CS 360

Analysis of Algorithms

Spring 2022

Instructor: David Babcock, dbabcock@ycp.edu

Office Hours: M 1:30-3pm, T 2-3pm, W 1:30-2:30pm, R 9:30-11am, or by appointment

Section	Days	Time	Room	Final Presentations
101	MWF	9:00-9:50	KEC 119	Wed, May 11, 8:00-10:00am
102	MWF	10:00-10:50	KEC 119	Mon, May 9, 10:15am-12:15pm

Course Description

This course studies fundamental algorithms, strategies for designing algorithms and mathematical tools for analyzing algorithms. Fundamental algorithms studied in this course include graph algorithms; algorithms for sorting and searching; hashing; integer arithmetic; and selected combinatorial tasks. Mathematical tools include asymptotic notations and methods for solving recurrences. Algorithm design strategies include the greedy method, divide-and-conquer, dynamic programming, and randomization.

Prerequisites

CS201 – Fundamentals of Computer Science II - with a grade of 2 or higher

CS350 – Data Structures - with a grade of 2 or higher

MAT235 - Discrete Math OR ECE335 - Computations in Discrete Mathematics OR MAT280 - Mathematical Structures - with a grade of 2 or higher

Textbook

Cormen, Leiserson, Rivest, and Stein. Introduction to Algorithms: 3rd Edition , MIT Press, 2009.

Supplemental Reference

Knuth. The Art of Computer Programming: Vol 1-3 .

Course Structure and Expectations

Class meetings will be primarily a discussion of various algorithmic analysis concepts illustrated through pseudocode implementations. It is important to come to class prepared to ask questions related to the topic and/or work on practice exercises which are designed to reinforce the concepts from the lecture notes. There will be a series of written homework assignments to be completed individually.

All the programming assignments are cross platform using C/C++ with the CLion IDE (using the included CMake build system), see the Resources page for installation instructions.

There will be written homework assignments, a midterm empirical comparison report, four midterm exams, and a final project.

We will be covering a significant amount of material in the course at a rapid pace, so it is imperative that you keep up by participating in the class meetings.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

To apply asymptotic notation for the analysis of algorithms
To derive the efficiency of insertion, merge, heap, and quicksort sorting algorithms
To solve problems using the techniques of dynamic programming and greedy algorithms
To implement graph algorithms for solving BFS, DFS, MST, shortest path, and maximal flow problems
To gain a basic understanding of the concept of NP-completeness and several approximation algorithms applied to NP-complete problems

Policies

Grades

Your overall grade for the course will be determined as follows:

Homework assignments: 14%
Midterm empirical comparison report: 6%
Midterm exams: 70%
Final project: 10%

Grades are assigned on a 100-point scale:

Numeric Range Letter Grade

90-100 A (4.0)

87-90 B+ (3.5)

80-87 B (3.0)

77-80 C+ (2.5)

70-77 C (2.0)

60-70 D (1.0)

0-60 F (0.0)

Numeric Range	Letter Grade
90-100	A (4.0)
87-90	B+ (3.5)
80-87	B (3.0)
77-80	C+ (2.5)
70-77	C (2.0)
60-70	D (1.0)
0-60	F (0.0)

Course website

Please check the course web page, http://ycpcs.github.io/cs360-spring2022/, regularly for important announcements.

Reading Assignments

Reading assignments are posted on the course schedule. I expect you to do the reading before class. Class time will be for asking questions about parts of the reading you did not understand to your satisfaction.

Homework assignments

Programming assignments will consist of written questions along with occasional implementation of pseudocode algorithmic solutions to the problems. Collaboration on homework assignments is encouraged, but each student must submit their own solutions that demonstrate their understanding of the material.

Each student will self-assess their assignment solutions using the posted solutions making corrections in red ink.

All homework assignments will be submitted as a single .pdf to Canvas. If you have handwritten solutions, PLEASE USE A SCANNER APP to generate the .pdf. You are responsible for ensuring your submission is legible.

