The course provides basic knowledge and methods for the design and analysis of fast and well-founded (correct) algorithms that solve new problems with the use of computers. The intuitive notion of time complexity is applied in a strict sense. After completion of this course, you should be able to:
Grades are based on the points in the written exam. Point limits for the grades 3, 4, 5 and G, VG will be announced.
Computational problems in practice rarely occur in nice textbook form. We must be able to apply general algorithm design techniques to new problems, or at least adapt and adjust known algorithms to new variants of known problems. Therefore this course is problem-oriented and the exam will require problem solving, too.
Moreover one cannot learn these skills just by listening, or by reading a lot of solutions written by others. (Compare to other skills: One cannot learn to play a musical instrument just be watching others playing. Of course, one has to practice.) It is important to invest own work and actively solve problems. The course offers possibilities for that, by doing assignments.
While they are voluntary, it is strongly recommended to work on these problems as much as you can. Then you will be in a much better position in the exam, but we also hope that you work on them because you find them interesting as such.
Exercise sessions:
The three exercise sessions within a week are
identical. Choose one of the three time slots. If one session is too
crowded, we may ask you to consider a later time.
In the sessions, assistants will discuss solutions to a few selected exercises
from the book, but the major part is intended to be a question hour
where you can work on the assignments and get help. (However, we will not give
away solutions.) This is also a place to discuss and to ask questions about the
course contents in general.
Written solutions to assignments:
Most importantly, train your
ability to communicate solutions in written form. Even when you have solved an exercise and the solution seems clear to you, comprehensible writing remains a
non-trivial part of the job. Moreover, in the exam you must do it - and
you want the graders to understand your solutions. We advise you to submit
written solutions to the assignments, as many as you can. The deadline is
always Sunday 23:59. (Of course, you may submit earlier.) All
assignments shall be done individually. Discussion is encouraged, but what you
submit must be written in your own words and reflect your own understanding.
Submission details: see below.
Seeking more help:
Feel free to send any questions or to book
consultations by mail. You may also drop by our offices, but we may be busy or
away, therefore it is advisable to make appointments by mail.
First create an account in Fire. You do this only once. As all assignments are individual, you don't have to create a group in Fire.
To create an account: Go to the submission system. Bookmark the link (you will need it again), click on "Click here to register as a student" and fill in your email address (preferably your student address). You will get a mail with a web address. Click this address, it leads you to a page where you can fill in your data: name, personal number, and a password. Spell your name correctly as "Firstname Surname" (only the most commonly used first name is needed, with big initial letters) and write your personal number as yymmdd-xxxx with the dash, i.e., the minus sign. Log on using the account you have just created.
To submit a solution: Log on to Fire again. Upload the file(s) that make up your solution. Finally press the "submit" button. (This is easy to forget.) Fire will close exactly at the given deadlines, therefore, do not wait until the last minute.
Solutions should be submitted as PDF files, created with a word processor or latex or by scanning handwritten sheets - provided that they are readable. Your files must contain your name. Send a separate file for each problem.
From the grader you will receive a mail with comments. You can also download the comments from Fire. Special remark: By default you will always get "fail"; this has only technical reasons (possibility to resubmit an improved solution) and does not mean anything. Only the comments are of interest.