Welcome to Math 55 - Discrete Math!
First let me say welcome to one of the most fun classes here at Berkeley (Really!) In this class you'll get to see a wide range of topics, get plenty of practice writing proofs, and most importantly you'll learn what it means to think like a mathematician. Although being a mathematician is extremely fun, it can also be extremely frustrating at times, and that's why your GSI and Professor are here to help. Throughout the semester I'll be posting worksheets, links to notes, and just general mathematical advice to help you as you take the first steps towards higher mathematics.
I have an extremely hands-on approach to learning, so we will do lots of group-work, lots of class discussion and looking at proofs together. However, 100 minutes a week will fly by, so some information will come by email, and through the course blog www.gsiadam.blogspot.com . To keep everyone in the loop, but to minimize spamming everyone, if I respond to an email with something that would be helpful to the whole class, I'll respond privately, but copy the post to this blog. If you want to receive updates overtime this happens (e.g. you love spam) you can subscribe to the blog on wordpress.
Finally, remember that my goal is to help everyone understand what is going on in this class. Understanding math takes time and effort, and sometimes there's no substitute for just thinking about a problem for a few hours, days, (or longer…). However, I'm always happy to point people in the right direction and offer advice as to how to think about mathematics. Don't be afraid to ask me questions, email me, etc. (I mean it!)