The Absence of Discrete Mathematics in Primary and Secondary Education in the United States… and Why that Is Counterproductive

This chapter describes the opportunity that discrete mathematicsDiscrete mathematics provides for supporting reasoningReasoning , problem solvingProblem solving , and systematic thinkingSystematic thinking in the school mathematics curriculum and illustrates this opportunity by providing a set of discrete mathematics problems that begin “Find all… .” It also provides a year-by-year model for how discrete mathematics can be included in the primary and secondary curriculumPrimary and secondary curriculum . Finally, the article describes some of the possible reasons why discrete mathematics was not included in the new national mathematics standards in the U.S., and why we consider these reasons misguided, in light of the opportunities provided when discrete mathematics is part of the curriculum.