Late assignments will be marked down 20% per day late. No credit will be given for assignments that are more than three (3) days late.

Empirical Comparison Report

Several homework assignments will include implementation of various sorting algorithms to generate empirical data for different size inputs. The comparison report will require students to examine the fit of the empirical data to asymptotic bounds, and then provide a detailed discussion of how the different sorting algorithms compare with each other. Further details will be provided later in the semester.

Exams

No make-up exams will be given without approval of the instructor prior to class unless proof of extreme emergency or illness is provided.

You must receive a score of 70+ on AT LEAST ONE exam to earn a passing grade for the course.

Exams will include an in-class portion along with a take-home portion. The in-class portion will be closed book, but you will be allowed to use all the resources from the course including the textbook, lecture notes, example problems/solutions, and homework solutions for the take-home portion. All exams will be submitted as a single .pdf to Canvas. If you have handwritten solutions, PLEASE USE A SCANNER APP to generate the .pdf. You are responsible for ensuring your submission is legible.

No credit will be given for late or illegible exams.

Final Project

The project will be on a topic of interest not covered in class. The intent is to provide an opportunity for the student to investigate current research. The project will consist of a short written report and an oral presentation. Further details will be provided later in the semester.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes and read the appropriate text material prior to class. If you must miss a class, it is your responsibility to notify the professor prior to class. Students are responsible for all material covered in class.

You may work ahead and submit any assignments early, but you must not fall behind. Class time is intended to be used for answering questions about the reading, labs, and assignments. You are responsible for keeping up with the reading assignments as described in the schedule.

Professionalism

I expect you to conduct yourself as a professional in this course. Professionalism includes:

Respect for and courteous interaction with peers, faculty and facilities;
Integrity, which includes at its core honesty, responsibility and accountability for one’s own actions;
Sensitivity and appreciation for diverse cultures, backgrounds, and life experiences;
Constructive evaluation, which means that criticism is offered and accepted in a productive manner;
Self-reflection and identification of one’s own strengths and weaknesses;
Responsibility for one’s own education and learning;
An attitude that fosters professional behavior in colleagues and peers;
Punctuality at meetings and class sessions;
Attentive behavior during class sessions, avoiding personal or social use of cell phones, laptops, or other electronic devices;
Acknowledgement of the Kinsley Engineering Center as a professional workplace, and treatment of this facility as a business or office space, not as an informal space.

I reserve the right to enforce this code through the York College Code of Student Conduct.

Academic Integrity Policy (Philosophy Statement)

York College of Pennsylvania, as an institution of higher education, serves to promote and sustain the creation, acquisition, and dissemination of knowledge. In order to fulfill this purpose, an environment of integrity, dependability and honesty must be maintained by all members of the York College community. Without a foundation based on intellectual honesty and integrity, the very ability to uphold the academic endeavors that York College strives to pursue is inhibited. The Spartan Oath embodies the expectation that all members of the York College community foster an environment of integrity and responsibility. Recognize that adhering to an ethical standard of honesty leads to professional, mature and responsible citizens, and enables society at large to trust our scholarship, research, and conferred degrees. Thus, each member of the York College community must be truthful, honest, personally and professionally responsible, and respect the intellectual contributions of others.

The following policy pertains to all graded work in this course:

All graded (individual) assignments are to be completed individually. I encourage you to discuss high level concepts with other students, but any work you submit must be yours alone.

Direct copying of solutions or work from other students, web sites, or other sources is absolutely forbidden under any circumstances.

Any sources (books, websites, articles, fellow students, etc.), except for the course textbook and lecture notes, that you consult in completing an assignment must be properly acknowledged. In general, I strongly discourage you from using any resource not explicitly listed in the course syllabus or on the course web page but rather asking the instructor for assistance.

Exams must be completed individually using only the resources from the course.

