The Discrete Mathematical Charms of Paul Erdos: A Simple Introduction

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-Renyi-Sos Friendship Theorem, Erdos-Renyi random graphs, the Chvatal-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.