Discrete Mathematics With Applications [Hardcover]

Susanna S. Epp (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0534944469 | ISBN-13: 978-0534944469 | Publication Date: September 26, 1996 | Edition: 2nd

The second edition of this text has been streamlined for length purposes, and it should be noted that this text incorporates the MAA guidelines of the Committee for Discrete Mathematics.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ph.D. University of Chicago

Product Details

• Hardcover: 828 pages
• Publisher: Brooks/Cole Pub Co; 2nd edition (September 26, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0534944469
• ISBN-13: 978-0534944469
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #104,490 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear explanation of abstract concepts, January 21, 2001

By 

Muthukumar U (Sharjah United Arab Emirates) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Discrete Mathematics With Applications (Hardcover)

This is a neat, complete text. The author is especially sensitive to the needs of the beginner in discrete maths who needs to get used to abstract concepts. This transition is handled very well. There is enough explanation to make you understand what is going on behind the mathematical symbols and at the same time it is not wordy. Despite this simplicity in the teaching approach, the author is able to take the reader from the elementary to quite advanced levels in each topic. There are interesting applications to the field of computer science and programming.

The exercises are designed to test your understanding and a few challenge problems are thrown in. This type of accessible difficulty in the problems builds your confidence. The solutions are quite elaborate and therefore make the book more useful.

On the whole a good, self contained book written such that you will understand each page and concept if you have a reasonable attention span. The author has made it as easy as possible for you.

Please note I have reviewed the first edition of this book as I found this edition rather expensive.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars too wordy for math majors, August 5, 2000

By 

Charles R. Williams - See all my reviews

This review is from: Discrete Mathematics With Applications (Hardcover)

I just used this text for a discrete math course. Most of us were computer science majors and many of them struggled with the math and with the text. This is the audience the text is written for and the author tries to explain everything assuming very little about the student's prior knowledge. This math is obviously hard for non-math majors. If they need to learn it, I haven't seen any Discrete Math text that does a better job for this group.

The book is too simple and wordy for math majors, very strong computer science students and future math teachers. A better approach might be a book like D. Smith's A Transition to Advanced Mathematics for logic, sets, counting, mathematical induction, relations, and functions, combined with Chartrand's Introductory Graph Theory.

One could use this book at the high school level for a senior level discrete math course for strong students preparing for computer science as an alternative to taking pre-calculus.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book IF you know how to use it., May 3, 2005

By 

M. Moss (State College, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Discrete Mathematics With Applications (Hardcover)

This is a solid math book that covers every topic you'll need to know in the area. Make no mistake this is not a kid's book, and one must know how to study and read math in order to utilize it to the full potential. Many people that rate math books poorly do so because they have not developed adequate skills in studying math. If you take your time, work out the examples with the book, read and read again all of the concepts are about as clear as they can come from a math book. Most teachers/professors prefer to use their own examples, because that's how they abstract the problem in their own mind. It's easier to create a problem, than sit down and observe a premade example. Aside from some slightly screwy lesson organization it is a solid book. If you have patience, and try to do more than briefly skim over a lesson to understand it this book will be more than adequate for the topic.