CS477/677: Analysis of Algorithms

Fall 2005

General Information Course Description Syllabus Assignments/Grading Announcements



Instructor: Monica Nicolescu

E-mail:monica@cs.unr.edu
Office:SEM 239
Phone:(775) 784-1687
Office hours:Tuesday & Thursday: 11:00am-noon

Teaching assistant: Eric Fritzinger

E-mail:ericf@unr.nevada.edu
Office:LME 321
Phone:TBD
Office hours:Monday: 2:30pm-4:30pm, Wednesday & Thursday: 3:30pm-4:30pm

Time and Place

Tuesday, Thursday: 9:30-10:45am, SEM 326

Required Textbook

Introduction to Algorithms, Second Edition, 2001.
Authors: Thomas H. Cormen, Charles E. Leiserson, Ronald L. Rivest and Clifford Stein



Course description

The design and analysis of algorithms is the core subject matter of Computer Science. Given a problem, we want to (a) find an algorithm to solve the problem, (b) prove that the algorithm solves the problem correctly, and (c) prove that we cannot solve the problem any faster. Designing an algorithm for a computational problem involves knowledge of the problem domain, a thorough knowledge of the data structures that are available and suitable and no small measure of creativity. This course concentrates on the above problems, studying useful algorithmic design techniques, and methods for analyzing algorithms.

Prerequisites

CS 365. Good knowledge of data structures (such as linked lists and trees) and a good mathematical background are required.



Syllabus

Following are the topics that will be discussed, listed in the approximate order in which they will be covered.
  • Introduction/Mathematical Foundations (Chapters 1, 3, Appendix A)
  • Recurrences (Chapter 4)
  • Sorting Algorithms (Chapters 2, 8)
  • Randomized Algorithms (Chapters 5, 7, 9)
  • Data Structures (Chapters 6, 11, 12, 13, 14)
  • Greedy Algorithms (Chapter 16)
  • Dynamic Programming (Chapter 15)
  • Graph Algorithms (Appendix B4, Chapters 22, 23, 24, 25)
  • Selected Topics (Chapters 28, 30, 31, 34, 35)

Class schedule

The topics presented and the lecture notes for each class will gradually be posted below as we cover them in the class. The assignments and their due dates will also be posted in this table. Please check this web page regularly for updates.

Date Topic Readings Assignments

Aug 30

Introduction Chapter 1 ---

Sep 1

Asymptotic notations, recurrences Chapter 3, Appendix A ---

Sep 6

Solving recurrences Chapter 4 Hw1 out

Sep 8

Sorting Chapter 2 ---

Sep 13

Sorting: Mergesort, Quicksort --- Hw2 out

Sep 15

Sorting: Quicksort --- ---

Sep 20

Selection --- Hw3 out

Sep 22

Sorting in Linear Time --- ---

Sep 27

Heaps, Heapsort --- Hw4 out

Sep 29

Binary-search trees --- ---

Oct 4

Red-black trees --- Hw5 out

Oct 6

Augmenting data structures --- ---

Oct 11

Hashing --- ---

Oct 13

Mid-term review --- ---

Oct 18

MID-TERM --- ---

Oct 20

Hash Tables --- ---

Oct 25

Dynamic Programming --- Hw6 out

Oct 26

Dynamic Programming --- ---

Nov 1

Dynamic Programming --- Hw7 out

Nov 3

Dynamic Programming --- ---

Nov 8

Dynamic Programming, Greedy Algorithms --- ---

Nov 10

Greedy Algorithms, Graph Algorithms --- ---

Nov 15

Graph Algorithms: BFS, DFS --- Hw8 out

Nov 17

Topological Sort, Strongly Connected Components --- ---

Nov 22

Minimum Spanning Trees --- ---

Nov 24

Thanksgiving Day --- ---

Nov 29

Shortest Path Algorithms --- Hw9 out
Deadline extended to Dec 13
Submit to CS Department

Dec 1

No class --- ---

Dec 6

Shortest Paths Algorithms --- ---

Dec 8

Shortest Paths Algorithms, NP-Completeness --- ---

Dec 13

No class - Review material --- ---

Dec 16

Final Exam: comprehensive, with emphasis on material after mid-term --- ---



Assignments and grading

Homework assignments: There will be 10 homework assignments. The homeworks and their due dates will be posted on the course web page. Homeworks are due on their specified date at the beginning of the class. Some assignments will contain extra-credit problems and some may have a programming component. For each assignment the undergraduate students are required to solve the problems labeled U-required, while graduate students are required to solve all the problems. For the assignments that include extra-credit problems, the undergraduate students can earn extra-credit by solving either the extra-credit or the graduate level problems. Solutions to all the problems assigned will be provided.

Please make sure that you have a CS department computer account - you will need it for the programming assignments. You can obtain a CS department account by filling out the account registration form at the CS department.

Late policy: each late homework will incur a 10% penalty for each day of delay, but no homeworks may be submitted later than 3 days after the deadline.

Academic integrity: Students are encouraged to study together, however each student must individually prepare his/her solutions. Cheating or plagiarism are not permitted and will be sanctioned according with the UNR policy on Academic Standards. You should carefully read the section on Academic Dishonesty found in the UNR Student Handbook (copies of this section are on-line). Your continued enrollment in this course implies that you have read it, and that you subscribe to the principles stated therein.

Exams: there will be one mid-term and one final exam. Both exams will be closed books, closed notes. Permission to take exams on other dates than scheduled will not be given, except for extreme medical emergencies.

Grading policy (tentative, subject to change):
Homework:40%
Mid-term:25%
Final exam:30%
Attendance and class participation:5%

Grading scheme (tentative, subject to change):
A:90 and above
B:80-89
C:65-79
D:55-64
F:<55




Announcements

Announcements regarding the assignments or other updates will be posted on the class web page and also sent by e-mail. Please check your UNR e-mail account, as this is the address I will use to contact you. If needed, implement e-mail forwarding.



Created by: Monica NICOLESCU (e-mail:monica@cs.unr.edu)
Last update: 08/17/2005