This is a textbook for an introductory combinatorics course lasting one or two semesters. An extensive list of problems, ranging from routine exercises to research questions, is included. In each section, there are also exercises that contain material not explicitly discussed in the preceding text, so as to provide instructors with extra choices if they want to shift the emphasis of their course.Just as with the first three editions, the new edition walks the reader through the classic parts of combinatorial enumeration and graph theory, while also discussing some recent progress in the area: on the one hand, providing material that will help students learn the basic techniques, and on the other hand, showing that some questions at the forefront of research are comprehensible and accessible to the talented and hardworking undergraduate. The basic topics discussed are: the twelvefold way, cycles in permutations, the formula of inclusion and exclusion, the notion of graphs and trees, matchings, Eulerian and Hamiltonian cycles, and planar graphs.New to this edition are the Quick Check exercises at the end of each section. In all, the new edition contains about 240 new exercises. Extra examples were added to some sections where readers asked for them.The selected advanced topics are: Ramsey theory, pattern avoidance, the probabilistic method, partially ordered sets, the theory of designs, enumeration under group action, generating functions of labeled and unlabeled structures and algorithms and complexity.The book encourages students to learn more combinatorics, provides them with a not only useful but also enjoyable and engaging reading.The Solution Manual is available upon request for all instructors who adopt this book as a course text. Please send your request to sales@wspc.com.The previous edition of this textbook has been adopted at various schools including UCLA, MIT, University of Michigan, and Swarthmore College. It was also translated into Korean.

The first half of the book walks the reader through methods of counting, both direct elementary methods and the more advanced method of generating functions. Then, in the second half of the book, the reader learns how to apply these methods to fascinating objects, such as graphs, designs, random variables, partially ordered sets, and algorithms. In short, the first half emphasizes depth by discussing counting methods at length; the second half aims for breadth, by showing how numerous the applications of our methods are.New to this fifth edition of A Walk Through Combinatorics is the addition of Instant Check exercises -- more than a hundred in total -- which are located at the end of most subsections. As was the case for all previous editions, the exercises sometimes contain new material that was not discussed in the text, allowing instructors to spend more time on a given topic if they wish to do so. With a thorough introduction into enumeration and graph theory, as well as a chapter on permutation patterns (not often covered in other textbooks), this book is well suited for any undergraduate introductory combinatorics class.

How many possible sudoku puzzles are there? In the lottery, what is the chance that two winning balls have consecutive numbers? Who invented Pascal's triangle? (it was not Pascal)

Combinatorics, the branch of mathematics concerned with selecting, arranging, and listing or counting collections of objects, works to answer all these questions. Dating back some 3000 years, and initially consisting mainly of the study of permutations and combinations, its scope has broadened to include topics such as graph theory, partitions of numbers, block designs, design of codes, and latin squares. In this Very Short Introduction Robin Wilson gives an overview of the field and its applications in mathematics and computer theory, considering problems from the shortest routes covering certain stops to the minimum number of colours needed to colour a map with different colours for neighbouring countries.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

This book is an introduction to combinatorial mathematics, also known as combinatorics. The book focuses especially but not exclusively on the part of combinatorics that mathematicians refer to as counting. The book consist almost entirely of problems. Some of the problems are designed to lead you to think about a concept, others are designed to help you figure out a concept and state a theorem about it, while still others ask you to prove the theorem. Other problems give you a chance to use a theorem you have proved. From time to time there is a discussion that pulls together some of the things you have learned or introduces a new idea for you to work with. Many of the problems are designed to build up your intuition for how combinatorial mathematics works.Above all, this book is dedicated to the principle that doing mathematics is fun. As long as you know that some of the problems are going to require more than one attempt before you hit on the main idea, you can relax and enjoy your successes, knowing that as you work more and more problems and share more and more ideas, problems that seemed intractable at first become a source of satisfaction later on.This book is released under an open source licence and is available in electronic form for free at http: //bogart.openmathbooks.org/.

