Due date: Friday, December 6, 2019

Find an application area of discrete mathematics (not necessarily in computer science, though

it can be). Then, write an essay describing why discrete math is relevant in this particular (but

not arbitrarily chosen :) ) application area. You may consider building your essay from the short

paragraph that was part of the first homework assignment.

Instructions for applications essay:

Your essay should be 1-2 pages, single-spaced, in length. Adhere to the following format, and

address the following questions:

I. Introduction (15 points)

A. What is the application area? Give a short, understandable explanation. (5 points)

B. How long have people been working in this area? (5 points)

C. Describe briefly how discrete mathematics fits into the application area. (5 points)

II. Body (40 points)

A. Detailed description of the application area

1. How did this application area come about? (Who introduced it? Why was it

introduced?) (5 points)

2. Detailed description of how discrete mathematics is useful in this application area.

(10 points)

3. Who are some important individuals or organizations involved in work in this area?

(5 points)

4. What are some recent technological developments in this area? (10 points)

5. How is this application area influencing our lives today? (10 points)

III. Conclusion (30 points)

A. Summarize the application area and its relation to discrete mathematics. (5 points)

B. Add reflections

1. How is this area relevant to your studies, your career path, or your life in general?

(10 points)

2. What do you think will be the major sub-areas of focus (for example, neural

networks are a sub-area of machine learning) within this application area in the next

5 years, and why? (8 points)

3. How do you think this area will change in the next 5 to 10 years? (7 points)

IV. List of references (15 points)

A. Cite any sources used to gather the information presented in your essay.