## Sunday, March 25, 2018

### New Section: Linear Equations mod 2

The next version of Applied Discrete Structures will include a new section, 12.6, on systems of linear equations over $\mathbb{Z}_2$.   We work with these systems in the coding theory section (15.5) but it was presumed that students could figure out how to solve these systems on the fly.  That is often the case, but some students had difficulties.

A pdf of the most recent draft of the new section is available at https://discretemath.org/Section_12_6_V2.pdf

## Monday, June 5, 2017

### Version 3.3, WeBWork collection

Two bits of news:

Version 3.3 of Applied Discrete Structures are available now in all three formats, HTML, PDF, and Print.

The full print version is 588 pages, so I've resisted including WeBWork exercises, although there are a few in the HTML version.  I really don't see the utility of WeBWork in print or pdf, so I've decided to develop a separate WeBWork problems document  in Mathbook XML..oops, PreTeXt (see a recent announcement).  A preliminary version that is mostly based on problems from the National Problem Library (NPL) and is at http://faculty.uml.edu/klevasseur/webwork_ads/preface-1.html.

The coverage is uneven and I'd welcome contributions of problems in areas that are light. Once the problem lists have been fully edited, short descriptions will be added since the problems themselves reside in knowls.  Right now the descriptions are just the addresses of the problems within the NPL.

## Saturday, December 31, 2016

### Conversion to MathBook XML is Complete!

 HTML front page

It took about a year, but Applied Discrete Structures is completely converted to MathBook XML.  The source code has been converted to both HTML and LaTeX, available at http://faculty.uml.edu/klevasseur/ads2.  The main site also has a link to the source code on GitHub.  For the minority who prefer hard copy the main site also has links to lulu.com. You can buy Part 1 (Chapters 1-10), Part 2 (Chapters 11-16), or the combined Parts 1 and 2.

 Cover to the full print version.

The content is essentially the same previous versions, but there are several  improvements/features in the new version.
• Sage notes have been expanded, and the HTML version includes live, editable Sage cells.
• There is a table of notation and an index.
• An appendix on algorithms has been expanded to include a section on the Invariant Relation Theorem.
• A few WeBWork exercises have been added to the HTML version, with an eye toward adding many more in the future.
 A WeBWork exercises embedded in Section 15.3.

Two significant deletions: Mathematica notes have been removed, and the introduction to Logic Design section of Chapter 13 has been left out for now.  I've had trouble finding a good utility for drawing simple logical gates. This is on the to-do list.

There are several other things my to-do list.  They include more a user survey, better web tracking, more WeBWork, and better cover art (I'm in a rut with the cover design!).   Some students have requested  background information on dictionaries and iterables. I may try writing up short introductions to these topics if I can find a way to integrate math into the discussion, or maybe I'll just point a good tutorial if I can find one I like.

Happy NewYear!

## Saturday, April 30, 2016

### Chapters 1-3 and Algorithms Appendix converted to MathBook XML

The first three chapters of Applied Discrete Structures have been converted to MathBook XML.  There will be some adjustments to be made (like adding solutions to many of the exercises) but these chapters are in pretty good shape.

At the request of Rob Krueger (Concordia U.), I've also updated and converted the short appendix on Algorithms that we had in the 1989 edition. I added a section on the Invariant Relation Theorem that I've been meaning to write up for a while.  Having the ability to include Sage Cells into the text really enhances the html version.

The html version is available at  http://faculty.uml.edu/klevasseur/ads2

After finals and a few other chair related tasks (64 days left as I type this!), I'll make a LaTex version available.

## Monday, January 4, 2016

### Chapter 1 of ADS using Mathbook XML

A reformatting of Chapter 1: Set Theory of  Applied Discrete Structures was just completed using  Mathbook XML, an application for authors of scientific articles, textbooks and monographs initiated by Rob Beezer, U. of Puget Sound.

The chapter was converted by exporting the Mathematica Notebook to XML and then making many adjustments by hand to Mathbook XML.  I wanted to do this as a learning process. Next, I want to explore ways to convert remaining Mathematica Notebooks using their natural structure with regular expressions. Whether that works out remains to be seen.
The source code for Chapter 1 and some abbreviated front matter was converted to html and can be viewed at http://faculty.uml.edu/klevasseur/ads-html/ .   One of the advantages of this conversion  is that the html sizes nicely to whatever you view it on, from a phone to a desktop browser.  Also it will be the easy to convert to LaTeX and other formats.

 A first look at the new format.