FIU MAD 2104: Discrete Mathematics
MAD 2104 is the math department's discrete mathematics course, covering logic, sets, functions, matrices, Boolean algebra, and graph theory, and it's the alternative to COT 3100 in FIU's computing degree plans. It's also taken by IT and other tech-adjacent majors who need the discrete foundation without the full CS theory track.
Fennie is independent and not affiliated with Florida International University. This is an unofficial study guide.
What makes it hard
The topics change character every two weeks: logic feels like puzzles, matrices feel like calculation, graph theory feels like geometry. Momentum from one unit doesn't carry to the next. Students used to formula-driven math courses struggle with the units that require constructing arguments, because partial credit follows the reasoning, not the final answer.
What you'll cover
- • Propositional logic and truth tables
- • Sets, functions, and relations
- • Matrices and matrix operations
- • Boolean algebra
- • Graphs and trees
- • Counting basics
The MAD 2104 study guide
How to study for FIU MAD 2104, step by step.
- 1
Reset your study approach at every unit boundary
MAD 2104 changes character every couple of weeks. When a new unit starts, do fresh practice problems immediately rather than assuming last unit's momentum transfers. It doesn't.
- 2
Show reasoning on everything
Partial credit follows the argument, not the answer. Practice writing the justification line even on problems you can do in your head, because the exam graders read it.
- 3
Build truth tables until they're reflexive
The logic unit is the foundation the rest quietly reuses. Boolean algebra is logic in costume, and graph arguments lean on it too. Make truth tables and equivalences automatic early.
- 4
Draw every graph problem
Graph theory questions reward a sketch (vertices, edges, degrees labeled) before any reasoning. Most wrong answers in this unit come from working blind.
Today
Today's MAD 2104 plan
What a Fennie Daily Plan looks like for MAD 2104. Yours is built from your own syllabus and adapts every day to your deadlines and progress.
First plan free, no card required. Fennie is independent and unaffiliated with your school.
FAQ
Is MAD 2104 hard at FIU?
Moderately hard. It's less proof-heavy than COT 3100 but more abstract than algebra or calculus. The honest difficulty is its variety: six topics with different flavors, so students who excel at one unit can stumble at the next without steady practice.
Does MAD 2104 count the same as COT 3100 for FIU CS?
Yes. FIU computing degree plans list them as alternatives, and prerequisites downstream (COP 3530, CDA 3102) accept either. Pick based on schedule and teaching style; there's no hidden penalty for either route.
How do I study for MAD 2104 exams?
Practice problems from every unit in mixed sets, and write out the reasoning even when the answer is obvious. Exams pull from the whole covered range and grade the argument, so unit-by-unit cramming and answer-only practice both underperform.
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