An Unabridged, Unaltered Printing Of Volume I of III: Part I - MATHEMATICAL LOGIC - The Theory Of Deduction - Theory Of Apparent Variables - Classes And Relations - Logic And Relations - Products And Sums Of Classes - Part II - PROLEGOMENA TO CARDINAL ARITHMETIC - Unit Classes And Couples - Sub-Classes, Sub-Relations, And Relative Types - One-Many, Many-One, And One-One Relations - Selections - Inductive Relations

In general terms, a graph decomposition is a partition of a graph into parts satisfying some special conditions. Methods of Graph Decompositions discusses some state-of-the-art decomposition methods of graph theory, which are highly instrumental when dealing with a number of fundamental concepts such as unigraphs, isomorphism, reconstruction conjectures, k-dimensional graphs, degree sequences, line graphs and line hypergraphs.

The first part of the book explores the algebraic theory of graph decomposition, whose major idea is to define a binary operation that turns the set of graphs or objects derived from graphs into an algebraic semigroup. If an operation and a class of graphs are appropriately chosen, then, just as for integers, each graph has a unique factorization (or canonical decomposition) into a product of prime factors. The unique factorization property makes this type of decomposition especially efficient for problems associated with graph isomorphism, and several such examples are described in the book. Another topic is devoted to Krausz-type decompositions, that is, special coverings of graphs by cliques that are directly associated with representation of graphs as line graphs of hypergraphs. The book discusses various algorithmic and structural results associated with the existence, properties and applications of such decompositions.

In particular, it demonstrates how Krausz-type decompositions are directly related to topological dimension, information complexity and self-similarity of graphs, thus allowing to establish links between combinatorics, general topology, information theory and studies of complex systems. The above topics are united by the role played in their development by Professor Regina Tyshkevich, and the book is a tribute to her memory. The book will be ideal for researchers, engineers and specialists, who are interested in fundamental problems of graph theory and proof techniques to tackle them.

This is a textbook for an introductory combinatorics course lasting one or two semesters. An extensive list of problems, ranging from routine exercises to research questions, is included. In each section, there are also exercises that contain material not explicitly discussed in the preceding text, so as to provide instructors with extra choices if they want to shift the emphasis of their course.Just as with the first three editions, the new edition walks the reader through the classic parts of combinatorial enumeration and graph theory, while also discussing some recent progress in the area: on the one hand, providing material that will help students learn the basic techniques, and on the other hand, showing that some questions at the forefront of research are comprehensible and accessible to the talented and hardworking undergraduate. The basic topics discussed are: the twelvefold way, cycles in permutations, the formula of inclusion and exclusion, the notion of graphs and trees, matchings, Eulerian and Hamiltonian cycles, and planar graphs.New to this edition are the Quick Check exercises at the end of each section. In all, the new edition contains about 240 new exercises. Extra examples were added to some sections where readers asked for them.The selected advanced topics are: Ramsey theory, pattern avoidance, the probabilistic method, partially ordered sets, the theory of designs, enumeration under group action, generating functions of labeled and unlabeled structures and algorithms and complexity.The book encourages students to learn more combinatorics, provides them with a not only useful but also enjoyable and engaging reading.The Solution Manual is available upon request for all instructors who adopt this book as a course text. Please send your request to sales@wspc.com.The previous edition of this textbook has been adopted at various schools including UCLA, MIT, University of Michigan, and Swarthmore College. It was also translated into Korean.

A Tour Through Graph Theory introduces graph theory to students who are not mathematics majors. Rather than featuring formal mathematical proofs, the book focuses on explanations and logical reasoning. It also includes thoughtful discussions of historical problems and modern questions. The book inspires readers to learn by working through examples, drawing graphs and exploring concepts.

This book distinguishes itself from others covering the same topic. It strikes a balance of focusing on accessible problems for non-mathematical students while providing enough material for a semester-long course.

