdaek(at)ee.kaist.ac.kr
      Office:  N1 building #910  (Kim, Byeong-ho IT building)
      Lecture: TTh 4:00pm - 5:30pm, EE 2217
      Office hours: TBD (Also possible by sending me an e-mail)

Course content :
  • Ch. 1: Logic and Proofs
  • Ch. 2: Sets, Functions, Sequences and Sums
  • Ch. 3: Algorithms, the Integers, and Matrices
  • Ch. 4: Induction and Recursion
  • Ch. 5: Counting
  • Ch. 6: Discrete Probability
  • Ch. 8: Relations
  • Ch. 10: Graph Theory

Evaluation: The following rules will be strictly enforced.

Evaluation: The following rules will be strictly enforced.

Evaluation will consist of weekly homework, weekly quizzes, a midterm and a Final exam. You must pass each quiz and examination individually by attaining at least 50% of the available points on each, as the subject material is so diverse. Persons who fail a quiz twice or more will receive an F for the course. All quizzes and examinations are closed book and notes. One page cheat sheet is allowed to bring. Do not schedule any absences during the semester --- there are no make-up quizzes.

Group assignment is available from instructor or TAs.

Due dates for all assignments are strict: all homeworks (due on Thursday) must be received at the very start of the class in which they are due in order to receive credit. Keep a copy of each of your submissions as evidence that you have indeed submitted each assignment. Do not ever put your assignment under the instructors office door: this is a certain way to receive zero points for an assignment. Write your answer clearly.

Grading is absolute (i.e. not on a curve). The overall grade will be based upon: 1% for each homework (13), 4% for each quiz (13), 10% for the midterm, and 25% for the final. All homework, quizzes, exams will include 20% extra credit. A minimum of 60% is necessary for an S or C- grade.

Grading will be as follows: 95.0% or above yields an A, 90.0% an A-, 85% = B+, 80% = B, 75% = B-, 70% = C+, 65% = C, 60% = C-, 55% = D+, 50% = D, and less than 50% yields an F. Percentages are not rounded when using this scheme, because this would be tantamount to moving all of the grade boundaries down by 0.5%. Depending on you, everyone can get A or F. Also for every quiz and homework, extra credit questions (20% worth) will be given.

Grading is performed by the TAs. If you have a question about grading, address it to the TAs. Only if something wholely unreasonable has occurred will the instructor intervene. And this has not yet proved necessary. Furthermore, there is a limit of ten days from when an assignment or quiz is returned in recitation (whether you are there to receive it or not) for grading problems to be dealt with. After that period, such will not be considered. The sole exception to this rule is the final examination.

Incompletes (or make up exams) will in general not be given. These options will be considered only when a provably serious family or personal emergency arises, proof is presented, and the student has already completed all but a small portion of the work.

Scholastic conduct must be acceptable. Specifically, you must do your homeworks, quizzes and examinations yourself, on your own.