CIS 440—Summer 2013
Texas A&M University Central Texas
CIS 440-110 Algorithm Design and Analysis
TR 4:45 pm – 7:15 pm
Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
Email:
Office Hours:
Dr. Timothy G. Woodcock
323G - Founders Hall
254-519-5783
WoodcockTG@ct.tamus.edu
TW – Noon to 4:00 PM or by appointment
Course Overview and description:
Introduces the modern study of computer algorithms with emphasis on how to select the best
algorithm for a task considering the specific computing environment. Students extensively study
searching and sorting algorithms for their importance in computing. Other topics include:
efficiency, readability, maintainability, advanced design and analysis techniques, advanced data
structures, and graph algorithms.
Course Objective:
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Review "Big-O" notation as a means of expressing relative efficiency of an algorithm:
Review sorting algorithms with emphasis on sophisticated sorts using "divide and
conquer" approaches and variations of the quick sort.
Examine the "divide and conquer" approach to other programming problems. Study
recursion as it applies to binary search and quick sort.
Study graphs as mathematical representations of networks. Review graph manipulation
algorithms including spanning tree and shortest path traversal algorithms. Implement a
program to find the shortest path in a graph.
Understand the difference between an abstract structure/algorithm and a concrete
implementation. Study examples of algorithms described in natural language, structured
natural language, and pseudocode.
Introduce the use of heuristic methods as "good enough" methods to attack otherwise
unsolvable problems. Apply heuristics in a program to solve the traveling salesman
problem.
Understand the "space versus time versus complexity" trade-off in designing programs.
Evaluate selected data structures and algorithms for strengths and weaknesses in terms of
space, time, and complexity.
Apply the "NP-Completeness" theorem to the identification of intractable problems.
Demonstrate the ability to incorporate an algorithm into a program.
Required Reading and Textbook(s):
“Analysis of Algorithms 2th Ed”, McConnell, Jones and Bartlett
Note - A student of this institution is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from a
university-affiliated bookstore.
CIS 440—Summer 2013
Course Requirements:
There will be one term paper worth 300 points. The paper must be a review of on the work of
one of the authors referenced in Appendix D of the class text. This paper should NOT be a
biography of the author, but a review of the work, discoveries, and papers of the author. The
instructor must approve the author selected before the second week of class. The paper style
must be the APA style. A minimum of three reference are required and all must be from peer
reviewed journal articles or conference papers. (An automatic 20 points will be deducted for
using Wikipedia or the class text as a reference.) This paper should be at least 10 pages long.
Grading Rubric
Met the criteria
Partially met the
criteria
Late – Topic
approved by
March 1st
7 points
Did not meet
criteria
Not done or
done after March
1st
0 points
Paper topic
approved before
second week of
class
15 points
Strict APA style
(see APA
Format Guide)
85 points
At least 3
references from
peer reviewed
journals
30 points
Spelling and
grammar
85 points
On time
15 points
In APA style
85 points
Incomplete or
incorrect
60 to 5 points
Not in APA
style
0 points
Three references
from peer
reviewed
journals
30 points
No issues
85 points
Less than three
peer reviewed
references
25 to 5 points
No references or
use of Wikipedia
or class text
0 points
Using passive
voice or minor
grammar issues
80 to 5 points
Ideas not well
expressed or
paper poorly
organized.
65 to 25 points
More than 10
grammar or
spelling issues
0 points
Very unclear
0 points
Paper is about
the author’s
work, NOT a
biography of the
author
85 points
Clear and well
organized
Describes the
author’s work
85 points
There will be seven assignments each worth 100 points. All assignments except Project 5 must
be turned in as either a Word document or a zip file. Each Word or zip file must be named with
your last name followed by the assignment number (i.e. Woodcock Project 1.docx). Reports will
be graded on spelling and grammar as well as on demonstrating that the calculations, programs
and measurements were correctly implemented. Project 5 must be turned in as a zipped project
folder that is named with your last name.
CIS 440—Summer 2013
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Project 1 –Programming Exercise 4 on page 58. Calculate the recurrence relations first,
then write and execute the program. Submit the results only in a word document.
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Project 2 – Programming Exercise 2 on page 128. Submit a report showing the results.
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Project 3 – Do Exercise 1 on page 187. Submit a report showing the results.
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Project 4 – Programming Exercise 3 on page 225. Submit a report showing the results.
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Project 5 – Programming Exercise 1 on page 264. Submit a report showing the results.
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Project 6- Write a program to implement a simple Language Acceptor Turing
Machine. Submit the zip project folder, named with your last name. Make the Turing
Machine programmable so you can accept different languages.
Program the Turing Machine to accept the language {anbncn: n>=1}
Program the Turing Machine to accept the language {anbcn: n>0}
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Project 7 – Programming Exercise 9 on page 398. Run the exercise 50 times and submit
a report showing all the data from each run and your analysis of the results.
