Published on the  18 Feb 2024

General Course Information

Course Code :  COMP3121

Year :  2024

Term :  Term 1

Course Details & Outcomes

Course Description

How would you convince a colleague that your program is correct, and that theirs is fawed?

How do you estimate how long a program will run for, and design test cases to fnd bugs? Can all problems be solved efciently, or are some problems "too hard"?

In this course, you will learn the building blocks to develop problem-solving software in felds as diverse as fnance, logistics, policy and entertainment. You will apply techniques including divide- and-conquer, greedy selection and dynamic programming in order to develop accurate and fast algorithms in contexts such as graphs and strings. You will also develop the ability to think

critically and communicate about algorithms in terms of correctness and efciency.

Join us to fnd out how you can become a better programmer without writing any code.

Course Aims

In this course, students will be introduced to a variety of algorithm design techniques (greedy, dynamic programming, divide and conquer, etc), and most importantly learn how to apply them in different settings.

This course aims to develop students'theoretical knowledge in order to design correct and efcient software, as well as problem solving, critical thinking and written communication skills.

By understanding algorithm design principles, analysing and evaluating algorithms, and applying these principles to solve unfamiliar problems, students will become more capable and responsible problem solvers.

Relationship to Other Courses

This course extends COMP2521 Data Structures and Algorithms and MATH1081 Discrete Mathematics, and prepares students for further study in algorithms and theoretical computer science, including COMP4121 Advanced Algorithms, COMP4128 Programming Challenges, COMP4141 Theory of Computation and COMP6741 Algorithms for Intractable Problems.

Profciency in LaTeX is also developed in order to help Honours students write a thesis.

Students with an interest in computer science research should consider taking COMP3821 Extended Algorithm Design and Analysis, which covers more theoretical topics and in greater depth.

Course Learning Outcomes

Learning and Teaching Technologies

Moodle - Learning Management System | EdStem | Formatif | Echo 360 | Microsoft Teams

Learning and Teaching in this course

Lectures will be recorded on Echo360. Where capacity permits, students enrolled in the WEB stream are welcome to attend in person.

Tutorials will function as recitation classes, aimed to revise and reinforce lecture content, and   exhibit how to solve standard problems. Tutorial groups are intentionally very large, as the tutor will do the bulk of the activity.

Students are of course welcome to ask questions, and may be asked to interact in pairs or small groups. There are two types of tutorial:

  Tortoise tutorials (M14A, M18A, T12A) will revise the key concepts from the last two lectures and solve one problem.

  Hare tutorials (M16A, T10A, T13A, T18A) will assume familiarity with recent lectures, and solve two or more problems at a faster pace.

Where capacity permits, students may also attend tutorials other than their timetabled class. In  particular, anyone is welcome to join the online tutorials M18A and T18A, which will be delivered on Microsoft Teams.

All lab classes will beheld in person. If your lab is scheduled for Tyree LG34 or LG35 then you can use the lab computers; otherwise (M19A, T14C, T16A, W18A and H18A) you must bring your own device. Students are encouraged to attend their timetabled lab classes, and in particular must get checkpoint tasks marked off during class. Students may change their lab group in Formatif if capacity permits.

You do not need to inform anyone if you will be missing a class, and you do not need to apply for

Special Consideration.

Consultation will beheld from 2pm to 3pm:

  at K17 202 every Monday and Tuesday, and

  on Microsoft Teams every Friday.

Additional consultations will be scheduled for the exam period.

Drop-in sessions will likely be added, schedule TBA.

Assessments

Assessment Structure

Assessment Details

Portfolio

Assessment Overview

Portfolio consists of responses to a collection of formative tasks completed during the term.

Tasks will be made available upon the commencement of each module, using contract

grading. There will be 4-8 tasks per grade level (PS, CR, DN, HD) in each module. Individual

written or audio feedback will be provided promptly upon submission (in labs or online), after which the student can resubmit until the task is complete or the deadline expires.

Students are expected to complete all (or almost all) tasks up to the grade they have contracted   for in order to earn that grade, with more open-ended and extension tasks to distinguish between the highest achievers. The fnal portfolio will be evaluated using delayed summative assessment, with input from the student's tutor and a formula to quantify tasks completed.

Course Learning Outcomes

·  CLO1 : Explain how standard design techniques are used to develop algorithms ·  CLO2 : Solve problems by creatively applying algorithm design techniques

·  CLO3 : Communicate algorithmic ideas at different levels of abstraction.

·  CLO4 : Evaluate the efciency of algorithms and justify their correctness

·  CLO5 : Apply the LaTeX typesetting system to produce high-quality technical documents

Detailed Assessment Description

There are four types of tasks, with different submission requirements:

·  Discussion tasks (D) require you to initiate a text conversation with their instructor in the sidebar.

·  Moodletasks (M) require you to complete a learning activity (usually a quiz) on Moodle.

·   Regular tasks (R) require you to submit a PDF document. You are welcome to use the LaTeX  template provided in the 'Task Resources'section, but you can instead use any other method, such as a word processor or clear handwriting.

·   LaTeX tasks (L) require you to submit a PDF document and the LaTeX source code used to produce it.

Certain tasks are also designated as checkpoint tasks (C). To get a checkpoint task marked as complete, you must have either:

·  discussed the task with an instructor during a lab, or

  completed another checkpoint task in the same module.

The listed due dates are the last opportunity to receive feedback on a task. You can submit after  the due date, but you will not receive further rounds of feedback, so it is solely your responsibility to complete the task to the required standard.

Assessment information

You can change your grade contract in Formatif at anytime, for example if you want a greater   challenge or if you are falling behind. You can also apply for an extension on any task with brief reasoning.

Hurdle rules

Students must demonstrate individual attainment of the courrse learning outcomes by achieving an exam mark of at least 40%. Students who do not meet the hurdle requirement will receive UF   grade.

General Assessment Information

Up to 5 bonus marks will be awarded for contribution to other students'learning. This is awarded on the basis of constructive participation in lecture, tutorial and lab classes, as well as activity

(including anonymous activity) on the Ed forum. We typically award at least one bonus mark to about 5% of students, and about half as many students receive each additional mark.

Grading Basis

Standard

Requirements to pass course

To pass the course, students must achieve a total mark of at least 50 out of 100, and pass the hurdle requirement in the fnal exam.