[ut.theory] combinatorics problem-solving seminar

ragde@csri.toronto.edu (Prabhakar Ragde) (05/12/88)

Our first meeting will be next Thursday (the 19th) at 2:00. We'll
discuss logistics and I will hand out the first set of problems.
Tentatively, we'll meet once a week on Thursday afternoons to discuss
solutions. Please pass this on to people who don't read ut.theory, by
word of mouth or electronically. Thanks. --PR

(P.S. The meeting is in the seminar room, 3207.)

ragde@csri.toronto.edu (Prabhakar Ragde) (07/08/88)

Just a reminder that there is almost no continuity of topics from
one week to the next in the combinatorics seminar, so that people
can start (or stop) coming at any time. The purposes are threefold:
to expose us to topics that may come up in our later research so that
we know what to do when we see them, to give us some practice in working
in these areas (it's a lot of fun, actually), and to give practice in
presenting solutions (especially given the limited board space in the
room). Problem sets are kept in an envelope on Faith's door (SF 2304D),
and meetings are Thursdays at 2:00 in 3207.

This week's problems deal with graphs, concentrating on parity arguments
and the very useful notion of planar duality. People tell me they are
pretty easy. We will probably have another set dealing with similar problems
next week. The next few topics after that are connectivity, factors of graphs 
(e.g. matchings), independent sets, chromatic number, and extremal problems 
(existence of graphs with certain properties and of certain substructures 
within graphs). --PR

ragde@csri.toronto.edu (Prabhakar Ragde) (08/03/88)

Because I didn't schedule the room early enough, we must start at exactly
1:30 this week (that's Thursday). Please be in SF3207 on the half-hour, or
we won't have enough time. Sorry about this. --PR