Syllabus

Description. Design and analysis of efficient data structures and algorithms. General techniques for building and analyzing algorithms. Introduction to NP-completeness.

Prerequisites. COS 226 and COS 340, or equivalent mathematical maturity.

Lectures. Lecture meets twice per week. Attendance is required. Laptops, tablets, and phones are prohibited, except for activities directly related to lecture, such as viewing lecture slides and taking notes.

Precepts. Precepts meet once per week. Attendance is recommended. A preceptor will work through problems that are similar in spirit to those on the problem sets.

Schedule. You are welcome to attend the office hours of any staff member.

TIME ROOM PERSON OFFICE HOURS
L01 M W
11–12:20pm
Green
0-S-6
Kevin
Wayne
CS
207
M 1:30–2:30pm
T 2:30–3:30pm
P01 F
11–11:50am
Friend
004
Qasim
Nadeem
Friend
010
T
5–7pm
P02 M
7:30–8:20pm
Friend
006
James
Bartusek
Friend
010
W
1:30–3:30pm

Kevin Wayne
Instructor
  
Qasim Nadeem
Preceptor
  
James Bartusek
Preceptor
  

Undergraduate course assistants.   Richard Adjei, Maryam Bahrani, and Adam Berman.


ASSESSMENTS

Problems sets. There will be approximately 8 problem sets.

iClickers. To make the lectures more interactive, we will be using iClickers.

Course grades. Your course grades are based primarily on the problem sets, using class participation and staff discretion to resolve borderline situations.

Regrades. If you believe that your work was misgraded, write a short note describing the potential mistake; attach it to the graded work; and give it to your preceptor within two weeks of when the work was returned.

Check grades. You can check your grades in Blackboard.


RESOURCES

Course website. This course website includes links to course content, including lecture slides, problem sets, and precept handouts.

Algorithm Design

Textbook. Algorithm Design by Jon Kleinberg and Éva Tardos. Addison-Wesley, 2005, ISBN 978-0321295354. The assigned readings are required.

Discussion forum. The best way to ask a short question about the course materials is via Piazza, an online discussion forum where you can ask (and answer) questions.