CSC 400/Discrete Structures for CS
Syllabus
Version of March 26th, 2022
Course meeting details
As of the date of this syllabus, class will meet as usual. Section 901 will meet in person in CDM 220 from 5:45pm to 9pm on Thursdays starting March 31st. Section 910 will view the class recording through COL. Students in section 901 should review DePaul's COVID-19 policies just prior to our first class. Students in section 910 should not attend class.
Course description
From the course catalog: "This course covers the basic mathematical tools essential for solving problems in computer science. The mathematical topics are presented with emphasis on their applications in computer science. The topics covered include: logic and set theory, relations, functions, graphs, and counting and probability. Prerequisite(s): None"
This is a course in the mathematics commonly used across disciplines in Computer Science.
Course web site
Except for the textbook, all course materials will be available through DePaul's D2L web site.
Textbooks
The required textbook's title is Schaum's Outlines: Discrete Mathematics, 4th edition, by Seymour Lipschutz and Marc Lipson (ISBN 978-1-264-25880-2). It is widely available.
Grading
There will be weekly problem sets. One grading criterion that will always be in effect is that every submitted document must have the student's name on it. There will not be a midterm. There will be a take-home final exam. This will be made available during our last class meeting and due one week later. The assignments will be worth a total of 75% of the final grade, with the final exam making up the other 25%. Extra credit work is not available. There will not be make-up assignments.
Final course grades will be assigned according to the following table.
| Letter | Percentage range |
|---|---|
| A | 95-100 |
| A- | 90 - <95 |
| B+ | 87 - <90 |
| B | 83 - <87 |
| B- | 80 - <83 |
| C+ | 77 - <80 |
| C | 73 - <77 |
| C- | 70 - <73 |
| D+ | 65 - <70 |
| D | 60 - <65 |
| F | <60 |
Please note that the final grade is based on the scores received on assignments and on the final exam. This grade will not be adjusted in order to meet an employer's reimbursement policy, requirements of a scholarship or assistantship, visa requirements, nor for any other external reason.
Late assignment policy
An assignment loses 20% of the total score each day or part of a day it's late. This means that a 0 is automatically assigned five days after an unsubmitted assignment is due.
Topics and reading
We will proceed through the textbook chapter by chapter, starting at the beginning. with intention of completing through chapter 11. The textbook provides a concise presentation of the material. In lecture, I will expand on that presentation with examples and worked problems.
Attendance policy
Given the still uncertain and often quickly changing situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic, please check DePaul's COVID-19 news and policy page at least weekly. I encourage students in the in-class section to attend but will understand that that may not always be possible. Students who do not attend, and this includes everyone in the distance learning section, are expected to view the recording within 72 hours of its posting. It is not a good idea to binge watch several discrete structures lectures!
Academic Integrity Policy
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 consult the instructor.
Plagiarism is a constant problem in this course. Every course at DePaul is subject to the academic integrity policy passed by our faculty. More information can be found at http://academicintegrity.depaul.edu/. I strongly recommend that you read this, especially the part about submitting other people's work as your own. The policy explains both your rights and your responsibilities as a student on matters of academic integrity.
Just to be clear: Posting an assignment question on a site like Chegg.com is asking someone else to write your answer and this is plagiarism.
Communication
All communication will be done in one of three ways:
- Announcements in class. You are responsible for anything and everything I say when teaching.
- Email from me. You can send email to me at jrogers@depaul.edu.
- Announcements on the D2L web site.
Office hours
Please see BlueStar for my office hours.
Incomplete
An incomplete grade is given only for an exceptional reason such as, for example, a death in the family or a serious illness. 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. A student must have submitted all of the assignments up to and be passing the course at the time the request is made. Any consequences resulting from a poor grade for the course will not be considered as valid reasons for such a request.
Resources for Students with Disabilities
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 either the PLuS Program, for Learning Disabilities and/or AD/HD, or the Office for Students with Disabilities, for all other disabilities, at:
Student Center, LPC, Suite #370
Phone number: (773) 325-1677
Fax: (773) 325-3720
TTY: (773) 325-7296