Discrete mathematics at university level. Interfacing mathematics, computer science and arithmetic

Cécile Ouvrier-Buffet (1) , Antoine Meyer (2) , Simon Modeste (3)

1 CEREP - Centre d'Etude et de Recherche sur les Emplois et la Professionnalisation - EA 4692
2 LIGM - Laboratoire d'Informatique Gaspard-Monge
3 IMAG - Institut Montpelliérain Alexander Grothendieck

Discrete mathematics is a recent field linked with Computer Science. We discuss its place in university mathematics curricula and in the particular case of France, where it has difficulties to find its place. We make explicit the didactical challenges posed by discrete mathematics at university level, and present DEMIPS network and its plans to tackle them. Through two detailed examples we discuss the reasons for teaching Discrete Mathematics at university level, and illustrate our conclusions.

Mots clés: teaching and learning of number theory and discrete mathematics; Proof; Algorithms; teaching and learning of mathematics in other fields

Domaines: Education; Histoire et perspectives sur les mathématiques [math.HO]

Cécile Ouvrier-Buffet, Antoine Meyer, Simon Modeste. Discrete mathematics at university level. Interfacing mathematics, computer science and arithmetic. INDRUM 2018, INDRUM Network, University of Agder, Apr 2018, Kristiansand, Norway. pp.255-264. ⟨hal-01849537⟩