CS 261 Fall 2025

This course is an introduction to the formal mathematical concepts of computer science for the beginning student. Topics include elementary logic, proof techniques, set theory, combinatorics, relations, and graph theory. After completing this course you should understand:

• basic mathematical logic and its application

• basic set theory concepts

• simple mathematical sequences

• understand and apply combinatorics

• basic relational concepts

• basic graph theory concepts

In Class Work: 10%
Quizzes: 10%
Graded Homework: 15%
Exam 1: 20%
Exam 2: 20%
Final Exam: 25%

In Class Work. Mathematics requires time, effort, and repetition with pencil and paper. You're developing fluency in a new language. You're getting into math shape. To help you get in shape, you will work on problems for the last few minutes of class on Mondays and Wednesday. This work will be turned in online via Canvas and is due at the end of the class period (11am). You will receive credit for attempting each assigned problem, but this work will not be graded. No late work will be accepted and no in-class make up work will be given, even for excused absenses. However, you can miss three in-class work assignments with no penalty; I will drop up to three zeros when calculating averages.

You should use Adobe Scan or a similar App to scan hand written work and turn it into a pdf file. If you're working on a computer, use the free Adobe PDF converter. If you have an I-phone, you can also scans documents using your Notes app, instructions here. Links are not acceptable, you must upload the actual file. Work must be submitted as a single pdf file. If you submit multiple files, only the first one will be graded.

Quizes will be given each Friday during class. These quizes, which will be auto-graded in Canvas, are designed to give you regular feedback about your progress. Note that these quizzes will be substantially easier than homeworks and exams since they are designed to be auto-graded. No make-up quizzes will be given. However, I will drop the lowest quiz score when calculating averages.

Homework will be due approximately every other week. Graded homework is designed to give you more in-depth feedback about your progress in the class. All steps of your work must be shown. Credit will not be given for stand-alone answers. You have five late days that you can use over the course of the semester on homework only.

You should use Adobe Scan or a similar App to scan hand written work and turn it into a pdf file. If you're working on a computer, use the free Adobe PDF converter. If you have an I-phone, you can also scans documents using your Notes app, instructions here. Links are not acceptable, you must upload the actual file. Work must be submitted as a single pdf file. If you submit multiple files, only the first one will be graded. It is your responsibility to format homework properly and to make sure that it is legible before you hand it in. If we have to ask you to resubmit homework for legibility reasons, you will lose at least one late day. But, be aware that for sections of homework that are not legible you may also just receive no credit.

Lateness is automatically tracked by Canvas and any late submission counts as a full late day. Late days are calculated in 24 hour increments. Weekend days count as late days. If you have used all of your late days, late homework will not be accepted and you will receive a zero.
Exams will make up the largest portion of your grade, 65% in total. There will be two in-class exams and a final exam for this course. Please mark your calendars with the exam dates. You will be dropped from the class if you miss any exam.

The required textbook is: Kenneth H. Rosen. 2018. Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications. Mc Graw Hill, New York (N.Y.). The book is available from the UNM bookstore and on Amazon. Note: any recent edition of the textbook is fine.

You will also need to be comfortable creating pdf files from hand-written notes. I recommend using Adobe Scan, which is free. If you have an I-phone, you can also scans documents using your Notes app, instructions here. However, you can also use CamScanner (which costs $30-50 per year), or Adobe Acrobat Pro, which you can access via UNM Creative Campus.

My student drop-in hours are Monday and Wednesdays 11:30am - 12:30pm. These will be held in my office, Farris Engineering Center, room 3200. 

Graders office hours will be conducted with Nickolas Chacon and Joel Villareal. Below are their hours and locations.

Joel Villareal: Wednesdays, Farris 3175, 12:30-2:30

Nickolas Chacon: Thursdays, Farris 3175, 12:30-2:30

This is time when I will be available to answer questions, provide help with assignments, and exams, and generally be available to talk. If you cannot make it to my regularly scheduled drop-in hours, I encourage you to email me to set up a different time to talk.

This is a three credit-hour course. Class meets for three 50-minute sessions/two 75-minute sessions of direct instruction for fifteen weeks during the Fall 2025 semester. Please plan for a minimum of six hours of out-of-class work (or homework, study, assignment completion, and class preparation) each week.

Academic Dishonesty (also known as cheating or plagiarism) occurs when someone - knowingly or unknowingly - presents the words, ideas, or code of another person as his or her own. Any work turned in for this class must meet UNM's standards for academic integrity or academic honesty (https://policy.unm.edu/regents-policies/section-4/4-8.html). Students often copy code when they are particularly stressed about an assignment, or are running out of time; sometimes they just don't understand an assignment or are stuck on a particular concept or line of code. If you find yourself in any of these situations, please email me or a TA as soon as you can to request help.

