In discrete mathemtics one works on discrete sets. In such a set there is a shortest distance between different points. This is not the case for the sets that one usually considers in analysis and linear algebra.

The most common discrete sets are finite ones, or subsets of the integers, Z, or Z^n.

The course treats combinatorics -- how to efficiently calculate the number of possible choices under certain constraints, e.g. the number of possible poker hands that contain a straight flush--, number theory which is important in coding theory-- and graph theory with important applications in e.g. economics and communication theory.