CISC 320 Algorithms and Advanced Programming

Syllabus, Fall, 2006

Course meeting time: MTF 9:05-9:55, place: 123 Sharp Lab

Saunders' office hours are 9-11am on Tuesdays and Thursdays in room 103A Smith Hall. Other meeting times can be arranged by contacting me or Vicki Cherry, cherry@cis.udel.edu, 831-2711.

Teaching Assistant: Ke Li
Office hours in room 102 Smith Hall: 10-11am Mondays and Fridays
Office: 214 Smith (after Sept 15).
Email: kli@cis.udel.edu, Phone: 831-1131 (lab).

Text: Basse and Van Gelder, Computer Algorithms , Addison Wesley, 2000.

References:
Cormen, Leiserson and Rivest, Introduction to Algorithms, McGraw-Hill & MIT Press, 1990.
Sedgewick, Algorithms in C++, Addison Wesley, 1992.
Goodrich and Tamassia, Algorithm Design: Foundations, Analysis, and Internet Examples, Wiley, 2002.

Objectives of the course

To develop a good working knowledge of important algorithms in several domains and the analyses of their performance characteristics. See topics list below.
To develop an appreciation for, and an understanding of, general strategies of algorithm analysis and design.
To appreciate lower bound arguments, i.e., demonstrations of best possible performance properties for any algorithm to solve a given problem, regardless of whether an algorithm is known which achieves this best possible performance.
To learn the rudiments of complexity classes (a problem difficulty classification),in particular,, to appreciate the P = NP question.

Topics

Algorithms of Selection, Sorting, and Searching in dynamic data sets. String matching. Arithmetic for large integers, polynomials, and matrices. Application of arithmetic to cryptography. Graph algorithms. Computational Geometry. NP Completeness. Parallel Algorithms. Tentative Coverage, order, and pace

order statistics - one week
Sorting - one week
dynamic sets - two weeks
integer and polynomial arithmetic - two weeks
matrix arithmetic - one week
graph algorithms - three weeks
String matching - two classes
Computational Geometry - two classes
Hard problems, NP completeness - two weeks
parallel algorithms - two classes

Homework

Assignments will be distributed throughout the semester, for the most part on a bi-weekly basis. Homework assignments are due at the start of class on the announced due date. Late submitted assignments will be accepted for up to 4 days (no more!). A penalty of 10% per day will apply. Also a 10% penalty applies if you miss class or arrive late on the due date. In other words, it is not acceptable to give finishing an assignment priority over class. Timeliness on assignments is important for your understanding of the material. This is not a subject that is effectively learned with periods of neglect and periods of cramming.

The course homepage will contain a frequently updated record of homework and reading assignments and of lecture topics.

Exams

There will be a midterm exam tentatively scheduled for Monday, October 23 and a final exam. The midterm exam will cover approximately a half of the course material. The final exam will be 1/4 on the first half and 3/4 devoted to the second half. The exams are closed book and closed note.

"Examinations are formidable even to the best prepared, for the greatest fool may ask more than the wisest man can answer." (Charles Caleb Colton)

Grading

Homeworks - 38% more or less
Midterm - 20% each
Final - 40% each

Policy on plagiarism

Exams, pencil and paper exercises, and programming assignments are intended to measure your individual performance and accomplishments in the course. Thus, the following are considered cheating and will be dealt with accordingly: looking the solution up in any source other than those listed above; looking up the solution by locating a paper in the literature; looking in any way at solutions from previous instances of this course, from other courses at Delaware or from anywhere else; seeking a solution by posting the problem on the Internet; etc. You may ask others for clarifications of the problem statement. If in doubt, best ask the instructor. Plagerism from other students in the course or anyone else is not tolerated.

Course webpage:

http://www.cis.udel.edu/~saunders/courses/320/06f/

University Catalog Course Description, CIS Dept. 320 Course Description.
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Corrections, suggestions and comments to saunders@cis.udel.edu