CSC 321 Design and Analysis of Algorithms
Summary
This course is a first course in the analysis and design of algorithms. It
will be the most mathematical course of your CS courses so far. We will first
review recursion and talk about the complexity of algorithms, (Chapter 2). The
complexity of algorithms is concerned with measuring the efficiency of an
algorithm. We will then see an application of this in solving recurrence
relations.
As an application of the mathematical ideas introduced in Chapter 2, we will
discuss sorting algorithms (Chapters 5 and 6). One common technique is the
study of algorithms is divide and conquer, and mergesort is an example of this,
as is quicksort.
Another common technique in the study of algorithms is greedy algorithms
(Chapter 7), and we will study three graph algorithms (Prim , Kruskal, and
Dijkstra). To implement some of these, we will need the union-find algorithms
discussed in Section 3.6.
We will also study searching algorithms (Chapter 4), and in particular the
difference between depth-first, breadth-first, and heuristic search algorithms.
Finally, we will discuss dynamic programming (Chapter 8), which is another
technique is algorithm design.
Texts
Algorithms, by Richard Johnsonbaugh and Marcus Schaefer, Prentice-Hall,
2004.
Grading
The grading will be done as follows: there will be two in class exams, one
or two programming assignments, as well as exercises from the book. The exams
will be of equal weight and will each count for 25% of the grade. The homework
will count for 50% grade. The homework will consist of written assignments and
programs. The first program will be dealing with sorting and the second
algorithm (if given) deal with searching. There will be a 10% penalty per week
for late homework. Late work will not be accepted that is more than two weeks
late.
There will be no class curving, but grades will be assigned according to the following scale:
A more than 92
A- 90-92
B+ 87-89
B 83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79
C 73-76
C- 70-72
D 67-69
D- 60-66
F less than 60
Office Hours
My office hours are
M 3:00-3:45 478 CTI Phone: (312)-362-8736
W 12:45-1:30 478 CTI Phone: (312)-362-8736
Th 4:00-5:30 478 CTI Phone: (312)-362-8736
and by appointment
Evaluations are a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their instructor and the course. Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously tailor teaching methods and course content to meet the learning goals of the course and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement of the course and are key to continue to provide you with the highest quality of teaching. The evaluations are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track who entered what responses. A program is used to check if the student completed the evaluations, but the evaluation is completely separate from the student’s identity. Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic reminders over three weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they complete the evaluation. Students complete the evaluation online in CampusConnect.
Email is the primary means of communication between faculty and students enrolled in this course outside of class time. Students should be sure their email listed under "demographic information" at CampusConnect is correct.
This course will be subject to the academic integrity policy passed by faculty. More information can be found at http://academicintegrity.depaul.edu/
The university and school policy on plagiarism can be summarized as follows: Students in this course should be aware of the strong sanctions that can be imposed against someone guilty of plagiarism. If proven, a charge of plagiarism could result in an automatic F in the course and possible expulsion. The strongest of sanctions will be imposed on anyone who submits as his/her own work any assignment which has been prepared by someone else. If you have any questions or doubts about what plagiarism entails or how to properly acknowledge source materials be sure to consult the instructor.
An incomplete grade is given only for an exceptional reason such as a death in the family, a serious illness, etc. Any such reason must be documented. Any incomplete request must be made at least two weeks before the final, and approved by the Dean of the College of Computing and Digital Media. Any consequences resulting from a poor grade for the course will not be considered as valid reasons for such a request.
Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs. All discussions will remain confidential.
To ensure that you receive the most appropriate accommodation based on your needs, contact the instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first week of class), and make sure that you have contacted the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at:
Student Center, LPC, Suite #370
Phone number: (773)325.1677
Fax: (773)325.3720
TTY: (773)325.7296