Archive of Past Messages

Some more practice problems on graphs have been added here.
The review session will be from 3.30-5.00pm on Monday, Dec 16, in Curtiss 15.
Wednesday, Dec 11th
Regarding the Final Exam:
- In class on Dec 19th from 8.00-9.15am
- Closed book, and will be based on the material after Exam 2.
  However, you might need some of the basic concepts covered earlier in the course.
- Will *not* include Hashing.
- Look at the Schedule for the corresponding readings.
- There will be one review session on Monday to help in the preparation.
  Time: 3.30-5.00pm on Monday, Dec 16.
  Location: Curtiss 15
- Like in the previous exam, you can get one sheet of paper (written on both sides) with your favorite formulas written.
Monday, Dec 9th
The first set of practice problems on the graphs have been posted here.
Sunday, December 1st
Please contact the TA (Shen) if you would like to check the grades of your past homeworks and exams, before we consolidate them for the final grade.
Wednesday, 11/20
Hashing (discussed in class on 11/18) is not covered in the course textbook. There is a good discussion in Chapter 12 of the text "Introduction to Algorithms", by Cormen, Leiserson and Rivest (which is also the text for Com S 311).
The weightage for the exams and homeworks are as follows.
All homeworks put together: 60%
All exams put together: 40% (Divided as Exam 1 = 13%, Exam 2 = 13 %, Exam 3 = 14%)

Tuesday, Dec 3rd
Homework 9, problem 2
When we wrote "The Reds beat every other team", and "The Lions lost to every other team", we meant "The Reds beat all other teams", and "The Lions lost to all other teams".

Sunday, December 1st
Homework 9, problem 3: You are asked to compute the minimum number of dams that must be broken to immerse all the fields. Make sure to show why the number that you propose is the minimum possible.

Wednesday, 11/27
Homework 9 is out

Wednesday, 11/20
Exam 2 Average = 33.81, Standard Deviation = 10.09

Tuesday, 11/19
Problem 4 on Homework 8
A simple graph does not have to be connected. It can have disconnected portions (components).
For example, a graph with three vertices and no edges is still a simple graph.

Friday, 11/15
Homework 8 is out.

Monday, 11/11
A fun introduction to graphs: The Mathematics of Graphs and their Games

Monday, 10/21/02:
Find out more about the Monty Hall Game

Tuesday, 11/05
Exam 2 is on Thursday (11/07). It will be in class, closed book. You are allowed to get one sheet of paper with your favorite formulas on it.

Tuesday, 11/05
Mei will not have office hours on Wednesday (11/06)

Wednesday, 10/30:
Homework averages
Homework 4, maximum 60, average 46.7
Homework 5, maximum 50, average 39.7
Homework 6, maximum 40, average 27.8

Saturday, 10/26:
Those students who are scheduled to make up exam 1, email me (Sri) immediately for the location and timings for exam 2.

Saturday, 10/26/02:
Exam 2 will be on Nov 7 (Thursday). It will count for 13 percent of your grade. The exam will be in class and will cover the following topics:

Pigeonhole principle
Counting - permutations, combinations, cases when you might need to use both!
Binomial Theorem
Probability - applications of the basic definition, independence of events, conditional probability, random variables

There will be two review sessions to help you prepare for the exam.

First session on Friday, Nov 1st from 9.30-11.30, at Gilman 2104
Second on Monday, Nov 4th from 9.30-11.30, at Gilman 2104

Monday, 10/28:
Homework 7 is out. Note:

It's due the next Tuesday (Nov 5th).
Problem 7.5, part (b) is not required. If you would like to submit your solution, go ahead by all means, and we will grade it (no credit, though).

Friday, 10/18/02:
Homework 6 is out.

10/16/02:
Homework 5, Question 5.

In both parts (a) and (b), you are playing a game where you might win some money. So, you might be willing to play the game even if there was an "entry fee". The question asks you "How high an entry fee are you willing to pay to play the game"? The answer would, of course, depend on how much you expect to win from the game.
In part (b), assume that you still win 10$ if the color you choose matches the color of the ball drawn from the bin.
A simpler, but related question is as follows: In parts (a) and (b), what is the probability that the color that you choose matches the color of the ball drawn from the bin?

You will get partial credit if you answer just this question (with proper reasoning, of course).

10/10/02:
Homework 5 is out.

10/08/02, 11.30am:
There is an alternate problem for Homework 4, question 3. You can solve either the problem earlier posted, or the alternate one. The links to the homework should lead you to both the problems.

10/04/02, 1.30pm: The extra credit problem previously posted on the website has been removed, since I just realized that solutions to similar problems are in the text. There will be *no* extra credit question for this week.

10/03/02: The averages and standard deviations for the homework & exams:

Homework 1, Average:42, Standard Deviation:11
Homework 2, Average:33, Standard Deviation:11
Homework 3, Average:42, Standard Deviation:7
Exam 1, Average:30, Standard Deviation:9

9/25/02: Solutions to homework 3 have been posted.

9/23/02: The exam (on Thursday) will contain material till Sept 17. It will *not* contain stuff on counting.

9/23/02: Mei will not be having office hours this Tuesday (9/24).

Schedule for the Recitations on Monday, 23rd Sept:

Session 1: 10am till 12noon - Room 1252, Howe Hall
Session 2: 2pm till 4pm - Room 2319, Food Sciences Building

You can go to either of the two sessions (both will have pretty much the same content). Attendance is optional, but these will help you prepare for the exam.

Practice problems for the exam.

Srikanta Tirthapura

Last modified: Sat Dec 21 14:17:14 CST 2002