In the second half of the 20th century and even 2 1 century, with the advent of the electrical age and even the computer age. For more and more people who directly deal with computers, the most important mathematical trend is no longer continuous mathematics represented by calculus, but discrete analysis with graph theory, combinatorics, number theory, algebra, probability theory, operational research and cybernetics, and mathematical logic as its core content, that is, discrete mathematics. Because computers process, calculate, arrange, store, allocate and configure discretely, the approximate value of "discrete" (which may be quite accurate) is used to approximate "continuous". From middle school to university, from mathematics major to science and engineering major, the course and content of discrete mathematics gradually compete with traditional continuous mathematics and play an increasingly significant role.
The most practical applications, such as the shortest path problem, require knowledge of discrete graph theory and are widely used in logistics. Finding the best purchase quantity of shopping malls is not a direct discrete problem, but also a discrete idea. In addition, where computers and numerical analysis are involved, discrete mathematics is essential. Discrete mathematics has more and more influence on human life.