Math 365D Graph Algorithms

Fall 2005

Course Information

Class meetings: MWF 1.10 - 2.30 p.m.

Instructor: Pallavi Jayawant

Classroom: Hathorn 207

Office: Hathorn 211

Phone: 786-8399

Email: pjayawan@bates.edu

Office Hours:

  • Monday 3 - 4 p.m.
  • Wednesday 11.30 a.m. - 12.30 p.m.
  • Thursday 10 - 11 a.m.
  • drop-in and by appointment



Course Webpage: http://abacus.bates.edu/~pjayawan/365fall05/365df05.html

Please check the webpage and your Bates email regularly for announcements pertaining to our course. The topics that will be covered and the exam dates, homework dates and other submission dates are in the weekly calendar on the course webpage.

Goals: Graph theory is a branch of modern mathematics that is closely tied to applications in a variety of fields such as transportation, electrical engineering, chemistry, ecology, and genetics. The solutions to some of the application problems are in the form of algorithms that can be programmed to run on a computer. There are two main goals of the course. One goal is to learn the basics of graph theory that will help us to study the algorithms that provide solutions to some of the application problems. The other goal is to learn the basics of programming so that we can implement some of the algorithms that we study. Monday and Wednesday classes will be devoted to graph theory and Friday classes will cover programming. We will use Maple as the language of our programs.

Resources: The book Graphs: An Introductory Approach by Robin Wilson and John Watkins is on reserve in the library. The course webpage has links to material available on the web that is relevant to the course.

Project: You will work individually or in pairs to implement one of the algorithms we learn in the course.

Labs: Each Friday is a lab class. The first six labs are devoted to learning the basics of programming in Maple. Eric Towne will conduct these labs. During the next four labs you will work on the project. In the last lab you will work on graph coloring. Eric and I will be available for assistance during all the labs.

Oral presentations: You will each make a short oral presentation on a topic of your choice that is related to graph theory. Depending on your interest, you could choose an application or an algorithm or a theorem and its proof, etc. As the semester progresses, I will give more suggestions and ask you to submit a topic for approval.

Homework: Three homework assignments are to be handed in during the semester. You will be given the assignments in class at least one week prior to the due date. I encourage you to discuss the homework problems with others but you must write the solutions on your own. Grading will be on both correctness and completeness. Correct answers must be accompanied by coherent and logical explanations to receive full credit. Late homeworks will not be accepted unless there is a genuine emergency.

Exams: The midterm exam and the final exam are take-home exams.

Grades: The weights of each category in your final grade are as follows:

Labs: 5%

Homework: 5% each

Oral presentation: 15%

Project: 20%

Midterm exam: 20%

Final exam: 25%

I reserve the right to alter these percentages to account for unforeseen circumstances.

Academic Integrity: The College Code of Student Conduct will be enforced in all the areas of the course and students found to be in violation will be subject to the appropriate disciplinary processes.