Coursera

This course teaches a calculus that enables precise quantitative predictions of large combinatorial structures. Part I covers generating functions and real asymptotics and then introduces the symbolic method in the context of applications in the analysis of algorithms and basic structures such as permutations, trees, strings, words, and mappings.

This course teaches a calculus that enables precise quantitative predictions of large combinatorial structures. Part II introduces the symbolic method to derive functional relations among ordinary, exponential, and multivariate generating functions, and methods in complex analysis for deriving accurate asymptotics from the GF equations.

Every day around the world, billions of people listen to music of one sort or another, and millions listen to Western classical music. Why do we do it? Because it’s fun? Because it energizes or relaxes us? Because it keeps us current, allows us to understand what’s happening in past and popular culture? The pull of music–especially classical music—has never been explained. The aim of this course is to do just that: To explicate the mysteries and beauties of some of Western cultures greatest musical compositions—among them masterpieces of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, and Puccini.

This is a follow-on for the Coursera class Principles of Functional Programming in Scala, which so far had more than 100’000 inscriptions over two iterations of the course, with some of the highest completion rates of any massive open online course worldwide.