Topics in Combinatorics: Combinatorial Game Theory

Instructor:
Prof. Brett Stevens,
Herzberg Physics, Office #4374
Tel: (613) 520 2600 (Ext. 2125)
Email:stevens@math.carleton.ca
http://mathstat.math.carleton.ca/~brett/

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

• You only need to hand in questions up to 5.7 for HW 1. The rest, including the choice between 2.12 and 5.12 move to HW 2.
• There will be no class on 7 and 9 Nov.
• There will be make up classes from 10:00-11:30 on 1, 15, and 22 Nov; all Tuesdays.

Old Announcements

• No class on Monday 3/Oct/2011. We will have class on Wednesday 5/Oct/2011.

General Information

Required Textbook:
Lessons in Play by Michael Albert, Richard Nowakowski, and David Wolfe. I have ordered this book at Haven Books. Additionally I will put books on reserve at the library. They will be

• Lessons in Play by Michael Albert, Richard Nowakowski, and David Wolfe.
• Combinatorial games by Richard K. Guy
• Winning Ways Vols I-IV by Elwyn R. Berlekamp, John H. Conway, and Richard K. Guy
• Games of No Chance 1-3 by Richard Nowakowski
• On Games and Numbers by John H. Conway

Prerequisites:
MATH2100, MATH3805, equivalents, or permission.
Students who have not passed the prerequisite course should contact me and may otherwise be de-registered during the term.

Classes:
Monday 14:35-15:55, Wednesday 14:35-15:55.
Room: HP)4369.

Office and Games hours: Monday 12:00-13:30 and Tuesday 10:00-11:30 or by appointment.

Classes begin: Monday 12 Sep. 2011. Classes end: Thursday 30 Nov. 2011.

Term mark: There will be two assignments and a midterm. The tentative schedule of is:

Item	Hand-out Date	Due Date	Worth
Homework 1	Sep. 28	Oct. 26	20%
Midterm		Oct. 26	25%
Homework 2	Oct. 26-Nov.1	Nov. 30	20%

Evaluation:
20% Homework 1
25% Midterm Test
20% Homework 2
35% Final Exam (format to be determined)
You must pass the term work in order to pass the course. If you have a passing term mark and you do better on the final exam then I will count your final exam for 100% of the course. I do not accept doctor's notes for late or missed work because I cannot verify the authenticity. Students wishing to see their examination papers must make an appointment within 3 weeks of the examination. This is an opportunity to get educational feedback and not an opportunity to argue about the marking.

Plagiarism and Cheating:
Plagiarism is defined in the undergraduate calendar as an instructional offense that occurs when a student uses or passes off "as one's own idea or product, work of another without expressly giving credit". This includes plagiarism involving material lifted from the Internet. Plagiarism is a serious offense. The penalties for students who have been found to have plagiarized are a failed grade at the least sever and suspension, expulsion or notation on transcripts for serious or repeated cases. Plagiarism is just one form of Cheating. All forms of cheating are taken very seriously and will be dealt with swiftly and severely.

Withdrawal: The last day for withdrawal from the course is 5 Dec. 2011. Withdrawals before 30 Sep. 2011 get 100% refund, there is NO refund after this date.

Academic Accommodation You may need special arrangements to meet your academic obligations during the term. For an accommodation request the processes are as follows:

• Pregnancy obligation: write to me with any requests for academic accommodation during the first two weeks of class, or as soon as possible after the need for accommodation is known to exist. For more details see the Student Guide
• Religious obligation: write to me with any requests for academic accommodation during the first two weeks of class, or as soon as possible after the need for accommodation is known to exist. For more details see the Student Guide
• Students with disabilities requiring academic accommodations in this course must register with the Paul Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities (PMC) for a formal evaluation of disability-related needs. Documented disabilities could include but are not limited to mobility/physical impairments, specific Learning Disabilities (LD), psychiatric/psychological disabilities, sensory disabilities, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and chronic medical conditions. Registered PMC students are required to contact the PMC, 613-520-6608, every term to ensure that I receive your Letter of Accommodation, no later than two weeks before the first assignment is due or the first in-class test/midterm requiring accommodations. If you only require accommodations for your formally scheduled exam(s) in this course, please submit your request for accommodations to PMC by the deadlines published on the PMC website.

List of Topics Covered: definitions of games; reverse induction; basic strategies; outcome classes; impartial and partisan games; values of games; equality, sums, inequalities of games; canonical forms of games; games that are numbers; infinitesimals; switches; stops; impartial game theory; hot games and cooling.

These topics are subject to change