Math 511: Introduction to Combinatorics
Spring 2005

This course is an introduction to many of the basic concepts, constructions, and examples of combinatorics. It is taught from the textbook of

The book is available at the bookstore and will be put on reserve in the Reserve Reading Room. Despite the name and a certain tendency towards enumeration, the book goes far beyond that and is an excellent introduction to much of combinatorics as a whole.

The course is not an introductory graduate course. The absolute minimum requirement is a good understanding of abstraction and a solid modern algebra background (as from a graduate course), and the more graduate math you know, the better (that's the famous "mathematical maturity"). If you aren't sure whether you might be interested or ready for this class, please see me.

We meet on MWF 2:20 - 3:20 in LN-2205.
Special class times:
Wed. Feb. 9: No class.
Fri. Feb. 11: We meet 2:20-3:20 in the usual room and continue 3:30-4:30 in LN-2201.

There is a Combinatorics Seminar that will try to meet at a time convenient for all.


Click here for a class schedule with readings and homework instructions.


Course Outline

Short outline:

Course Work

I will expect you, the students, to study the material and to work on as many of the exercises as you can. (Most have solutions in the book, but of course you shouldn't look at them until you get seriously stuck.) I will meet separately with each student frequently (every week or two) to discuss your progress and any questions you or I may have. I will frequently collect written work (see the homework assignments). There will probably be a take-home final.

Textbook Corrections

There are some corrections in the back of the book. Stanley has a Web page of corrections and supplementations.

Here are additional corrections and comments of my own.


To my home page.