SCS Curriculum Reinvention Committee

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COMP 1405/1406 Redesign

Topic Brainstorming

Add topics here at the end of the section. Please don't remove anything!

• WHAT IS COMPUTER SCIENCE
  • problem solving
  • algorithms
  • abstraction and problem decomposition
  • efficiency ??
• PSEUDO-CODE ??
• SEQUENCING INSTRUCTIONS
  • top down coding in sequence (e.g., draw a house)
• VARIABLES
  • declaring vs. assigning
  • memory usage ??
  • constants
  • examples:
    • compute simple math formulas
    • interactive input (e.g., use mouse position)
    • motion (if doing graphics)
• Numbers
  • integers
  • floats
• CONDITIONALS
  • simple IF/ELSE
  • nested IF
  • booleans(AND/OR)
  • examples:
    • make choices based on runtime input
    • basic state machine
    • edge cases / error checking
• ITERATION
  • repeating X times (REPEAT)
  • counting (FOR)
  • repeating until condition (WHILE)
  • nested loops
  • examples
    • sum/avg/max/min
    • counting matches
    • MonteCarlo approximation
    • loop until user input
    • searching (find first match)
• ARRAYS (1D and 2D)
  • initializing and memory usage
  • simple 1D (sum.avg/max/min)
  • insert/remove
  • copy/growing array
• Optimization
  • e.g., knapsack
  • greedy
• Simulation
  • virus clearing
  • Roomba
• Abstract data types
• Sorting
• Search
  • linear
  • binary
  • exhaustive
• Divide and conquer
• Dynamic programming
• FORMATTING
  • string manipulation
  • display in columns (i.e., tabbing)
  • display dates/times
• Data structures
  • lists
  • structures
  • tuples
  • binary trees
  • dictionaries
  • sets
  • stacks, queues
• Complexity analysis
  • informal
• OBJECTS
  • instance variables
  • initialization (constructors)
  • shared references
  • static vs. instance
• FUNCTIONS and PROCEDURES
  • simple computations and return values
  • passing parameters
  • passing arrays as parameters
  • helper methods
• RECURSION (likely 1406 material?)
  • inductive definitions of data and associated recursion patterns.
  • direct vs. indirect
  • tail recursion
  • examples:
    • math problems (factorial/sum/avg)
    • searching mazes
    • iterate a non recursive data structure (array)
    • iterate a recursive data structure (e.g., tree)
• PERSISTENCE (likely 1406 material?)
  • writing files
  • reading files
  • parsing files
• WINDOWING
  • display text output
  • get textfield input
  • buttons
  • design and layout
  • handling events
  • menus
  • dialog boxes
• GRAPHICS
  • drawing with lines/shapes
  • grabbing/selecting/moving graphical objects
• User interaction
• PROPER CODING STYLE
  • encapsulation
  • polymorphism
  • private/public/protected data
• INHERITANCE
  • class hierarchies
  • abstract vs. concrete classes ?
  • overriding/inheriting methods
  • type-casting (needed if JAVA used) ?
• NETWORKING ?? (1406 ... as interesting examples)
  • read internet page
  • two applications talk over network
• Event-driven programming
• Model-View-Controller (more for 1406)
• Database APIs
  • Allow use of key/value stores as used by standard websites
• Testing and debugging
  • design vs. implementation errors
  • basic test cases, regression testing?
  • basic debugger usage
  • strategies for identifying and fixing programming problems
• Software licenses
  • open source and commercial
  • restrictions on reuse
• How to read code
• editing and building software
  • basic IDE usage
• commenting, code formatting guidelines
• revision control
  • have students grab class code from this, pull updates
  • make commits/push to submit?
• Understanding APIs
  • basic idea of contract, side effects
• Concurrency/parallel code
  • maybe not standard locking but some clean parallel constructs?
• Relative costs of operations
  • memory vs. I/O vs. computation
  • very basic benchmarking
  • main idea: know that you can't predict what is going to be fast in practice w/o tests

• my first wiki entry ever! - djh

Should we copy the MIT 6.00 outline here?

