MA5222: Design Theory


  • Text D.R. Stinson , Combinatorial Designs: Constructions and Analysis , Springer-Verlag , New York 2004.
  • Course Description. Methods for the construction of different combinatorial structures, such as difference sets, symmetric designs, projective geometries, orthogonal Latin squares, transversal designs, Steiner systems, and tournaments.
  • Prerequisites. MA5301 and MA4209, or consent of instructor
  • Syllabus. We will discuss the following topics:
    1. Balanced Incomplete Block Designs (BIBDs)
    2. Symmetric BIBDs
    3. Difference Sets
    4. Hadamard Matrices and Designs
    5. Resolvable BIBDs
    6. Latin Squares (quick review )
    7. Pairwise Balanced Designs
    8. t-Designs and t-wise balanced Designs
    9. Orthogonal Arrays and Codes
    10. Applications
    You are responsible for all of the material in the text, even that which is not covered in class. You are also responsible for any extra material that is presented.
  • Grading. Your grade will be based on 3 or 4 take home examinations, homeworks and a final examination.

    Start every written assignment at the top of a new page, put your name at the beginning of each page and do not staple different problems together. I expect the problems to be well written in full English sentences with no gaps in detail or logic. Please be as elegant and as concise as possible. Cite all references.


    http://www.math.mtu.edu/~kreher/ABOUTME/syllabus/MA5222.html