Essential Discrete Mathematics for Computer Scientists

A more intuitive approach to the mathematical foundations of computer science

Discrete mathematics is the basis of much of computer science, from algorithms and automata theory to combinatorics and graph theory. This textbook covers the discrete mathematics that every computer science student needs to learn. Guiding students quickly through thirty-one short chapters that discuss one major topic each, this flexible book can be tailored to any teaching approach.

Proven in the classroom, Essential Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science is fully illustrated in color and provides a concise summary and set of exercises at the end of each chapter—more than 300 exercises in all. It teaches students not just the "content" of discrete mathematics but how to think rigorously about computational problems. A welcome alternative to costly, encyclopedic volumes on the subject, this accessible book is versatile enough to adapt to any instructor's curriculum and teaching style. Four blocks of chapters—on logic, automata and formal languages, discrete probability, and cryptography—can be truncated or even skipped without affecting the flow of the other chapters.

Essential Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science is the ideal introductory textbook for standard undergraduate courses, but is also suitable for high schools, distance education for adult learners, and self-study.

• The essential introduction to discrete mathematics
  
• Features thirty-one short chapters, each suitable for a single class lesson
  
• Adaptable to any curriculum and teaching style
  
• Includes a concise summary and exercises at the end of every chapter
  
• Teaches not just the math but how to think rigorously about computation
  
• Solutions manual available to instructors