Discrete Math: Patterns, Logic & Puzzles

• Test strategies through game-theory problems and examples

• Compare methods for fair division and election decisions

• Analyze arithmetic and geometric sequences

• Draw trees, planar graphs, and bipartite graphs

• Solve map-coloring, Euler-path, circuit, and matching problems

• Model a real-world scenario and present a capstone solution

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Use discrete mathematics to explain choices in problems with clear limits

• Compare patterns in graphs, sequences, voting methods, and game strategies

• Model a problem and explain the reasoning behind a possible solution

You’ll leave with your capstone analysis and a certificate of completion.

Discrete mathematics helps students reason about choices, patterns, networks, and systems that do not always fit a continuous formula. Game theory asks them to consider how one decision affects another. Graph theory turns connections into structures that can be drawn, tested, and improved.

That work strengthens logical explanation and persistence. Students must define the problem, select a method, show each step, and decide whether a solution makes sense. These habits support mathematics and computer science, while also helping with puzzles, strategic decisions, research projects, and any task that requires organizing complex relationships.

For students who have completed 6th, 7th, or 8th grade.

If your student enjoys mathematical puzzles, patterns, or strategy, this course offers challenges beyond routine calculation. Networks, maps, voting, and real-world decisions give them different problems to explore. They’ll work through several steps, compare approaches with classmates, and revise a project as their thinking develops. Some questions have more than one useful method, leaving room to explain why a choice works.

Gifted course. See Admissions Criteria for eligibility requirements.

UCLA gives middle-school students an energetic place to learn, have fun, and experience campus life in Los Angeles. The setting brings together science, technology, creativity, entertainment, and culture, helping new subjects feel connected to a wider world of ideas.

The program combines hands-on academics with friendships, campus activities, clear routines, and support as students become comfortable in a large university environment. Students can try new challenges, share interests with peers, and build confidence through participation without needing to decide where those interests will lead. For families, UCLA offers a structured middle-school experience that balances substantive learning with fun, community, and age-appropriate independence. Students leave with new memories and a clearer sense of what they may want to explore next.