Syllabus: CSE 4833 / 6833 Introduction to Algorithms

Instructor

Dr. J. Edward Swan II <jes256@msstate.edu>

Semester

Fall 2008

Course Time and Location

Mon and Wed, 2:00 pm–3:15 pm, 100 Butler Hall

Office Hours and Location

Mon and Wed, 4:45 pm–6:00 pm, 100 Butler Hall

Catalog Description

Three hours lecture.  Study of complexity of algorithms and algorithm design. Tools for analyzing efficiency; design of algorithms, including recurrence, divide-and-conquer, dynamic programming and greedy algorithms.

Course Prerequisites

In order to take this course, a student must have completed CSE 2383 (Data Structures and Analysis of Algorithms), CSE 2813 (Discrete Structures), and MA 2733 (Calculus III), all with a grade of C or better.

Course Objectives

(1) To provide students with an opportunity to learn more about and to practice mathematical thinking in the domain of algorithms.
(2) To examine different classes of algorithms and their properties.
(3) To abstract the common properties of classes of algorithms.

Required Text

Introduction to Algorithms, Second Edition by Cormen, Leiserson, Rivest, and Stein, The MIT Press, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 2001.

Grading Scale

Graded Activities

Homework Assignments: We will have 5 to 7 homework assignments during the semester.  Most of the questions will be chosen from the exercises given at the end of each chapter in our textbook.  Students taking CSE 6833 will generally have several extra questions to answer; students taking CSE 4833 will not be required to answer these extra questions.  As described under the section on Collaboration below, I allow a greater degree of collaboration on homework assignments than is allowed under the strictest possible interpretation of the CSE Department's Undergraduate and Graduate Studies Academic Honesty Policies. 

Homework assignments will always be due on class days, and will be due at the beginning of the class period.  On days when homework is due, we will spend most of, and possibly the entire class meeting going over the homework questions.  After this class meeting, you will have up to 24 hours to resubmit any homework question(s) that you desire; these resubmitted questions will add points to your homework grade.  Homework questions turned in after the beginning of the class period will be considered resubmissions. 

You should take the homework assignments seriously — they are the best way to learn the material in this course.  If you cannot complete a homework assignment in time, turn it in late, both to collect some points and to further study and learn the material!

Additional details on homework assignments and how the resubmissions are graded.

Exams: We will have two examinations during the semester.

Final Exam: Our final exam will be given during the scheduled final exam time.

Grading and Appeals

I will be working with a grader to grade your homework assignments.  If you disagree with a grade, you need to provide me with a written appeal.  Although you can discuss a grade with me, I generally won't make a decision regarding the grade based on a discussion, but only on a written appeal.   

Academic Honesty / Misconduct and Collaboration

In this course, students are expected to uphold the Mississippi State University Honor Code:

"As a Mississippi State University student I will conduct myself with honor and integrity at all times. I will not lie, cheat, or steal, nor will I accept the actions of those who do."

Upon accepting admission to Mississippi State University, a student immediately assumes a commitment to uphold the Honor Code, to accept responsibility for learning, and to follow the philosophy and rules of the Honor Code.  Students will be required to state their commitment on examinations, research papers, and other academic work.  Ignorance of the rules does not exclude any member of the MSU community from the requirements or the processes of the Honor Code.

Students are also expected to maintain the standards of academic honesty that are described in the CSE Department's Undergraduate Studies Academic Honesty Policy (CSE 4833), or the CSE Department's Graduate Studies Academic Honesty Policy (CSE 6833).  These standards apply in their entirety to the midterm exams and the final exam. 

However, in the real world people work in groups.  I encourage students to collaborate on homework assignments in terms of discussing general approaches.  Students may also assist each other in algorithm debugging.  However, the solution for each assignment must be written individually by each student.  This means do not turn in answers downloaded off the Internet or accessed by other means.  Do not turn in someone else's work as if it were your own.  This is an important policy.  Not only will violators fail to learn the course material, but violators of this policy will receive an "XF" in this course, and will otherwise be handled according the CSE Department's Undergraduate or Graduate Studies Academic Honesty Policies, as well as the Academic Operating Policy and Procedure of Mississippi State University.

As a professor at Mississippi State University, I am required to report all incidents of academic misconduct.

Missed Exams

Occasionally students miss examinations. Sometimes the student knows about these absences in advance, and sometimes they happen unexpectedly.  If you know in advance that you will be absent and you wish to have the absence considered excused, then you must meet with me before the date of the exam, and I will let you know whether or not the absence will be excused.  If your excused absence will occur during an exam, then I will make arrangements for you to take the exam early.

If you miss an exam unexpectedly and wish to have the absence considered excused, then you must meet with the me at the earliest opportunity possible after the absence, and provide documentation to support your claim that the absence should be considered excused. If the absence is excused, then I will substitute the average number of points of your other exams for the missed exam.

For unexcused absences from examinations you will unfortunately receive a score of zero points.

Additional Policies

Attendance and Audits: Attendance is required in this class.  Although attendance will not affect your grade, I will take roll, and I will list absences on midterm and final grade reports. Students who miss class are still responsible for the material covered and for any assignments distributed.  Students who are auditing the course must attend at least 75% of the class meetings in order to receive a passing grade.

Personal Electronic Devices: Students must respect their fellow students and not disrupt class. Therefore, cell phones, pagers, other such alarms, or personal conversations which disturb the lecture are not allowed.  Students with personal laptops may bring them to class; however, laptops are not required for this course.

Grade of Incomplete (I): Following MSU policy, incomplete grades will only be given in extreme circumstances, such as illness, death in a student's immediate family, or similar circumstances beyond a student's control.

No Food or Drinks in Class: It is the CSE department's policy that you can't eat or dink in Butler hall classrooms.

Drop / Add Policy: This class follows Mississippi State University's Official Drop/Add Policy:

Add/drop without penalty: A student has through the fifth class day into the semester to add a course and through the tenth class day to drop a course without being assessed a fee or academic penalty.

Drop after the tenth class day through the 30th class day into the semester: A student who elects to drop a course during this period must receive the approval of his/her advisor, will be assigned a W on his/her academic record, and be assessed a fee. The advisor who permits the drop will specify its effective date.

Drop after the 30th class day into the semester: A student cannot drop courses after this period except in documented cases of serious illness, extreme hardship, or failure of the instructor to provide significant assessment of his/her performance. A request to drop a course during this period must be approved by the student's advisor and academic dean. The dean who permits the drop will specify its effective date. A student receiving permission to drop will receive a W on his/her academic record and be assessed a fee.

Faculty are expected to provide a student with significant evidence or assessment of his/her class performance within the first 30 days of the semester.