CSC 427: Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis
Fall 2006



3:30-4:45 MW
308 Old Gymnasium
Dr. David Reed
209 Old Gymnasium      x2583
DaveReed@creighton.edu


Text: Data Structures with Java, William Ford and William Topp, Prentice Hall, 2005.

Prerequisites: CSC 222, CSC 309.

Course Description

This is the third course in the computer science sequence, building upon the concepts and skills acquired in the first year. Whereas CSC 221 focused on the design of simple algorithms and CSC 222 focused on basic data structures, this course considers both facets of problem solving and their interrelationships. In order to solve complex problems efficiently, it is necessary to design algorithms and data structures together since the data structure is motivated by and affects the algorithm that accesses it.

As the name of the course suggests, special attention will be paid to analyzing the efficiency of specific algorithms, and how the appropriate data structure can affect efficiency. Specific topics covered in this course will include: advanced data structures (e.g., lists, trees, graphs and hash tables), common algorithms and their efficiency (e.g., binary search, heapsort, graph traversal, and big-Oh analysis), and problem-solving approaches (e.g., divide-and-conquer, backtracking, and dynamic programming).

The specific goals of this course are:


Required Work

Students will complete 5-7 assignments throughout the semester. Most assignments will involve the design and implementation of Java programs that appropriately utilize data structures and algorithms. Assignments may also contain written components, for example, justifying design choices or analyzing program behavior. Late assignments will be accepted up to 7 days after their due date, with a 25% penalty. Beyond 7 days, late submissions will not be accepted. There will be weekly quizzes, two 75-minute tests, and a cumulative final exam (see the schedule below for exam dates).

There is no specific attendance policy for the course, although it is expected that absences will leave the student unprepared for tests and assignments. Quizzes and tests will not be rescheduled except in extreme circumstances. However, the lowest quiz grade will be dropped. The final grade for the course will be based on the following weightings:

weekly quizzes/exercises 05 %
5-7 programming assignments 40 %
two 75-minute tests 30 %
100-minute final exam 25 %

At the minimum, traditional grading cutoffs for the final average will apply. That is, 90% is guaranteed an A, 87% is guaranteed a B+, etc. Depending on class performance, some shifting of grades (in an upward direction only) may occur as final letter grades are assigned.

It is expected that all students check their Creighton email accounts regularly. Official announcements, such as assignment revisions or class cancellations, will be distributed through Creighton email.


Policy on Collaboration

The college policy on cheating and plagiarism is spelled out in the Student Handbook. In addition to this, the following guidelines hold pertaining to programs. Programs are to be the sole work of the student -- collaboration on the design or coding of a program is not allowed. Questions regarding homework assignments should be directed at the instructor only. Students may seek debugging assistance or clarifications on assignments using the class mailing list. Repeat: All student interactions regarding homework assignments must take place via the class mailing list!

Violations of the this collaboration policy will be dealt with severely, with possible outcomes including failure in the course and expulsion from the university. In the case of programming assignments, you are encouraged to start early so that there is time to seek help from the instructor as the need arises.


Tentative Schedule

Date Topic Readings Assignments
Aug 23 Course overview. (ppt/pdf)
28
30
Java basics: (ppt/pdf)
     classes & objects, control, arrays/ArrayLists,
Ch. 1-3  
HW1: due 9/10
Sep 4
6
     LABOR DAY - NO CLASS
     GUI, interfaces, efficiency, inheritance.
11
13
Algorithm Analysis: (ppt/pdf)
     Big-Oh, searching & sorting, generics.
Ch. 4-7  
HW2: due 9/25
18
20
Inheritance & Efficiency: (ppt/pdf)
     SortedList, timings, divide-and-conquer.
25
28
Collections: (ppt/pdf)
     Set, Map, ArrayList vs. LinkedList,
Ch. 8-12 HW3: due 10/4
 
Oct 2
4
     doubly linked lists, iterators.
review
9
11
TEST 1
Sets, Maps and Trees: (ppt/pdf)
Ch. 16, 19  
HW4: due 10/27
16
18
NO CLASS -- FALL RECESS
23
25
     TreeSet, TreeMap, binary tree,
     binary search tree, iterators.
Ch. 17, 18, 20
31
Nov 1
Hashing: (ppt/pdf)
     hash table, HashSet, HashMap.
Ch. 21 HW5: due 11/17
 
6
8
Backtracking: (ppt/pdf)
     greedy approach, backtracking, Boggle.
Ch. 29
13
15
Dynamic programming: (ppt/pdf)
     caching, bottom-up, binomial coefficient.
 
HW6: due 12/8
20
22
TEST 2
THANKSGIVING BREAK - NO CLASS
27
29
Applications: (ppt/pdf)
     priority queues, heap sort,
Ch. 22
Ch. 23
Dec 4
6
     data compression, graph algorithms.
course review: (ppt/pdf)
Ch. 25
 
12
FINAL EXAM    Tue, 10:00-11:40