Sub categories?

Yes, we can add sub categories here.

COMP1405 LIST OF TOPICS (UNORDERED) FOR WEEKLY OUTLINE (Mark's Opinion)

• WHAT IS COMPUTER SCIENCE
  • problem solving
  • algorithms
  • abstraction and problem decomposition
  • divide and conquer
  • efficiency (just an intro to the ideas behind it)
• PSEUDO-CODE
• SEQUENCING INSTRUCTIONS
  • top down coding in sequence (e.g., draw a house)
• VARIABLES
  • declaring vs. assigning
  • memory usage (how memory is affected)
  • constants
  • examples:
    • compute simple math formulas
    • interactive input (e.g., use mouse position)
    • motion (if doing graphics)
• Numbers
  • integers
  • floats
• CONDITIONALS
  • simple IF/ELSE
  • nested IF
  • booleans(AND/OR)
  • examples:
    • make choices based on runtime input
    • basic state machine
    • edge cases / error checking
• ITERATION
  • repeating X times (REPEAT)
  • counting (FOR)
  • repeating until condition (WHILE)
  • nested loops
  • examples
    • sum/avg/max/min
    • counting matches
    • MonteCarlo approximation
    • loop until user input
    • searching (find first match)
• COMMENTING / CODE FORMATTING GUIDELINES
• ARRAYS (1D and 2D)
  • initializing and memory usage
  • simple 1D (sum.avg/max/min)
  • insert/remove
  • copy/growing array
• OBJECTS
  • instance variables
  • initialization (constructors)
  • shared references
  • static vs. instance
• FUNCTIONS and PROCEDURES
  • simple computations and return values
  • passing parameters
  • passing arrays as parameters
  • helper methods
• EVENT-DRIVEN PROGRAMMING (if using Processing)
• GRAPHICS (if using Processing)
  • drawing with lines/shapes
  • grabbing/selecting/moving graphical objects
• USER INTERACTION
• RELATIVE COSTS OF OPERATIONS
  • memory vs. I/O vs. computation
  • very basic benchmarking
  • main idea: know that you can't predict what is going to be fast in practice w/o tests
• SORTING
• SEARCH
  • linear
  • binary
  • exhaustive
• SIMULATION
  • virus clearing
  • Roomba
• HOW TO READ CODE ???

COMP1406 LIST OF TOPICS (UNORDERED) FOR WEEKLY OUTLINE (Mark's Opinion)

• EDITING AND BUILDING SOFTWARE
  • basic IDE usage
• RECURSION
  • inductive definitions of data and associated recursion patterns.
  • direct vs. indirect
  • tail recursion
  • examples:
    • math problems (factorial/sum/avg)
    • searching mazes
    • iterate a non recursive data structure (array)
    • iterate a recursive data structure (e.g., tree)
• PERSISTENCE
  • writing files
  • reading files
  • parsing files
• WINDOWING
  • display text output
  • get textfield input
  • buttons
  • design and layout
  • handling events
  • menus
  • dialog boxes
• EVENT-DRIVEN PROGRAMMING (if not using Processing in 1405)
• MODEL/VIEW/CONTROLLER
• GRAPHICS (if not using Processing in 1405)
  • drawing with lines/shapes
  • grabbing/selecting/moving graphical objects
• PROPER CODING STYLE
  • encapsulation
  • polymorphism
  • private/public/protected data
• INHERITANCE
  • class hierarchies
  • abstract vs. concrete classes ?
  • overriding/inheriting methods
  • type-casting (needed if JAVA used) ?
• NETWORKING
  • read internet page
  • two applications talk over network
• FORMATTING output nicely
  • string manipulation
  • display in columns (i.e., tabbing)
  • display dates/times
• ABSTRACT DATA TYPES / DATA STRUCTURES
  • lists
  • structures
  • tuples
  • binary trees
  • dictionaries
  • sets
  • stacks, queues
• TESTING AND DEBUGGING
  • design vs. implementation errors
  • basic test cases, regression testing?
  • basic debugger usage
  • strategies for identifying and fixing programming problems
• OPTIMIZATION
  • e.g., knapsack
  • greedy
• DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING

