# Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science

## What is Discrete Mathematics?

Mathematics is broadly divided into two major branches – discrete mathematics and continuous mathematics. Discrete mathematics mostly deals with only those real numbers which are multiples of some basic unit. If the basic unit is 1, then the discrete variable can assume only integral values. Thus in continuous mathematics, the number system is usually real numbers while for discrete mathematics it is the integer.

As a result, a discrete variable can’t become infinitely small and as a such concept like instantaneous rate of change isn’t available in discrete mathematics but this is the basic concept in continuous mathematics. Hence discrete mathematics is the branch of mathematics devoted to the study of discrete objects that uses arithmetic and algebra, in contrast to other branches, such as calculus and analysis, whose main concern is with continuous functions. Of course, neither discrete nor continuous mathematics is a watertight compartment. Some branches of mathematics, such as numerical analysis and linear algebra, have both continuous functions and discrete components.