• Employs graph theory to teach mathematical reasoning
• Expressly written for non-mathematical students
• Promotes critical thinking and problem solving
• Provides rich examples and clear explanations without using proofs

An Unabridged, Digitally Enlarged Printing Of Volume II Of III With Additional Errata To Volume I: Part III - CARDINAL ARITHMETIC - Definition And Logical Properties Of Cardinal Numbers - Addition, Multiplication And Exponentiation - Finite And Infinite - Part IV - RELATION ARITHMETIC - Ordinal Similarity And Relation-Numbers - Addition Of Relations, And The Product Of Two Relations - The Principle Of First Differences, And The Multiplication And Exponentiation Of Relations - Arithmetic And Relation-Numbers - Part V -SERIES - General Theory Of Series - On Sections, Segments, Stretches, And Derivatives - On Convergence, And The Limits Of Functions

An Unabridged, Digitally Enlarged Printing Of Volume III Of III With Additional Errata To Volumes I And II: Part V - SERIES (Continued) - Well Ordered Series - Finite And Infinite Series And Ordinals - Compact Series, Rational Series, And Continuous Series - Part VI - QUANTITY - Generalization Of Number - Vector-Families - Measurement - Cyclic Families

By the authors of the classic text, Graph Theory with Applications

Serves as both a textbook and an introduction to graph theory research, suitable for both mathematicians and computer scientists

Features many new exercises of varying levels of difficulty to help the reader master the techniques

An accompanying website/blog at blogs.springer.com/bondyandmurty provides a forum for further discussion and a wealth of supplementary material

Mathematics is the science of patterns, and mathematicians attempt to understand these patterns and discover new ones using a variety of tools. In Proofs That Really Count, award-winning math professors Arthur Benjamin and Jennifer Quinn demonstrate that many number patterns, even very complex ones, can be understood by simple counting arguments. The book emphasizes numbers that are often not thought of as numbers that count: Fibonacci Numbers, Lucas Numbers, Continued Fractions, and Harmonic Numbers, to name a few. Numerous hints and references are given for all chapter exercises and many chapters end with a list of identities in need of combinatorial proof. The extensive appendix of identities will be a valuable resource. This book should appeal to readers of all levels, from high school math students to professional mathematicians.

A classic knot is an embedded simple loop in 3-dimensional space. It can be described as a 4-valent planar graph or network in the horizontal plane, with the vertices or crossings corresponding to double points of a projection. At this stage we have the shadow of the knot defined by the projection. We can reconstruct the knot by lifting the crossings into two points in space, one above the other. This information is preserved at the vertices by cutting the arc which appears to go under the over crossing arc. We can then act on this diagram of the knot using the famous Reidemeister moves to mimic the motion of the knot in space. The result is classic combinatorial knot theory. In recent years, many different types of knot theories have been considered where the information stored at the crossings determines how the Reidemeister moves are used, if at all.In this book, we look at all these new theories systematically in a way which any third-year undergraduate mathematics student would understand. This book can form the basis of an undergraduate course or as an entry point for a postgraduate studying topology.

How a new mathematical field grew and matured in America

Graph Theory in America focuses on the development of graph theory in North America from 1876 to 1976. At the beginning of this period, James Joseph Sylvester, perhaps the finest mathematician in the English-speaking world, took up his appointment as the first professor of mathematics at the Johns Hopkins University, where his inaugural lecture outlined connections between graph theory, algebra, and chemistry--shortly after, he introduced the word graph in our modern sense. A hundred years later, in 1976, graph theory witnessed the solution of the long-standing four color problem by Kenneth Appel and Wolfgang Haken of the University of Illinois.

Tracing graph theory's trajectory across its first century, this book looks at influential figures in the field, both familiar and less known. Whereas many of the featured mathematicians spent their entire careers working on problems in graph theory, a few such as Hassler Whitney started there and then moved to work in other areas. Others, such as C. S. Peirce, Oswald Veblen, and George Birkhoff, made excursions into graph theory while continuing their focus elsewhere. Between the main chapters, the book provides short contextual interludes, describing how the American university system developed and how graph theory was progressing in Europe. Brief summaries of specific publications that influenced the subject's development are also included.

Graph Theory in America tells how a remarkable area of mathematics landed on American soil, took root, and flourished.

This textbook offers the opportunity to create a uniquely engaging combinatorics classroom by embracing Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) techniques. Readers are provided with a carefully chosen progression of theorems to prove and problems to actively solve. Students will feel a sense of accomplishment as their collective inquiry traces a path from the basics to important generating function techniques.