Cheating and plagiarism (academic dishonesty) are often driven by lack of time, desperation, or lack of knowledge about how to identify a source. Communicate with me and ask for help, even at the last minute, rather than risking your academic career by committing academic dishonesty. Academic dishonesty involves claiming that work created by another source is your own original work. It is a Student Code of Conduct violation that can lead to a disciplinary procedure. When you use a resource in work submitted for this class, document how you used it and distinguish clearly between your original work and the material taken from the resource.

Cheating includes:

• Copying work from another person or having someone else do your work.

• Allowing another person to copy your work or completing problems for someone else.

• Using Chat GPT or similar tools to obtain answers to homework or exam problems

• Using Google, Chegg or other online sources to obtain answers to homework or exam problems.

UNM is committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities for students with documented disabilities. As your instructor, it is my objective to facilitate an inclusive classroom setting, in which students have full access and opportunity to participate. To engage in a confidential conversation about the process for requesting reasonable accommodations for this class and/or program, please contact Accessibility Resource Center  at arcsrvs@unm.edu or by phone at 505-277-3506.

Please contact the Accessibility Resource Center if you expect to need academic accommodations for this class.

The ARC is there to help you. If you have a condition where, for example, you need extra time or a quiet place for exams, I strongly recommend that you take advantage of their services. In accordance with University Policy 2310 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), academic accommodations may be made for any student who notifies the instructor of the need for an accommodation. It is imperative that you take the initiative to bring such needs to the instructor's attention, as I am not legally permitted to inquire. Students who may require assistance in emergency evacuations should contact the instructor as to the most appropriate procedures to follow. Contact Accessibility Resource Center at 277-3506 or arc.unm.edu for additional information.

If you need an accommodation based on how course requirements interact with the impact of a disability, you should contact me to arrange an appointment as soon as possible. At the appointment, we can discuss the course format and requirements, anticipate the need for adjustments and explore potential accommodations. I rely on the Disability Services Office for assistance in developing strategies and verifying accommodation needs. If you have not previously contacted them I encourage you to do so.

The University of New Mexico and its faculty are committed to supporting our students and providing an environment that is free of bias, discrimination, and harassment. The University’s programs and activities, including the classroom, should always provide a space of mutual respect, kindness, and support without fear of harassment, violence, or discrimination. Discrimination on the basis of sex includes discrimination on the basis of assigned sex at birth, sex characteristics, pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions, sexual orientation and gender identity. If you have encountered any form of discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking, domestic or dating violence, we encourage you to report this to the University. You can access the confidential resources available on campus at the LoboRESPECT Advocacy Center (https://loborespect.unm.edu), the Women’s Resource Center (https://women.unm.edu), and the LGBTQ Resource Center (https://lgbtqrc.unm.edu). If you speak with an instructor (including a TA or a GA) regarding an incident connected to discrimination on the basis of sex, they must notify UNM’s Title IX Coordinator that you shared an experience relating to Title IX, even if you ask the instructor not to disclose it. The Title IX Coordinator is available to assist you in understanding your options and in connecting you with all possible resources on and off campus. For more information on the campus policy regarding sexual misconduct and reporting, please see https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/2000/2740.html and CEEO’s website.

If you are pregnant or experiencing a pregnancy-related condition, you may contact UNM’s Office of Compliance, Ethics, and Equal Opportunity at ceeo@unm.edu. The CEEO staff will provide you with access to available resources and supportive measures and assist you in understanding your rights. Pregnancy and Parenting Support information is available here.

All students are welcome in this class regardless of citizenship, residency, or immigration status. Your professor will respect your privacy if you choose to disclose your status.UNM as an institution has made a core commitment to the success of all our students, including members of our undocumented community. The Administration’s welcome is found on our website: http://undocumented.unm.edu/.

UNM has many resources and centers to help you thrive, including opportunities to get involved in campus life, research experiences, mental health resources, academic support such as tutoring, resource centers for people like you, free food at Lobo Food Pantry, jobs on campus and financial capability support. Your advisor, staff at the resource centers and Dean of Students, and I can help you find the right opportunities for you.

If you do need to stay home due to illness or are experiencing a wellness challenge, please take advantage of the resources below. You can communicate with me at abustos2436@unm.edu and I can work with you to provide alternatives for course participation and completion. Let me, an advisor, or another UNM staff member know that you need support so that we can connect you to the right resources. UNM is a mask friendly, but not a mask required, community. If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, please do not come to class.

I am committed to building with you a positive classroom environment in which everyone can learn. I reserve the right to intervene and enforce standards of respectful behavior when classroom conduct is inconsistent with University expectations. Interventions and enforcement may include but are not limited to required meetings to discuss classroom expectations, written notification of expectations, and/or removal from a class meeting. Removal from a class meeting will result in an unexcused absence. The University of New Mexico ensures freedom of academic inquiry, free expression and open debate, and a respectful campus through adherence to the following policies: D75: Classroom Conduct, Student Code of Conduct, University Policy 2240 – Respectful Campus, University Policy 2210 – Campus Violence.