Faculty of Information Technology
MAT1830 Discrete mathematics for computer science is a level 1, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Information Technology, offered in 2026 in Semester 1 and Semester 2 at Clayton and Malaysia. It has no prerequisites and unlocks 6 units, leading on to 67 units in all. Students rate it 3.0 out of 5 from 1 review and call it moderate.
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
Fine as a maths unit. Logic, proofs and graph theory are useful for later algorithms units. Lectures move fast and the notes are dense, so I mostly learned from the practice classes. Assessment is fair if you do the weekly problem sets.
You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.
6 units list MAT1830 as a prerequisite or corequisite.
Prerequisite: VCE Specialist Mathematics or Mathematical Methods units 3 and 4 with a raw study score of at least 25.
Prohibition: MAT1077, MTH1112
This unit introduces fundamental discrete mathematics topics including combinatorics, sets, relations and functions; methods of logic and proof, especially proof by induction; probability theory, Bayes' theorem; recursion; recurrence relations; trees and other graphs. It establishes the mathematical basis required for studies in Computer Science and Software Engineering.
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | Flexible |
| First semester | Malaysia | On campus |
| Second semester | Malaysia | On campus |
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
Identify basic methods of proof, particularly induction, and apply them to solve problems in mathematics and computer science;
Manipulate sets, relations, functions and their associated concepts, and apply these to solve problems in mathematics and computer science;
Use and analyse simple first and second order recurrence relations;
Use trees and graphs to solve problems in computer science;
Apply counting principles in combinatorics;
Describe the principles of elementary probability theory, evaluate conditional probabilities and use Bayes' Theorem.
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled online and face to face learning activities and independent study. Independent study may include associated reading and preparation for scheduled activities. Applied sessions start from Week 2 of the semester.
Course notes booklet (available as a pdf from the course Moodle page
The following textbooks are available at the library and may prove useful if you want additional resources beyond the course notes. It is not recommended that you buy them unless you find that you need your own copy.
"Discrete Mathematics" (7th Ed) by Richard Johnsonbaugh. ISBN: 0131354302.
"Discrete Mathematics for Computing" (3rd Ed) by Peter Grossman. ISBN: 9780230216112
You should regularly check the course Moodle page for announcements.
You may bring whatever resources you wish to classes.
MAT1830 is part of 8 areas of study in the 2026 handbook.
MAT1830 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
MAT1830 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 6 units, including FIT1008, FIT2004, FIT2014, FIT2085, MTH2051 and MTH2141. Those lead on to 67 units in all.
In 2026, MAT1830 runs in Semester 1 and Semester 2 at Clayton and Malaysia.
Students who took it rate it moderate to do well in and light on workload (1 rating). The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester.
Yes. The exam is worth 50% of the final mark, alongside 2 other tasks.
MAT1830 is part of Computational science, Mathematics, Pure mathematics and Software engineering.
It is rated 3.0 out of 5 from 1 review. Read the reviews above or add your own.