Grading Criteria Rubric
Assignment
Projects
Term Paper
Grade
A
B
C
D
F
Total
Points
700
300
Complete Course Calendar
Date
6/4/2013
6/6/2013
6/11/2013
6/13/2013
6/18/2013
Topic
Assignment
Chapter 1 & 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Project 1 Due
Project 2 Due
Points
900-1000
800-899
700-799
600-699
Below 600
CIS 440—Summer 2013
Date
Topic
Assignment
6/20/2013 Chapter 6
6/25/2013 Chapter 6
Project 3 Due
6/27/2013 Chapter 6
7/2/2013 Chapter 7
Term paper Due
7/4/2013 Fourth of July No Class
7/9/2013
7/11/2013
7/16/2013
7/18/2013
7/23/2013
7/25/2013
7/26/2013
Chapter 8
Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 9
Grades must be
submitted to
Registrar by
4:00PM
Project 4 Due
Project 5 Due
Project 6 Due
Project 7 Due
Drop Policy
If you discover that you need to drop this class, you must go to the Records Office and ask for
the necessary paperwork. Professors cannot drop students; this is always the responsibility of the
student. The record’s office will provide a deadline for which the form must be returned,
completed and signed. Once you return the signed form to the records office and wait 24 hours,
you must go into Duck Trax and confirm that you are no longer enrolled. If you are still enrolled
FOLLOW-UP with the records office immediately. You are to attend class until the procedure is
complete to avoid penalty for absence. Should you miss the deadline or fail to follow the
procedure, you will receive an F in the course.
Academic Integrity Statement
Texas A&M University - Central Texas expects all students to maintain high standards of
personal and scholarly conduct. Students found responsible of academic dishonesty are subject to
disciplinary action. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an
examination or other academic work, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials.
The faculty member is responsible for initiating action for each case of academic dishonesty and
CIS 440—Summer 2013
report the incident to the Director of Student Affairs. More information can be found at
www.ct.tamus.edu/StudentConduct.
Disability Support and Access
Texas A&M University – Central Texas complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. TAMUCT promotes the use of the
Principles of Universal Design to ensure that course design and activities are accessible to the
greatest extent possible. Students who require reasonable accommodations based on the impact
of a disability should contact Gail Johnson, Disability Support Coordinator at (254) 501-5831 in
Student Affairs, Office 114E. The Disability Support Coordinator is responsible for reviewing
documentation provided by students requesting accommodations, determining eligibility for
accommodations, helping students request and use accommodations, and coordinating
accommodations.
Tutoring
Tutoring is available to all TAMUCT students, both on-campus and online. Subjects tutored
include Accounting, Finance, Statistics, Mathematics, and Writing (APA). Tutors are available at
the Tutoring Center in Founder's Hall, Room 204, and also in the Library in the North Building.
Visit www.ct.tamus.edu/AcademicSupport and click "Tutoring Support" for tutor schedules and
contact info. If you have questions, need to schedule a tutoring session, or if you're interested in
becoming a tutor, contact Academic Support Programs at 254-501-5830 or by emailing
cecilia.morales@ct.tamus.edu.
Chat live with a tutor 24/7 for almost any subject on your computer! Tutor.com is an online
tutoring platform that enables TAMU-CT students to log-in and receive FREE online tutoring
and writing support. This tool provides tutoring in Mathematics, Writing, Career Writing,
Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Spanish, Calculus, and Statistics. To access Tutor.com, click
on www.tutor.com/tamuct.
Library Services
INFORMATION LITERACY focuses on research skills, which prepare individuals to live and
work in an information-centered society. Librarians will work with students in the development
of critical reasoning, ethical use of information, and the appropriate use of secondary research
techniques. Help may include, yet is not limited to: exploration of information resources such as
library collections and services, identification of subject databases and scholarly journals, and
execution of effective search strategies. Library Resources are outlined and accessed at.
http://www.tarleton.edu/centraltexas/departments/library/
UNILERT
Emergency Warning System for Texas A&M University – Central Texas
UNILERT is an emergency notification service that gives Texas A&M University-Central Texas
the ability to communicate health and safety emergency information quickly via email and text
message. By enrolling in UNILERT, university officials can quickly pass on safety-related
CIS 440—Summer 2013
information, regardless of your location. Please enroll today at http://TAMUCT.org/UNILERT
INSTRUCTOR POLICIES
Students should come to class prepared, ready to ask questions and participate in discussions.
While in other classes, the direct quoting of other authors is considered acceptable; in this class,
it is not acceptable. You may not directly quote any other published paper, web site, or textbook
in any writing assignment, including papers, homework, discussion boards, PowerPoint
presentations, or any other written assignments. The simple reason for this is that copying
(quoting) is a lower level skill. However, reading, understanding, and then communicating the
ideas in your own words is a high level skill, which is the skill that I want you to develop.
Dr. Woodcock reserves the right to modify this syllabus during the semester.
Instructor Information
Dr. Woodcock has a PhD in Computer Science from Florida Atlantic University. He has over 25
years of real world experience working for IBM and Sony-Ericsson. Dr. Woodcock believes that
you will learn best by being engaged in class, asking questions, participating in discussion, and
doing the hands on exercises.
This class will be a lot of work, but it will also be fun.