Syllabus

CS 1320 (Principles of Algorithm Design I):
Syllabus

Prerequisites

None.

Course description

This course is the first course for computer science majors, following the guidelines established by the Association for Computing Machinery. This course also partially satisfies the requirements for Understanding the World Through Science of the common curriculum. The course content will include learning about block structured strongly typed programming languages as well as conceptual information including beginning data structures, computer arithmetic, computer organization, operating systems, programming languages, sorting, and searching. Our study will include data types, arrays, strings, structures, files, recursion, decisions, and loops.

Course goals and objectives

The objectives of this course include, but are not limited to, the following:

learning fundamental problem-solving methodology
applying problem-solving techniques to algorithm design
implementing algorithms in a suitable programming language
development and analysis of algorithms
introduction to the basic topics in data structures
introduction to sorting and searching algorithms

Instructor

Instructor:: Dr. Berna Massingill
E-mail:: bmassing@cs.trinity.edu
Web page:: http://www.cs.trinity.edu/~bmassing/
Office:: Halsell 201L
Office hours:: See my Web page.
Office phone:: (210) 999-8138

Textbook

Problem Solving in C++ Including Breadth and Laboratories; Angela B. Shiflet; PWS Publishing Company; 1998.

Other references

(This list of references graciously provided by Dr. Eggen.)

Cormen, Leiserson and Rivest, Introduction to Algorithms, McGraw Hill, 1990.
Eggen and Eggen, Introduction to Computer Science using C, PWS Publishers, 1996.
Hanly, Koffman, and Friedman, Problem Solving and Program Design in C, Addison Wesley, 1993.
Kelley and Pohl, C by Dissection: The Essentials of C Programming, Benjamin Cummings, 1992, Second Edition
Kernighan and Ritchie, The C Programming Language, Prentice Hall, 1988, Second Edition.
King, C Programming: A Modern Approach, Norton Publishers, 1996.
Schildt, C: The Complete Reference, McGraw Hill, 1990, Second Edition.
Sobell, A Practical Guide to the Unix System, Benjamin Cummings, Third Edition, 1995.

Grades

The grades in this course will be determined by the results of

three exams, two in class and one during the scheduled final-exam period,
several homework assignments, and
periodic quizzes.

Averages will be calculated as a simple percentage, i.e., points earned divided by points possible. Exams will account for approximately 40 percent of the total points (with the two in-class exams equally weighted and the final worth twice that much); homeworks will account for about another 40 percent; quizzes will account for the remaining 20 percent. Letter grades will be assigned according to the following scale

90-100: A
80-89: B
70-79: C
60-69: D

with plus and minus grades assigned in marginal cases.

Exams

Exams are comprehensive but will emphasize the most recent material. They are scheduled as follows. Please plan accordingly.

Examination 1: February 18, in class
Examination 2: March 24, in class
Final Examination: May 6, 8:30am

Quizzes

There will be a short quiz almost every Monday, covering material since the previous quiz.

Homeworks

Several homework assignments will be required for successful completion of this class. Each assignment will be due at the beginning of the period on the day assigned.

Most homeworks will be laboratory problems, which will be coded in a suitable programming language. You are encouraged to use the department's network of Unix machines, but unless otherwise specified for individual assignments, you may use any other system that provides a suitable environment. Detailed requirements for problem submission will be provided with each assignment.

Attendance

Regular class attendance is strongly encouraged.

Class Web page

Much course-related information (this syllabus, homework assignments and sample solutions, example programs, and so forth) will be made available via the World Wide Web. You can find the home page for the course at http://www.cs.trinity.edu/~bmassing/CS1320_2000spring/info.html. This page is not only a starting point for Web-accessible course material but will also be used for course-related announcements, so you should plan to check it frequently.

Late and missed work

Exams can be made up only in cases of documented conflict with a university-sponsored activity or documented medical emergency. The former requires prior notice.

Homework will normally be accepted up to five days late, at a penalty of 10 percent off per day. More stringent deadlines may be imposed for individual assignments.

Quizzes cannot be made up. However, in computing a final average for each student, the lowest quiz score will be dropped, allowing each student to miss one quiz without penalty.

Collaboration and academic integrity

Unless otherwise specified, all work submitted for a grade (exams, quizzes, and homeworks) must represent the student's own individual effort. Discussion of homework assignments among students is encouraged, but not to the point that the actual program code is being written collectively. Programs that are identical beyond coincidence are in violation of the Academic Integrity policy of the university and will result in disciplinary action, including, but not limited to, a failing grade on that assignment for all parties involved. You are responsible for the security of your work, both electronic and hard copy.

CS 1320 (Principles of Algorithm Design I): Syllabus