Instructor: David Yang (e-mail: david.yang@csueastbay.edu, 885-3449 -- if you have to leave a message, use email)

In this course, we will:

• introduce principles for organizing data (data structures),
• discuss how to write well-defined solutions (algorithms), which typically make use of data structures
• and discuss how to compare different data structures and algorithms, especially for solving problems involving large amounts of data

Data structures and algorithms are important in almost any field within computer science. Whether rendering a dinosaur, analyzing data in a data warehouse, laying the wires on the design of a CPU chip, or approximating the integral of a function, algorithms are necessary to solve the problem. Consider Google's success, which is clearly not based on elaborate graphics or great advertising. Google was late to the search engine business, but has been touted for the quality of the results you get from their search engine. These results are the product of superior algorithms. More generally, the design of a solution to a problem turns out to be more important than the implementation.

At the same time, programming and the abstract problem solving skills required to write program are essential for getting something out of a computer science degree. Even if you are majoring in another field or find employment in another area, developing solutions to problems and comparing alternative solutions are common responsibilities for a job. We will be doing a lot of programming in this course, both on your assignments and in your exams.

The material for this course course is covered in part of the comprehensive exam.

Prerequisites: You are expected to be comfortable with the material in the following courses or their equivalents. In particular, you will be doing a lot of programming in either C++ or Java.

• CS 2360 Programming Methods and Introduction to Software Engineering
• CS 2430 Computer Organization and Assembly Language Programming
• (recommended for most) CS 3120 Programming Language Concepts

CS 2360 is important because you do need to know how to program in order to do the assignments and the exams. The concepts we cover and the conclusions we make will be language-independent, but you need to be able to implement the solutions as well. C++ or Java both happen to provide meaningful support for some of the concepts we will learn.

CS 2430 is important for understanding the effects of data structure design as well as practical limitations for both data structures and algorithms.

CS 3120 offers practice with recursion, a truly practical use of the stack data structure. Furthermore, it is helpful in understanding how the concepts in this course are not limited to just C++-like languages.

Text:
Dale, C++ Plus Data Structures, 3rd ed., 2003, Jones & Bartlett, ISBN: 0-7637-0481-4.
OR
(for those planning on using Java) Dale, Joyce and Weems, Object-Oriented Data Structures Using Java, Jones and Bartlett, 2002. ISBN: 0-7637-1079-2

Calculation of your grade:There will be two exams during the quarter, worth 15% each. The final is worth 30% of your final grade. Homework assignments (written and programming) are worth 30% of your grade. There will be a lab component of this course that will primarily be done in class and will be worth 10% of your grade.

Lateness: Assignments need to be submitted to me through Blackboard by the deadline. Exceptions will be made under extreme conditions, but this would mean something like a school closing/power outage.

Final grades will be given according to the following scale: 

93-100 A, 90-92 A-, 87-89 B+, 83-86 B, 80-82 B-, 77-79 C+, 73-76 C, 70-72 C-, 

67-69 D+, 60-66 D, 0-59 F

Academic Honesty: This course will follow the University's standard policy on academic dishonesty. In particular, any cheating, or assisting another students cheating on any test, or the final exam will be penalized by either a zero on the test, or by failure of the course, at my discretion.

Finally, if you cheat (whether you do the copying or let someone copy) twice during this course, you will automatically fail the course. Remember that the University may inflict further penalties than listed here under the provisions of the published Academic Dishonesty Policy. 

Attendance: You need to come to class. This is a quite intensive course, and there will be weekly lab sessions where you will get direct help. If nothing else, I offer up the fact that attendance has a very high correlation with high grades, both on exams and the final grade.

Classrooms: 

Monday, Wednesday noon-1:10pm North Science 112 (NEW ROOM)
Friday noon-1:10pm North Science 337 (opposite the Math and CS office)

Office Hours

Click here for the class schedule (in XML format, so you need to use IE 6.0 to look at it)