MC 302 GRAPH THEORY: COURSE INFORMATION, FALL 2005

PREREQUISITES:

· MC115 (Discrete Mathematics) or MC215 (Bridge to Advanced Mathematics) or MA200 (Linear Algebra); or permission of instructor.

TIMES & LOCATIONS:

· Class meetings: Tu, Th 9:40-11; in Harder 201

· Final exam: Scheduled by registrar during final exam period (Monday 12/19 -- Thursday 12/22)

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:

· Name: Alice Dean

· Office: 218 Harder Hall (in Math/CS Alcove)

· Phone: ext. 5286

· E-mail: adean@skidmore.edu

· Web page: www.skidmore.edu/~adean

OFFICE HOURS: To be announced

TEXTS:

· A First Look at Graph Theory. John Clark and Derek Allan Holton, World Scientific, River Edge, NJ, 1996.

· (Online text at class website) Graph Theory with applications. J. A. Bondy and U. S. R. Murty. Macmillan: London, 1976.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course survey the major topics of graph theory from three perspectives, which we can think of as AAA (corny, but easy to remember!): Analysis, the mathematical theorems concerning graphs; Algorithms, the computer algorithms and data structures associated with graphs; and Applications, the uses of graphs as modeling tools in other disciplines. We will cover much of the text (Chapters 1-7, and if time permits, 7-10). Topics will include fundamental concepts, trees and connectivity, Eulerian and Hamiltonian graphs, matchings, planarity, graph coloring, and directed graphs. Throughout we will study ideas from the three "AAA" approaches, which are interrelated but nonetheless distinct from one another.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

· ASSIGNMENTS (30%): There will be three written, graded assignments, and probably one additional optional assignment. Assignments that are prepared using a word processor will receive 2% extra credit (hand-drawn symbols and diagrams are OK).

· TWO MIDTERM EXAMS (35% together): There will be two midterm exams on Thursday, October 20 and Thursday, November 17.

· EXPOSITORY PAPER AND TALK (25%): In the final part of the semester, you will research a topic in graph theory, write a paper describing that topic, and give a short talk on your work to the class. The talks will be held during the final exam time assigned to us by the registrar, which is Monday, December 19, 1:30-4:30. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SCHEDULING HOLIDAY TRAVEL SO THAT IT DOES NOT CONFLICT WITH OUR FINAL EXAM SLOT.

· CLASS MEETINGS (10%): Students who attend every class, arrive on time, and participate in discussions improve their experience as well as those of the other students, and so 10% of your grade will reflect the extent to which you do these three things: attendance, punctuality, and participation in class discussions by asking questions and contributing ideas.