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.

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.

The solutions to each problem are written from a first principles approach, which would further augment the understanding of the important and recurring concepts in each chapter. Moreover, the solutions are written in a relatively self-contained manner, with very little knowledge of undergraduate mathematics assumed. In that regard, the solutions manual appeals to a wide range of readers, from secondary school and junior college students, undergraduates, to teachers and professors.

This textbook is devoted to Combinatorics and Graph Theory, which are cornerstones of Discrete Mathematics. Every section begins with simple model problems. Following their detailed analysis, the reader is led through the derivation of definitions, concepts and methods for solving typical problems. Theorems then are formulated, proved and illustrated by more problems of increasing difficulty. Topics covered include elementary combinatorial constructions, application to probability theory, introduction to graphs and trees with application to hierarchical clustering algorithms, more advanced counting techniques, and existence theorems in combinatorial analysis. The text systematically employs the basic language of set theory. This approach is often useful for solving combinatorial problems, especially problems where one has to identify some objects, and significantly reduces the number of the students’ errors; it is demonstrated in the text on many examples. The textbook is suitable for undergraduate and entry-level graduate students of mathematics and computer science, lecturers in these fields, and anyone studying combinatorial methods and graphical models for solving various problems. The book contains more than 700 problems and can be used as a reading and problem book for an independent study seminar or self-education.

This textbook offers an accessible introduction to combinatorics, infused with Solomon Golomb’s insights and illustrative examples. Core concepts in combinatorics are presented with an engaging narrative that suits undergraduate study at any level. Featuring early coverage of the Principle of Inclusion-Exclusion and a unified treatment of permutations later on, the structure emphasizes the cohesive development of ideas. Combined with the conversational style, this approach is especially well suited to independent study. Falling naturally into three parts, the book begins with a flexible Chapter Zero that can be used to cover essential background topics, or as a standalone problem-solving course. The following three chapters cover core topics in combinatorics, such as combinations, generating functions, and permutations. The final three chapters present additional topics, such as Fibonacci numbers, finite groups, and combinatorial structures. Numerous illuminating examples are included throughout, along with exercises of all levels. Three appendices include additional exercises, examples, and solutions to a selection of problems. Solomon Golomb’s Course on Undergraduate Combinatorics is ideal for introducing mathematics students to combinatorics at any stage in their program. There are no formal prerequisites, but readers will benefit from mathematical curiosity and a willingness to engage in the book’s many entertaining challenges.

This book is the essential companion to Counting (2nd Edition) (World Scientific, 2013), an introduction to combinatorics for secondary to undergraduate students. The book gives solutions to the exercises in Counting (2nd Edition). There is often more than one method to solve a particular problem and the authors have included alternative solutions whenever they are of interest.The rigorous and clear solutions will aid the reader in further understanding the concepts and applications in Counting (2nd Edition). An introductory section on problem solving as described by George Pólya will be useful in helping the lay person understand how mathematicians think and solve problems.

This book constitutes the joint refereed proceedings of the 15th International Workshop on Approximation Algorithms for Combinatorial Optimization Problems, APPROX 2012, and the 16th International Workshop on Randomization and Computation, RANDOM 2012, held in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, in August 2011. The volume contains 28 contributed papers, selected by the APPROX Program Committee out of 70 submissions, and 28 contributed papers, selected by the RANDOM Program Committee out of 67 submissions. APPROX focuses on algorithmic and complexity issues surrounding the development of efficient approximate solutions to computationally difficult problems. RANDOM is concerned with applications of randomness to computational and combinatorial problems.

This book is a useful, attractive introduction to basic counting techniques for upper secondary and junior college students, as well as teachers. Younger students and lay people who appreciate mathematics, not to mention avid puzzle solvers, will also find the book interesting. The various problems and applications here are good for building up proficiency in counting. They are also useful for honing basic skills and techniques in general problem solving. Many of the problems avoid routine and the diligent reader will often discover more than one way of solving a particular problem, which is indeed an important awareness in problem solving. The book thus helps to give students an early start to learning problem-solving heuristics and thinking skills.

This book in its Second Edition is a useful, attractive introduction to basic counting techniques for upper secondary to undergraduate students, as well as teachers. Younger students and lay people who appreciate mathematics, not to mention avid puzzle solvers, will also find the book interesting. The various problems and applications here are good for building up proficiency in counting. They are also useful for honing basic skills and techniques in general problem solving. Many of the problems avoid routine and the diligent reader will often discover more than one way of solving a particular problem, which is indeed an important awareness in problem solving. The book thus helps to give students an early start to learning problem-solving heuristics and thinking skills.New chapters originally from a supplementary book have been added in this edition to substantially increase the coverage of counting techniques. The new chapters include the Principle of Inclusion and Exclusion, the Pigeonhole Principle, Recurrence Relations, the Stirling Numbers and the Catalan Numbers. A number of new problems have also been added to this edition.

This book is the essential companion to the authors' earlier book Counting (World Scientific, 2002), an introduction to combinatorics for junior college students. It provides supplementary material both for the purpose of adding to the reader's knowledge about counting techniques and, in particular, for use as a textbook for junior college students and teachers in combinatorics at H3 level in the new Singapore mathematics curriculum for junior college. The emphasis in combinatorics within the syllabus is to hone basic skills and techniques in general problem solving and logical thinking. The book also gives solutions to the exercises in Counting. There is often more than one method to solve a particular problem and the authors have included alternative solutions whenever they are of interest.