CS4800: Algorithms and Data (Spring 2016)

General Information

Instructors:
Section 1: Dr. Ravi Sundaram
Email: koods@ccs.neu.edu
Phone: (617) 373 5876
Location: 242 WVH
Office Hours: Mondays, Tuesdays 9-10:30 am

Textbook

Jon Kleinberg and Eva Tardos Algorithm Design, Addison Wesley 2006

A set of slides accompanying the textbook have been written by Kevin Wayne at Princeton. We will be using this material frequently.

Recommended books for further reading:

Description of Course

This is an introductory course in algorithms. Every computer program can be viewed as an implementation of an algorithm for solving a particular computational problem. The focus of this course is on learning algorithm design techniques for solving the underlying computational problems. We will also look at how algorithms translate to programs, but our emphasis will be on the algorithm design and analysis. In this class, you will

• Get exposed to a range of computational problems that arise in very diverse applications
• Learn how to formulate problems precisely from somewhat informal descriptions
• Learn new algorithmic design techniques used to solve the computational problems
• Learn proof techniques critical for reasoning about the correctness of algorithms

Homework

• Homework papers should be neat, organized, and typeset (handwritten submissions will not be accepted). You may use plain text or a word processor like Microsoft Word or LaTeX for your submissions; you will need to submit your papers through Blackboard; no late homework will be accepted.
• If you have any questions regarding your homework assignment score, you must address them in the two weeks after it has been graded. Scores more than two weeks in the past will not be considered.
• Each assignment's due date is posted on the schedule.

Programming Component

Coming soon.

Exams

• There will be two midterms and a final exam.
• Most of our lectures will have an active learning component, including in-class quizzes, and problem-solving sessions.

Grading

• Programming component:          15%
• Homework:                                 25%
• Quizzes:                                      10%
• Midterm exams:                          30%
• Final exam:                                 20%

The worst two quizzes, the worst written assignment, and the worst programming assignment will not be counted towards your grade.

Additional Remarks

• Teaching assistants will be available to answer your questions. However, if you have a question, check our Piazza discussion forum first and post your question there (if it has not been answer yet).
• Collaborating with other students in the class on homework problems is fine and encouraged, though we urge you to attempt working out all of the problems by yourself first. In any case you must write up solutions in your own words. Furthermore, if you did collaborate on any problem, you must clearly list all of the collaborators in your submission.


• Academic Honesty
All work produced in this course should be your own unless it is specifically stated that you may work with others. You may discuss the homework problems with other students generally, but may not provide complete solutions to one another; copying of homework solutions is always unacceptable and will be considered a violation of Northeastern's academic integrity policy. Violations will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution.
• Makeup Exam
There will be no make-up exams given after the exam date. If you know in advance that you will have to miss an exam, you must check with me (in advance) to avoid getting a zero for that exam. In case of an illness on an exam date, please contact me as soon as possible, so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

Last modified: Dec. 23, 2015