CSE 191: Syllabus

CSE 191 Syllabus, Fall 2014

Instructor: Xin He
Office: 318 Davis Hall
Regular office hours: Mon. 11:00pm - 11:50am & Wed. 1:30pm - 2:30pm
Phone: (716) 645-4741
E-mail: xinhe@buffalo.edu

Lecture: MWF, 12:00 - 12:50 pm, Knox 104
Recitations:

A1 - Tue., 1:00 - 1:50pm, Alumni 97
A2 - Wed., 11:00 - 11:50am, Cooke 127
A2 - Wed., 11:00 - 11:50am, Capen 10
A3 - Thu., 9:00 - 9:50am, CFA (Center for the Arts) 144
A4 - Thu., 4:00 - 4:50pm, CFA (Center for the Arts) 144

Course web site: http://www.cse.Buffalo.EDU/~xinhe/cse191

Note: Course materials are NOT posted at UBlearns. UBlearns is used only to post grades.

Texts:

Required textbooks and reading material:
  • Class notes are available from course web-site.
    • There are two files for each Classnote: note**-1x2.pdf is for printing. note**.pdf is for displaying on a computer screen (do not print this file, it contains too many pages).
  • Kenneth H. Rosen, Discrete Mathematics and its Applications, 7th edition, McGraw Hill. (ISBN: 978-0-07-338309-5)

Recommended books:

  • Jerrold Grossman, Student's Solutions Guide to accompany Discrete Mathematics and its Applications, McGraw Hill.

    This book is not available from UB bookstore. You need to order it on-line. It contains the following material:

    • Solutions to odd-numbered exercises. (Homeworks will mostly contain, maybe with a few exceptions, even-numbered exercises.)
    • References for Chapter Reviews.)
    • A guide to write proofs.
    • References and advise on the writing projects.
    • Sample chapter tests.
    • Problem-solving tips and lists of common mistakes.
    • Crib sheets.

Prerequisites: None.

Course Description:

Foundational material for further studies in computer science. Topics include logic, proofs, basic counting methods, sets, functions, relations, recursion, recurrence relations, mathematical induction, and basic concepts of graphs. CSE 191 is required for computer science and computer engineering majors.

ABET Program Objectives:

(a) An ability to apply knowledge of computing and mathematics appropriate to the discipline. (+)

(j) An ability to apply mathematical foundations, algorithmic principles, and computer science theory etc. (+)

Justification:

(CS-a). Students learn propositional/predicate logic, proofs, sets, functions, relations, recursion, mathematical induction, graphs, and some basic counting techniques. These topics are mathematical foundations and basic skills for computer science.

Evaluation plan: Homework/exams test student's understanding of concepts and ability to solve problems.

(CS-j) Same as (CS-a)

Course organization
The course has both a lecture and a recitation component. Each component plays a role in helping you achieve the objectives of the course. If you do not participate fully in both, you should not expect to do well in the course. Attendance may be taken both in lecture and recitation.

Lectures: The conceptual and theoretical course content will be delivered primarily in the lectures, complemented by readings from the text books. You are required to review classnotes/readings prior to attending each lecture, and get familiar with the definitions and simple examples. The lecture time will be mainly used for the development of theory and more complicated examples. You are expected to review the readings again, along with any notes you took, after the lecture.

You are expected to attend all lectures. If you are unable to attend a lecture because of sickness or similar reasons, make sure you get the notes from a classmate. If you miss a significant portion of the semester due to illness, it is recommended that you resign from the course.

Recitation: The recitations are an integral part of the course. Attendance in recitation is critical for your ability to complete the homework assignments. The recitations may review and extend lecture material and are also an excellent forum for asking more individual questions about the course material than can typically be addressed in lecture.

Recitations do not meet in the first week of classes.

Assignments:

Assignments consist of written exercises. There are no programming projects for this course.

Quizzes: There might be (pre-announced) quizzes.

Exams:
There will be two midterms and a cumulative final exam. Attendance at scheduled exams is required. The only acceptable excuse for missing an exam is a medical emergency with a note signed by a doctor. No other make-up exams will be given.

Course Grading:

The following grade weights will be used:

Component

Weight
Assignments/Quizzes 15%
Midterm I 25%
Midterm II 25%
Final Exam 35%


The percentage weight of each component is tentative. I may revise it slightly. Each component will receive a numerical score. A total percentage score is calculated based on the weighted total of all components. The course letter grade is assigned according to the following table:

Percentage score s

Letter Grade

95 ≤ s ≤ 100

A

90 ≤ s < 95

A-

85 ≤ s < 90

B+

80 ≤ s < 85

B

75 ≤ s < 80

B-

70 ≤ s < 75

C+

65 ≤ s < 70

C

60 ≤ s < 65

C-

50 ≤ s < 60

D

0 ≤ s < 50

F

Depending on the class average, the curve maybe adjusted downward (for example, a percentage score of 93% may receive A). The curve will not be adjusted upward.

Regrading

If you have a question about the grading of any piece of work, first consult with the teaching assistant who graded your work. If you cannot resolve your questions with the TA, you should consult with the instructor.

Any questions about the grading of a piece of work must be raised within one week of the date that the work was returned by the TA or the instructor. In other words, if you do not pick up your work in a timely fashion, you may forfeit your right to question the grading of your work.

Incomplete (I) grades

We will follow the UB Undergraduate Catalog Statement on Incomplete Grades, found in the Undergraduate Catalog.

Generally, incomplete ("I") grades are not given. However, very rarely, circumstances truly beyond a student's control prevents him or her from completing work in the course. In such cases the instructor can give a grade of "I". The student will be given instructions and a deadline for completing the work, usually no more than 30 days past the end of the semester. University and department policy dictate that "I" grades can be given only if the following conditions are met:

Incomplete can not be given as a shelter from poor grades. It is your responsibility to make a timely resignation from the course if you are doing poorly for any reason.

Academic Integrity

We will follow the Computer Science and Engineering Policy on Academic Integrity, detailed at

Academic Integrity Policy

as well as University Policy on Academic Integrity, detailed in the Undergraduate Catalog. For more information, see the Student Conduct Rules, University Standards and Administrative Regulations. A good application of these rules to computer science is given on the department's web page. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the contents of these pages.

The first violation of academic dishonesty will result in 0 point for the assignment/exam involved. The second violation of academic dishonesty will result in a grade of F in the course. This policy applies equally for all violations, be it cheating on an exam or an assignment. For especially flagrant violations, formal proceedings will be initiated. Such proceedings can call for harsher sanction including expulsion from the University.