EXTRA LIST OF TOPICS TO ADD IF TIME PERMITS (Mark's Opinion)

• UNDERSTANDING APIs
  • basic idea of contract, side effects
• DATABASE APIs ???
  • Allow use of key/value stores as used by standard websites
• SOFTWARE LICENSES
  • open source and commercial
  • restrictions on reuse
• REVISION CONTROL
  • have students grab class code from this, pull updates
  • make commits/push to submit?
• CONCURRENCY/PARALLEL CODE
  • maybe not standard locking but some clean parallel constructs?

Sample weekly outline (Fall 2006)

1. Introduction Sept 7-8

    - intro to CS
    - class stuff

2. Algorithms Sept 11-15

    - what are they
    - intro to problem solving
    - statements
    - pseudocode

3. Variables Sept 18-22

    - concept
    - identifiers
    - assignment
    - expressions, arithmetic

4. Conditionals Sept 25-29

    - Decision statements
    - boolean operators
    - if / then / else
    - case / switch
    - going from problem description to conditional statement

5. Iteration Oct 2-6

    - idea of looping
    - starting / stopping / stepping
    - loop bodies
    - top and bottom loops
    - for loops
    - while loops
    - going from problem to loop statements

6. Subprograms Oct 9-13

    - idea of modularization
    - functions and procedures
    - parameter passing
    - variable scope
    - when to modularize (problem solving)

7. Computer architecture Oct 16-20

    - basic von Neumann architecture
    - linear memory organization
    - possibly midterm post-mortem in this week

8. Data structures 1: Arrays Oct 23-27

    - idea of data structures & collections
    - arrays & linear memory
    - array operations, initialization
    - relation to loops
    - 2D arrays
    - going from problem to array specification

9. Data structures 2: Structs Oct 30-Nov 3

    - idea of user-defined structures
    - why and when to use
    - examples

10. Searching Nov 6-10

    - a larger problem domain
    - linear and binary search
    - 'putting it all together' (arrays, loops, variables, etc)
    - introduction to algorithm analysis (just the idea that different

algorithms can take different time)

11. Sorting Nov 13-17

    - same basic structure as searching week
    - bubble sort and selection sort

12. Recursion Nov 20-24

    - introduction to the idea
    - base cases & recursive cases
    - composition steps (returning a value)

13. Review Nov 27-Dec 4

    - lab exam postmortem
    - review for the final

Textbooks

• Sedgewick and Wayne, Introduction to Programming in Java

Assignment problems

Please list your ideas for assignment problems below in your own subsection. Note that we are currently focusing on smaller problems that can be assembled into weekly assignments.

David's Processing Problems

Draw a face, draw a house, draw a robot. (basic straight-line code)

Logical drawing (draw simple forms based on mouse position)

Using for loops to augment drawing.

Grass:

Stars:

- change the size, color distribution of stars - draw stars only above the horizon - draw stars only inside a circle (telescope view)

- add freckles to the face, hair

Skyscraper: - drawing location based on loop variable

variants: some windows dark, some lit

draw entire city (collection of buildings)

base sky color and window distribution on mouse pointer (windows get dark as it gets later)

Simple image processing:

Convert colored image to greyscale

Convert image to black and white; variant: base proportion of blackness on mouse position

Convert image to red and white -- only keep red pixels (problem: how to define?)

Robot behaviour:

Move small robot image or drawing primitive based on obstacles, mouse pointer - e.g., flee from mouse - e.g., attracted to mouse - e.g., want to maintain certain distance from mouse

David's Paper problem solving examples

• Suppose you have two jugs, one with a capacity of three liters and the other with a capacity of five liters. Write an algorithm that uses these two jugs, and no other measuring devices, to get exactly one liter of water in the five-gallon jug.

