As a high school student, what resources are there to learn discrete mathematics?

Question

I am currently taking AP Calculus AB in high school, but I am very interested in computer science and mathematics as a whole. I understand that discrete math and computer science are very closely related. Although I am in high school and there is currently no discrete math offered at my school, I would still like to learn some before going into a college setting. Are there any books, PDFs, or other resources I could use to learn the basics or an introduction to discrete mathematics?

Answer 1

Frankly, I think the most popular textbooks, Johsonbaugh, Rosen, and Epps are wretched. They make a vibrant subject dull as dishwater. Grimaldi is a better book, though some students find it harder, I gather. Frankly, the best intro to discrete math I've ever seen is what I think was the first textbook on the subject, "Finite Mathematical Structures," by Kemeney, Snell and Thompson. At this moment, there's a cheap copy on amazon. You might give it a try.

Apart from that, look at the resources on the Art of Problem Solving website.

Answer 2

One combinatorics book aimed at high-school students is Mathematics of Choice: Or, How to Count Without Counting by Ivan Niven. It's well-written and interesting, with a good choice of topics, and the only prerequisite is high-school algebra. Unfortunately, today Amazon wants \$48 for a used copy and \$118 for new, when the book was originally priced at \$22. Maybe you can find a more reasonably priced copy somewhere else.