Handbook

This course will enhance students' research, inquiry, and analytical thinking abilities and provide them with the mathematical language and mathematical techniques to unravel many seemingly unrelated problems. The course content addresses five major pillars of discrete mathematics: set theory, number theory, proofs and logic, combinatorics, and graph theory. The theory covered will provide a good foundation for understanding many problems that arise in all science disciplines, particularly higher mathematics and computer science.

The mathematical problem-solving skills that students will develop are based on logical arguments and mathematical language that can be applied in multidisciplinary work. The course will also engage students in independent and reflective learning through independent mastery of a wide range of tutorial problems. The course also develops students' communication skills through active participation in tutorials, critical analysis of the work of their peers, and presenting clear, logical arguments when solving problems.

The course is delivered through 5 hours of lectures and 2 hours of tutorials per week, along with weekly self-paced online lessons. All topics are taught from first principles, but due to the relatively fast pace of delivery, it is recommended for students with a solid background in HSC Mathematics Advanced. The course provides a strong foundation for students intending to study higher-level mathematics or computer science.