Beginning with an exploration of permutations and combinations that culminates in the Binomial Theorem, the text goes on to guide the study of ordinary and exponential generating functions. These tools underpin the in-depth study of Eulerian, Catalan, and Narayana numbers that follows, and a selection of advanced topics that includes applications to probability and number theory. Throughout, the theory unfolds via over 150 carefully selected problems for students to solve, many of which connect to state-of-the-art research.

Inquiry-Based Enumerative Combinatoricsis ideal for lower-division undergraduate students majoring in math or computer science, as there are no formal mathematics prerequisites. Because it includes many connections to recent research, students of any level who are interested in combinatorics will also find this a valuable resource.

This book should be a must for all mathematicians who are involved in the training of Mathematical Olympiad teams, but it will also be a valuable source of problems for university courses.

Mathematical Reviews

A textbook suitable for undergraduate courses. The materials are presented very explicitly so that students will find it very easy to read. A wide range of examples, about 500 combinatorial problems taken from various mathematical competitions and exercises are also included.

Analysis and Probability on graphs is an introduction to random graphs, Markov chains on digraphs, entropy of Markov Chains, and discrete Lyapunov exponents and Hausdorff dimension, requiring only minimal background in probability, mathematical analysis, and graphs. This textbook includes constructive discussions about the motivation of basic concepts, and many worked-out problems in each chapter, making it ideal for classroom use or self-study.

There are certain rules that one must abide by in order to create a successful sequel. -- Randy Meeks, from the trailer to Scream 2 While we may not follow the precise rules that Mr. Meeks had in mind for s- cessful sequels, we have made a number of changes to the text in this second edition. In the new edition, we continue to introduce new topics with concrete - amples, we provide complete proofs of almost every result, and we preserve the book'sfriendlystyle andlivelypresentation, interspersingthetextwith occasional jokes and quotations. The rst two chapters, on graph theory and combinatorics, remain largely independent, and may be covered in either order. Chapter 3, on in nite combinatorics and graphs, may also be studied independently, although many readers will want to investigate trees, matchings, and Ramsey theory for nite sets before exploring these topics for in nite sets in the third chapter. Like the rst edition, this text is aimed at upper-division undergraduate students in mathematics, though others will nd much of interest as well. It assumes only familiarity with basic proof techniques, and some experience with matrices and in nite series. The second edition offersmany additionaltopics for use in the classroom or for independentstudy. Chapter 1 includesa new sectioncoveringdistance andrelated notions in graphs, following an expanded introductory section. This new section also introduces the adjacency matrix of a graph, and describes its connection to important features of the graph.

Combinatorics, a subject dealing with ways of arranging and distributing objects, involves ideas from geometry, algebra, and analysis. The breadth of the theory is matched by that of its applications, which include topics as diverse as codes, circuit design and algorithm complexity. It has thus become an essential tool in many scientific fields. In this second edition the authors have made the text as comprehensive as possible, dealing in a unified manner with such topics as graph theory, extremal problems, designs, colorings, and codes. The depth and breadth of the coverage make the book a unique guide to the whole of the subject. It is ideal for courses on combinatorical mathematics at the advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate level, and working mathematicians and scientists will also find it a valuable introduction and reference.

Richard Stanley's two-volume basic introduction to enumerative combinatorics has become the standard guide to the topic for students and experts alike. This thoroughly revised second edition of Volume 1 includes ten new sections and more than 300 new exercises, most with solutions, reflecting numerous new developments since the publication of the first edition in 1986. The material in Volume 1 was chosen to cover those parts of enumerative combinatorics of greatest applicability and with the most important connections with other areas of mathematics. The four chapters are devoted to an introduction to enumeration (suitable for advanced undergraduates), sieve methods, partially ordered sets, and rational generating functions. Much of the material is related to generating functions, a fundamental tool in enumerative combinatorics. In this new edition, the author brings the coverage up to date and includes a wide variety of additional applications and examples, as well as updated and expanded chapter bibliographies. Many of the less difficult new exercises have no solutions so that they can more easily be assigned to students. The material on P-partitions has been rearranged and generalized; the treatment of permutation statistics has been greatly enlarged; and there are also new sections on q-analogues of permutations, hyperplane arrangements, the cd-index, promotion and evacuation, and differential posets.