Difference between Discrete Structures and Discrete Mathematics

Question

I haven't yet found a good answer. Or any answer, for that matter. I've been asked to teach a discrete structures for CS course, but at the same time make sure it's not a discrete mathematics course -- that's offered by the Mathematics department.

Many colleges offer a discrete structures course. There are also many DS textbooks. But when I look at the course syllabi and the textbook introductions, the term "discrete structures" is never used; they use "discrete mathematics" instead. DS only appears in the title of the course/textbook.

Examples:

CS 381 at ODU

Discrete Structures entry at Wikipedia

What's discrete structures and how does it differ from discrete mathematics?

Answer 1

I have http://www.amazon.com/Discrete-Computational-Structures-Computer-Mathematics/dp/0124208509 which seems to be what they're asking for.

Chapter 1 says "This is a book about structures."

Always, since our interest is in digital computation, our structures will be discrete.

I supposed you could split that hair and say "see, it's just discrete mathematics warmed over." While it might be true, I think it's only a matter of focus.

It becomes discrete structures when the focus is on digital computation.

Answer 2

I remember distinctly that our textbook stated:

Discrete structures are structures that are used in describing discrete mathematics.

Discrete mathematics is math that makes use of discrete structures.

In reality, discrete mathematics is just that, math dealing with discrete values. Discrete structures are somewhat like constructs for discrete mathematics, but also deals with the topic matter. The two, however, as a course name, describe the same thing.

The terms are used so interchangably and are so vague that the people asking you for this likely don't realize what they are asking. I don't think you'll find any resources that give you a clear cut answer, but probably what you want to do is teach discrete mathematics with a focus on the CS perspective.

Answer 3

I think there are two parts to your question here: 1) what in the world do these people want me to teach? and 2) how are discrete structures different from discrete math?

My best guess to #1 is that you're being asked to teach the basic data structures/algorithms course that in most undergrad CS programs comes right after intro to programming.

As for #2, I'm going to guess that there really is no difference. They certainly sound like the same thing. But while "math" tends toward the theoretical, the word "structure" to me implies practical application and engineering. This gibes with my suspicion that this is meant to be your basic data structures/algorithms course. Big-O, red-black trees, that sort of thing.

But really, you probably want to direct your questions to the CS department that hired you.