COT5405 Advanced Algorithms -- Syllabus

Meeting Time and Place

Online, Tuesday and Thursday, from 9:30--10:45 am

Course Webpage

For announcements, videos of past lectures, meeting links, and discussion boards, see the Canvas website.

Course Instructor and Contact

Alan Kuhnle, email: [lastname]@cs.fsu.edu

Office Hours

Monday 2:30--3:30 pm (Online), or by appointment.

Description

This course proviydes a rigorous foundation in the design and analysis of algorithms. Proofs and theoretial guarantees are emphasized throughout the course. We will cover a subset of the following topics:

  • Introduction to Algorithm Design and Analysis
    • Recurrence Relations, Merge-Sort
    • Probalistic Analysis and Randomized Algorithms
  • Sorting and Order Statistics
    • Heapsort
    • Quicksort
    • Lower bounds, sorting in linear time
    • Medians and Order Statistics
  • Algorithm Design Techniques
    • Divide and Conquer
    • Dynamic Programming
    • Greedy Algorithms
    • Amortized Analysis
  • Graph Algorithms
    • Elementary Graph Algorithms
    • Minimum Spanning Tree
    • Single-Source Shortest Paths
    • All-Pairs Shortest Paths
    • Maximum Flow
  • Advanced Data Structures
    • B-Trees
    • Fibonacci Heaps
    • Data Structures for Disjoint Sets
  • Complexity and Approximation
    • NP-Completeness
    • Approximation Algorithms
  • Selected Topics
    • Linear Programming
    • String Matching
    • Submodular Optimization
    • Other topics

Prerequisites

Familiarity with sets and logic, basic data structures, mathematical proofs.

Textbooks (required)

  1. [CLRS] Cormen, Leiserson, Riverst, and Stien. Introduction to Algorithms, 3rd edition.

Format

Regular homework will be assigned, which will consist of written exercises. A class project, that involves implementing and evaluating algorithms, will be assigned. There will be two online exams.

To successfully complete this course you must read assigned texts, listen to lectures, and participate in discussions.

Homework

Homework is to be submitted by the beginning of class on the day which it is due. Each assignment will be assigned a numerical score, and there will be a 10% penalty for late assignments turned in within 24 hours of the due date and a 50% penalty for assignments turned in more than 24 hours but less then 72 hours after the due date. Assignments submitted later than 72 hours will receive a grade of zero. Excuses for late assignments are made at the discretion of the instructor.

You may use any sources, including classmates and online resources, as long as all sources are acknowledged on the assignment. To maximize your benefit from this class, you should attempt to solve the problems independently before consulting external resources.

Class Project

Students will divide themselves into groups of four to six students. Each group will select a research paper from a list provided by the instructor; this paper will include a detailed description of an algorithm or data structure. The task will be to implement this algorithm in the environment decided by the group and decide on a set of instances to evaluate the algorithm. There will be two deliverables:

  • After working through the paper, the group will submit specification of the algorithm or data structure they plan to implement, details of the planned implementation, and evaluation plan once the implementation is complete. This deliverable will be worth 30% of the project grade.
  • The second deliverable is the final project report, describing any implementation decisions the group made, as well as an experimental assessment of the algorithm. This deliverable will be worth 70% of the project grade.
Submissions that plagiarize code from any source will result in all parties receiving zero points for the assignment.

Exams

Exams will be given through Canvas at a prearranged (synchronous) time. Students who miss exams and/or makeup exams without a legitimate reason will receive a zero (0) for that exam. Questions, comments, concerns, and other issues about exams, homework, programming assignments, and other course-related matters should be brought to the attention of the instructor in a reasonable amount of time. A student will be allowed to make up a missed exam if the absence falls under the University Attendance Policy outlined below. Any other excuses will be at the discretion of the instructor and must be approved in advance.

Assessment

Numerical scores will be awarded based upon performance on homework assignments and exams. Each student will earn a score for each category: homework and exams. The categories will then be weighted as follows to compute the final grade:

  • Homework: 40%
  • Class Project: 30%
  • Exams: 30%
Final numerical scores will be converted to letter grades for the course according to the following grading scale, which is subject to change:
  • 90% -- 100%: A
  • 75% -- 90%: B
  • 60% -- 75%: C
  • 50% -- 60%: D
  • 0% -- 50%: F
Plus / minus letter grades will be assigned near the boundaries of these cutoffs.

University Attendance Policy

Excused absences include documented illness, deaths in the family and other documented crises, call to active military duty or jury duty, religious holy days, and official University activities. These absences will be accommodated in a way that does not arbitrarily penalize students who have a valid excuse. Consideration will also be given to students whose dependent children experience serious illness.

Academic Honor Policy

The Florida State University Academic Honor Policy outlines the University's expectations for the integrity of students' academic work, the procedures for resolving alleged violations of those expectations, and the rights and responsibilities of students and faculty members throughout the process. Students are responsible for reading the Academic Honor Policy and for living up to their pledge to "...be honest and truthful and...[to] strive for personal and institutional integrity at Florida State University." (Florida State University Academic Honor Policy, found at http://fda.fsu.edu/Academics/Academic-Honor-Policy).

Americans with Disabilities Act

Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation should:

  1. register with and provide documentation to the Student Disability Resource Center; and
  2. bring a letter to the instructor indicating the need for accommodation and what type.
Please note that instructors are not allowed to provide classroom accommodation to a student until appropriate verification from the Student Disability Resource Center has been provided.

This syllabus and other class materials are available in alternative format upon request.

For more information about services available to FSU students with disabilities, contact the

Student Disability Resource Center
874 Traditions Way
108 Student Services Building
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL 32306-4167
(850) 644-9566 (voice)
(850) 644-8504 (TDD)
sdrc@admin.fsu.edu
http://www.disabilitycenter.fsu.edu/
Syllabus Change Policy

This syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advanced notice. Changes to this syllabus must be accomplished in writing and posted to the appropriate sites.