You may work with other students on labs. However, we do expect you to complete and submit them, and they count towards your participation grade: see “Lab Policy” below.

Definition of Academic Dishonesty

Engaging in academic dishonesty is a violation of the school’s academic integrity policy and is not tolerated at York College. Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, cheating on assignments or examinations, plagiarism (i.e. passing someone else’s words or ideas off as one’s own without proper attribution), improper paraphrasing, fabricating research, falsifying academic documents, handing in material completed for another course, and submitting work not done independently (unless part of an explicitly collaborative project).

Academic Integrity Procedure – Reporting

When a faculty member believes a student has violated the Academic Integrity Policy, the faculty member is encouraged to discuss the incident in person with the student promptly, identifying the sanction he or she is going to apply. The faculty member should then reiterate the charge and sanction in writing to the student.
The faculty member has full discretion to determine a suitable sanction, such as a “0” on the assignment in question, up to a course grade of “0”. In the case of an egregious first offense, the faculty member may request that the Student Welfare Committee conduct a hearing and determine a sanction, which may involve academic probation, suspension, or dismissal from the College.
The faculty member has ten days from the written notification to the student to report the incident to the Department Chair and Associate Provost of Academic Services. The faculty member must submit as part of the report: 1) a detailed description of the incident, 2) a course syllabus, 3) an assignment sheet or assignment instructions, 4) the assignment in question, and 5) supporting documentation, such as copied material. The documentation will be kept on file in the student’s permanent record.
Students cannot withdraw from a course in which they have been accused of academic dishonesty, until the accusation is withdrawn by the faculty member, or is overturned by the Student Welfare Committee or the Associate Provost of Academic Services. Academic Integrity Procedure – Appeals
Students who believe they have been unjustly charged or sanctioned have ten days after receiving written notification from their instructor regarding the incident to file an appeal with the Student Welfare Committee by submitting a formal letter to the Associate Provost of Academic Services.
If an appeal is filed, the Student Welfare Committee will schedule a hearing which includes inviting the student and faculty member to attend to provide additional information or clarity regarding the incident. The Student Welfare Committee will then review the charge and/or sanction.
If the Associate Provost of Academic Services determines that the incident of academic dishonesty is the student’s second or subsequent offense, he or she will provide written documentation to the student, faculty member, and Department Chair. The Student Welfare Committee will automatically conduct a hearing to review the charge and decide on an appropriate sanction: academic probation, suspension or dismissal from the College.
Academic Services will receive written notification of the Student Welfare Committee’s decision. Students who are unsatisfied with the decision may submit a second and final written appeal to the Associate Provost of Academic Services within 72 hours of receiving notification of the Student Welfare Committee’s decision. All decisions made by the Associate Provost of Academic Services will be final.

Use of Personal Technology in the Classroom

While York College recognizes students’ need for educational and emergency-related technological devices such as laptops, PDA’s, cellular phones, etc., using them unethically or recreationally during class time is never appropriate. The college recognizes and supports faculty members’ authority to regulate in their classrooms student use of all electronic devices.

Communication Standards

York College recognizes the importance of effective communication in all disciplines and careers. Therefore, students are expected to competently analyze, synthesize, organize, and articulate course material in papers, examinations and presentations. In addition, students should know and use communication skills current to their field of study, recognize the need for revision as part of their writing process, and employ standard conventions of English usage in both writing and speaking. Students may be asked to further revise assignments that do not demonstrate effective use of these communication skills.

Student Accessibility Services

In accordance with the provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, York College and its faculty are obliged to make reasonable classroom and physical accommodations for students with disabilities. If you are a student with a disability in need of classroom accommodations and have not already registered with Student Accessibility Services, please see the SAS webpage for more information and to complete the online form to apply for accommodations. You may also contact sas@ycp.edu to establish the accommodations for which you are eligible.

Disclaimer

This syllabus is subject to change by the instructor.