Fall 2013, MATH 149
Discrete Geometry
Instructor:
Lenny Fukshansky
Time and Place:
MW
12:00-1:10 pm, RN 105
Office:
Adams 218
Office hours:
(tentatively) MW 9:30 - 11:00 am or by appointment
Phone:
(909) 607 - 0014
Email:
lenny@cmc.edu
Class webpage:
http://math.cmc.edu/lenny/classes/fall_2013/m149/fall_2013_m149.html
Handouts
Course Announcement: PDF
Lecture notes: PDF -- the lecture notes may be
periodically updated as we proceed
Midterm: PDF or LaTeX -- due in class on Wednesday, 10/30/13 (Class average =
69.5 out of 100)
Course Description
The goal of this
course is to introduce students to the basics of discrete and
convex geometry. Topics covered will include convex bodies,
lattices, quadratic forms, and interactions between them, such as
the fundamentals of Minkowski’s geometry of numbers, shortest
vector problem, reduction algorithms, LLL algorithm, and
connections to computational complexity and theoretical computer
science. Additional topics may
include an introduction to optimization questions, such as packing
and covering problems, kissing number, integer knapsack, etc.
Prerequisites: Multivariable
Calculus (MATH 32) and Linear Algebra (MATH 60)
Course policies
Attendance in this course is crucial. There will be one midterm
exam, the time of which will be specified in advance. Homework
problems will be suggested and discussed during the regular
discussion sessions; attendance and participation in the discussion
sessions is required. Instead of the final exam, students will do a
final project and prepare presentations on topics related to the
class material to be given towards the end of the semester; I will
discuss presentation topics individually with students in the second
half of the semester. No text is required, but I will post lecture
notes on the class webpage as we progress.
Discussion sessions
TA: Xun Sun
Time:
Every Monday at 7:00 pm
Place:
RN 102
Students will work on the homework problems (suggested in class and
found in the lecture notes). These problems will then be discussed
during the discussion sessions. Students should be prepared to
present these problems at the board.
Grade breakdown
Discussion sessions = 20%
Midterm exam = 40%
Final project and presentation = 40%
Announcements
All printed handouts and web-materials are protected by US
Copyright Laws. No multiple copies can be made without written
permission by the instructor.