Algorithms
CSC 252, Fall 1996
Ileana Streinu

Introduction

Algorithms lie at the heart of Computer Science. Nobody can claim to be a true computer scientist (as opposed to just a programmer) without a thorough knowledge of algorithms. There are three primary aims to the course:

1. To teach algorithms for solving real problems that arise in computer applications.

2. To teach basic techniques for designing efficient algorithms to solve practical problems.

3. To introduce techniques fo analyzing those algorithms, so that you will be able to tell which one is more efficient than another, according to criteria of time and space usage.

Class Times

Lecture: Monday and Wednesday 2:30-4:00, Burton 307

Textbook

Richard Neapolitan, Kumarss Naimipour Foundations of Algorithms D.C. Heath & Co. , 1996

Course Structure

The class will meet twice a week for lectures, on Monday and Wednesday afternoon, in Burton 307. Occasionally we will meet in Seelye 411 (MacIntosh lab) for animated algorithms demonstrations.

There will be 7-8 homework assignments, mostly problem sets. The assignments will be distributed at the Wednesday lecture, and will be due in class the following Wednesday. There will be one or two programming assignments, which will be announced later, and a final project. For the project you will have to read, understand and present an algorithm that is not in your textbook, and provide an implementation of it. Since I do not assume a uniform distribution of programming skills in this class, and since this is NOT primarily a programming course, there will be some flexibility with respect to the format of the programming aspect of the final project: students who feel more comfortable substituting a fully encoded runable program with other type of work (theoretical, empirical analysis of existing implementations, etc.) will have the choice to do so.

There will be one in-class mid-term exam, on Wednesday October 23, and a self-scheduled final exam (December 16-19).

Lateness Policy

Everyone is granted three free "late days," which may be used in increments of whole days. Assignments handed in after the late days are exhausted are subject to a grading penalty proportional to lateness (one letter grade per day; weekend = 1 day). Extra late days will be granted only with a Dean's excuse.

Grading

Homework (30%); Programming assignments (10%); Exams (30%); Project (30%);

Professor

Ileana Streinu

Office: McConnell 210

Office Hours: TuTh 10:30-11:30, McConnell 210.

Phone: x3827

Email: 252a@cs.smith.edu, streinu@cs.smith.edu

WWW: http://cs.smith.edu/~streinu

Syllabus

Go to the class Home Page

Last updated on September 1, 1996.