Algorithms and Data CS4800 - 02, Spring 2017

General Information

Instructor:
Dr. Jacek Ossowski
Email: jossowsk@ccs.neu.edu
Phone: (617) 373 4128
Location: 460A WVH
Office Hours: Mondays 1-3 pm, Wednesdays 11-1 pm

Teaching Assistants:
Abhinav Kharbanda
Email: abhinavk@ccs.neu.edu
Office Hours: Thursdays 10-11:30am, 462 WVH

Aditya Awalkar
Email: awalkaradi95@ccs.neu.edu
Office Hours: Fridays 3-4:30pm, 362 WVH

Other Q&A resource: peer discussion forum on Piazza
(first time sign-up link is here)

Textbook

Jon Kleinberg and Eva Tardos Algorithm Design, Addison Wesley 2006

A set of slides accompanying the textbook have been written by Kevin Wayne at Princeton. We will be using this material frequently.

Recommended books for further reading:

Description of Course

In this introductory course in algorithms, we will study efficient solutions to computational problems in graph theory, geometry, task scheduling, image processing and others. We will apply the following major techniques: greedy algorithms, "divide and conquer", dynamic programming and network flows. We will also study the current limits of efficient computability by studying the concept of NP-hardness and surveying a set of classic NP-complete problems.
The study of algorithms, their correctness and efficiency, requires a proper mathematical foundation and a high standard in logical reasoning. We will review some of the needed concepts and practice useful proof techniques on many examples.
Our main focus will be algorithmic ideas, analysis and design; the course will have, however, a programming component where we will see how the learned algorithms translate into programs.

Homework

• Homework papers should be neat, organized, and typeset (handwritten submissions will not be accepted). You may use plain text or a word processor like Microsoft Word or LaTeX for your submissions; you will need to submit your papers through Blackboard; no late homework will be accepted.
• If you have any questions regarding your homework, test or quiz score, you must address them in the two weeks after receiving it. Scores more than two weeks in the past will not be reviewed.
• Each assignment's due date is posted on the schedule.

Programming Component

We will have 4 short programming assignments demonstrating how the learned algorithms work in practice. The assignments will be posted as challenges on www.hackerrank.com. You will need to write your programs in Java or Python. Details to follow soon.

Exams

• There will be one midterm exam and a final exam.
• Most of our lectures will have an active learning component, including in-class quizzes, and problem-solving sessions.

Grading

• Programming component:          15%
• Homework:                                 25%
• Quizzes:                                      10%
• Midterm exams:                          25%
• Final exam:                                 25%

The worst two quizzes, the worst written assignment, and the worst programming assignment will not be counted towards your grade.

Additional Remarks

• Teaching assistants will be available to answer your questions. However, if you have a question, check our Piazza discussion forum first and post your question there (if it has not been answered yet).
• Collaborating with other students in the class on homework problems is fine and encouraged, though we urge you to attempt working out all of the problems by yourself first. In any case you must write up solutions in your own words. Furthermore, if you did collaborate on any problem, you must clearly list all of the collaborators in your submission.


• Academic Honesty
All work produced in this course should be your own unless it is specifically stated that you may work with others. You may discuss the homework problems with other students generally, but may not provide complete solutions to one another; copying of homework solutions is always unacceptable and will be considered a violation of Northeastern's academic integrity policy. Violations will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution.
• Makeup Exam
There will be no make-up exams given after the exam date. If you know in advance that you will have to miss an exam, you must check with me (in advance) to avoid getting a zero for that exam. In case of an illness on an exam date, please contact me as soon as possible, so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

Last modified: Dec. 27, 2016