Active Discrete Mathematics

Includes the skills and concepts that computer science and mathematics want. Focused on the core ideas so you can cover the entire text in one semester. Clearly labeled Detours and Excursions allow you to safely skip topics as desired.

Counting, graph theory, and number theory come early, capturing student interest right away. That gives you rich, interesting topics to draw on when you get to the foundational material: logic and proof, sets and relations, functions, and recursions.

Explains the algebra skills students need as they go, in discrete contexts. That makes the course accessible to students without calculus (The ACM recommends precalculus as a prerequisite), and helps students whose algebra skills are a bit rusty.

Multiple, well-tested in-class activities per section, plus about one extended puzzle per chapter. Easy for new instructors to incorproate active learning. Ideal at whiteboards in smaller classes or at seats with a neighbor in larger classes.

Activities designed to promote student thinking with parts that grow from easy to medium to sideways to challenging. Exercises are clearly labeled: Practice, Understand, Recap, Explore so students know what to expect.

Emphasizes conjecture, counterexample, and reasoning -- not just procedure. Students deeply engage in rich mathematical sense making by doing mathematics in collaboration with classmates.

All students will have the textbook -- no access codes, no accounts, no exceptions. No student falls behind beacause they couldn't afford the book.

Built in PreTeXt for easy use with screen readers and Braille. Collapsible examples, solutions, proofs, and hints limit online scrolling. Quick jump-to references support just-in-time review of course concepts.

Explicitly invites students in to try the math. Algebra review sections and scaffolded activities and exercises help every student experience success. Uses multicultural names and relevant contexts throughout.