COMP171 Data Structures and Algorithms

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COMP171 Data Structures and Algorithms

• Spring 2009

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Lectures

• Instructor Long QUAN
• Lectures
• L2 Wed Friday 3h-4h20pm
• L3 Mon Wed 9h-10h20
• Web site http//www.cse.ust.hk/quan/comp171/inde
  x.htm
• Lecture notes and tutorial material
• Assignments, test cases and solutions
• Download course material before class
• Tutorials
• 2A (Mondays, 1500 1650, Room 2463, Victor
  Cheung)
• 2B (Wednesdays, 1500 1650, Room 2463, Zhang
  Kai)
• 2C (Fridays, 1500 1650, Room 2463, George Lo)

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Textbook

• Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis in C,
  Mark Allen Weiss
• - Latest version 3rd Edition
• - Source codes are available online
• - Available at library for 2-hour loan

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Grading Scheme

• Grading is based on
• Written Assignments (2510)
• Programming Assignments (31030)
• Midterm Examination (25)
• Final Examination (35)

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Plagiarism Policy

• 1st Time both get 0
• 2nd Time need to terminate
• Midterm or Final an automatic FAIL

You are encouraged to collaborate in study
groups. But, you cannot copy or slightly change
other students solutions or codes
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Course Overview

• A fundamental computer science course
• - Essential for programming
• - Essential for advanced courses, e.g. 271
• A challenging course, which needs
• - Programming
• - Mathematical and logic thinking

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Course Prerequisite

• COMP103 or COMP104
• Need to know C and C
• Visual Studio or other PC programming environment
• Good programming skills
• Translate pseudo-codes into codes
• Speedy review in the 1st week
• COMP151
• Not essential
• Highly recommended to be taken concurrently
• Basic mathematical skills
• Solving recursive equations, manipulation of
  symbols, etc.
• Computer architecture
• Pointers, storage, memory access, etc.

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Course Outline

• C review
• Lists, stacks, and queues
• Algorithmic asymptotic analysis
• Big-Oh, big-Theta, and big-Gamma
• Sorting
• Insertion, radix, mergesort, quicksort, heapsort,
  etc.
• Lowest bound on sorting
• Search trees
• Binary search tree
• AVL tree
• B tree
• Graphs
• Breadth-first search
• Depth-first search
• Hashing

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Overall Goal of the Course

• From programmer to architect
• Learn to solve problems
• Algorithms and Programming go hand in hand
• Learn to analyze your solutions

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Lecture Format

• Lectures
• Slides are available before class
• It is important to attend the lectures (because
  not all material and concepts are covered in
  slides)
• If you miss any lectures, learn from your friends
• Tutorials
• Supplement the lectures
• Some important exercises
• Welcome to attend other tutorials if you miss the
  your signed session
• Programming and homework assignments
• More rigorous problems to consolidate your
  knowledge

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Assignments

• Written assignments
• Due by time specified
• Contact TAs directly for re-grades
• Re-grade requests will only be entertained within
  1 week after the homework are handed back
• Late policy 20 reduction, allows only one day
  late.
• Programming assignments
• Due by time specified
• Run on PC
• Submit it using CASS
• Re-grade policy will be announced
• Late policy 20 reduction, allows only one day
  late.

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Midterm and Final Examinations

• Midterm Thur, April, 12th 2007, 7-930pm
  (LTA, LTB)
• Final TBA
• Closed-book, closed-notes
• No make-ups will be given
• Unless under very unusual circumstances, with
  letters of proof
• Instructor informed beforehand