MATHS45M

In how many ways can we put twenty letters in addressed envelopes such that no letter goes into the correct envelope? In how many ways can we seat ten people around a table so that two of them who are friends are seated next to each other? Techniques for enumeration have been developed over centuries to answer such questions. This course covers the basic methods of counting via binomial coefficients and bijections. Through projects, students apply the methods to explore algebraic structures such as permutations, magic squares, and symmetric structures that are useful in computer science and coding theory. Prerequisite(s): MATH 205. Recommended background: MATH 221 or s21.