The Discrete Mathematical Charms of Paul Erdos : A Simple Introduction

This captivating book provides an introduction to fundamental results of discrete mathematics through the work of Paul Erdos, blended with first-hand reminiscences of his work and life. Written for students, it covers topics ranging from Bertrand's postulate to evolution of random graphs and topics not typically covered in introductory courses.

Paul Erdos published more papers during his lifetime than any other mathematician, especially in discrete mathematics. He had a nose for beautiful, simply-stated problems with solutions that have far-reaching consequences across mathematics. This captivating book, written for students, provides an easy-to-understand introduction to discrete mathematics by presenting questions that intrigued Erdos, along with his brilliant ways of working toward their answers. It includes young Erdos''s proof of Bertrand''s postulate, the Erdos-Szekeres Happy End Theorem, De Bruijn-Erdos theorem, Erdos-Rado delta-systems, Erdos-Ko-Rado theorem, Erdos-Stone theorem, the Erdos-Rényi-Sós Friendship Theorem, Erdos-Rényi random graphs, the Chvátal-Erdos theorem on Hamilton cycles, and other results of Erdos, as well as results related to his work, such as Ramsey''s theorem or Deza''s theorem on weak delta-systems. Its appendix covers topics normally missing from introductory courses. Filled with personal anecdotes about Erdos, this book offers a behind-the-scenes look at interactions with the legendary collaborator.