Partially ordered sets Posets Extremal Elements of posets Lattices Fionite Boolean Algebras Functions on Boolean Algebras Expressing Boolean Functions as Boolean Polynomials Trees Labeled Trees Tree Searching Undirected Trees Minimal Spanning Trees Languages Representation of Special Grammars and Languages Finite State Machines Discrete mathematics is a subset of the language of mathematics used to describe various features of discrete sets and structures defined on them. A discrete set is a set whose elements can be isolated, in some sense, from each other. A set that is not discrete is a continuum. Our study of discrete mathematics will give you a better understanding of the meaning of the term discrete set. For now just think of a discrete set as one in which the elements are separated from one another.
Discrete mathematics is useful in a wide variety of disciplines.
Civil engineers deal with discrete sets of objects to design and construct bridges and other structures. Computer scientists use discrete sets to represent data storage, languages and networks. Electrical engineers manipulate the elements in discrete sets to construct circuits and hardware systems. Physicists consider discrete sets of atoms but also study discrete sets of celestial bodies. Biologists examine the behavior of discrete sets of individuals in a population.