• The Greeks of classical Athens assemble to choose a new leader, and they vote by placing voting stones into an urn: a black stone, to vote for Castor, or a white stone, to vote for Pollux. You are put in charge of the election results. Write a specific algorithm for determining which of the candidates (Castor or Pollux) is the winner.

• You are the in charge of the Royal mint, which produces a single type coin, the grote. There are ten machines producing grotes. One machine is producing grotes weighing one gram less than they should (each coin should weigh 10 grams). You have a scale that can be used exactly once before it explodes (don't ask), but will give an accurate reading of the weight of whatever is on the scale. Using only this one weighing, identify the single faulty machine. (Note; no algorithm required, just solve the puzzle if you can).

• The Royal Mint has run out of exploding scales, and now has balances instead. (A balance will tell you whether the items in the left pan or the items in the right pan are heavier, but not how much heavier.) You have nine grote-minting machines, and one of them is producing grotes that are too light. Write an algorithm for using the balance to determine which machine's grotes are too light. (Challenge: do it with only two balance operations.)

• Four travellers are trying to cross an old, rickety bridge, so decrepit that only two can cross at once. They reached the bridge at night, and have only one flashlight among them; there are enough holes in the bridge that it can only be crossed safely by a group carrying a light. Now, the travellers have reached the bridge at different levels of exhaustion: one will take 1 minute to walk across; one will take 2 minutes; one will take 5 minutes to limp across; and one will take 10 minutes to crawl across. A group moves at the speed of its slowest member. Give a general algorithm for getting everyone safely to the far side of the bridge. Using your algorithm, how long does it take the travellers to cross? (There are no tricks, like throwing the flashlight back to the other side.) (Challenge: get the group across in under 20 minutes.) (Challenge #2: get the group across in under 18 minutes.)

• An old story has a grateful king granting a wish to a favored advisor, and the advisor describing the following process. A chess board is to be brought out, and one grain of rice placed on the first square, two grains on the second, four on the third, and so on, doubling for each square. There are 64 squares on the chessboard. Write pseudocode for an algorithm to determine how many pounds of rice the unlucky king has to give to the advisor, assuming 1000 grains per pound.

• Suppose you are trying to pay off credit card debt. You have an initial balance, and the credit card charges 1.5% additional interest each month. Write pseudocode for an algorithm that gets a monthly payment amount from the user and then reports (a) how long it will take to pay off the debt; (b) how much of the payment is for interest (total paid minus initial balance). Make sure not to allow infinite loops! (How would a bank avoid an infinite loop on a credit card?)

• You have a spaceship that runs on gold, consuming 1 ton of gold for each parsec traveled. It can carry a maximum of 1000 tons, but can also eject gold into space and pick it up later. You have 3000 tons of gold and want to get as much as possible to your destination 1000 parsecs away (just at the limits of what you could reach, arriving empty). Describe a general algorithm for getting to your destination with as much gold as you can. (Challenge: reach the destination with more than 425 tons.)

• Consider the following exchange:
  • ``My dog is precisely one-third Dalmatian.
  • ``How can that be?
  • ``Well, his father was one-third Dalmatian, and his mother is one-third Dalmatian, and so he is too.

What is wrong with the reasoning in the last statement? (Note: this is a question about recursion, NOT genetics! Pretend that the amount of Dalmatian in the offspring is the average of the amounts in the parents.)

• The Greek hero Achilles has the ability to stride half the distance to his goal in just a single step. He also has the ability to take a normal step, which will take him at most 1 meter. Write pseudocode for a recursive function that takes a float argument (the initial distance to the goal) and returns the smallest number of steps Achilles has to take to reach his goal. Notice that Achilles's best strategy will be to take giant steps (halving the distance) until the distance remaining is one meter or less, which he can finish with one normal step.