Lectures: MWF 11-12
Instructor: Thomas Lam, 2834 East Hall, tfylam@umich.edu
Office Hours: Approach me or come to my office after any lecture, or by appointment.
Prerequisites:
You have to be comfortable with reading and writing proofs. Some experience with abstract algebra, such as group theory or proof-based linear algebra
is assumed. Past experience with combinatorics is also helpful.
Grading: There will be problem sets every one or two weeks. There will be no final exam.
Textbook:
Enumerative combinatorics Vol. 1 and 2, by Richard Stanley.
An electronic version of Volume 1 is available here.
Announcement: Due to travel problems, Professor Sergey Fomin is substituting for me on Wednesday January 8.
Homework policy: You are allowed to work with other students on the problem sets, but you must include the names of those you worked with when you hand in your homework. You are not allowed to post homework problems on question websites such as mathoverflow or stackexchange. If you use a solution you find in a book, online, or elsewhere, you must acknowledge the source.
Problem sets:
Homework 1 (Due Friday January 17)
D(n) is the number of derangements in S_n
Homework 2 (Due Friday January 25)
Homework 3 (New due date: Friday February 7) some solutions
Homework 4 (Due Friday February 21)
Homework 5 (Due Friday March 14)
Homework 6 (Due Friday March 28)
Homework 7 (Due Monday April 21)