CMSC 341 Data Structures
Fall 2003
Section 0101
Mr. Dennis Frey
Mon/Wed   2:00 - 3:15
ITE 239

Course Description

Data structures are the focus of this course. The principle objective is to help you learn how to design and analyze a wide range of data structures.

This course covers data structures and associated algorithms. Relationships among data structures, their utility in various situations, and factors affecting their performance in algorithms will be considered. You will learn to analyze the demands of algorithms, how to choose appropriate data structures, and how to integrate data structures into algorithms.


Textbooks

Required: Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis in C++, 2nd Edition, by Mark Alan Weiss, Addison-Wesley

Recommended:


Prerequisites

We will assume that you have mastered the material from CMSC 201, CMSC 202, and CMSC 203, including mastery of the C++ language. We will not review material that has been covered in the prerequisite courses. A few advanced C++ topics such as templates and exceptions will be reviewed, as will recursion.

Grading

Your grade for this course will be based upon 5 projects, 2 in-class exams and the final exam. The projects are worth 40% of your grade, each project weighted equally. Each in-class exam is worth 20% and the final is worth 20%. Note that the due dates for the projects and the dates of the exams are already set (q.v., the syllabus and project policy handout). Please plan your schedules accordingly. Makeup exams will be given only under the most dire circumstances (almost never).

Your final letter grade is based on the standard formula:

0 <= F < 60, 60 <= D < 70, 70 <= C < 80, 80 <= B < 90, 90 <= A <= 100
These levels may be adjusted slightly in your favor, but grades will not be ``curved'' in the conventional sense.

Your grade is given for timely work done during the semester; incomplete grades will only be given for medical illness or other such dire circumstances.

Attendance and Readings

You are expected to attend all lectures. You are responsible for all material covered in the lecture, even if it is not in the textbook. You should keep up with the assigned readings during the semester. Some reading material will be distributed through the course web page. You are responsible for the material in the readings, even if it is not covered during lecture.

You must study to do well in this course. It will not be enough to attend lectures and do the homework. As advanced undergraduates, you will be responsible for learning material that is not necessarily covered in lectures. A prime learning requirement is that you contribute to class discussions and raise questions about the course material.


Contacting Me or the TAs

Please feel free to visit me or the TAs during our office hours. If you can't make it during the regular hours, please ask for an appointment. We will do everything we can to be available to provide help with this course. Office hours, phone numbers and other contact information is available on-line. If you need to contact any of the course staff outside of lecture and office hours, email is much better than the telephone. You should, however, observe the following etiquette:

Academic Integrity

Cheating in any form will not be tolerated. Instances of cheating will be reported to the UMBC Academic Conduct Committee. These reports are filed by the Committee and can be used for disciplinary action such as a permanent record on your transcript. Academic honesty is absolutely required of you. You are expected to be honest yourself and to report any cases of dishonesty you see among other students in this class. Reports of dishonest behavior will be kept anonymous.
Further details on honesty in doing projects for this course are on-line at the Project Policy link.

Students are welcome and encouraged to study together for exams, but examinations are to be your own work -- not your neighbor's and not your notes. All exams are closed-book, closed-notes. Only pencils (or pens) and erasers are permitted in the exam room unless otherwise indicated. Scratch paper is provided to you, as needed. Having any other materials in your possession during an exam will be taken as evidence of cheating and dealt with accordingly. 


Syllabus

Class Date Topic Reading
1 Wed 27 Aug
Introduction and C++ MAW 1

Mon 1 Sep Holiday

2
Wed 3 Sep C++ and OOP MAW 1

Mon 8 Sep
Project 1 Assigned

3 Mon 8 Sep Asymptotic Analysis MAW 2
4 Wed 10 Sep Asymptotic Analysis MAW 2
5 Mon 15 Sep List ADT and Implementations MAW 3
6 Wed 17 Sep List Implementations MAW 3

Sun 21 Sep
Project 1 Due 11:59pm

7 Mon 22 Sep Stacks, Queues and Deques MAW 3
8 Wed 24 Sep
Stacks, Queues and Deques MAW 3
9 Mon 29 Sep
Exam 1
Classes 1 thru 8

Wed 1 Oct
Project 2 Assigned

10 Wed 1 Oct Recursion Class notes
11 Mon 6 Oct Binary Search Trees MAW 4
12 Wed 8 Oct Binary Search Trees MAW 4
13 Mon 13 Oct Balanced Search Trees
MAW 4

Tues 14 Oct
Project 2 Due


Wed 15 Oct
Project 3 Assigned

14 Wed 15 Oct Balanced Search Trees MAW 4
15 Mon 20 Oct Balanced Search Trees MAW 4
16 Wed 22 Oct Balanced Search Trees MAW 4
17 Mon 27 Oct Hashing
MAW 5

Tues 28 Oct
Project 3 Due at 11:59pm

18 Wed 29 Oct Hashing MAW 5
19 Mon 3 Nov
Exam 2
Classes 10 - 18

Wed 5 Nov
Project 4 Assigned

20 Wed 5 Nov Priority Queues and Heaps MAW 6
21 Mon 10 Nov Priority Queues and Heaps MAW 6
22 Wed 12 Nov Fibonacci Heaps MAW 11.4
23 Mon 17 Nov Skip Lists MAW 10 + Notes

Tues 23 Nov
Project 4 Due 11:59pm


Mon 24 Nov
Project 5 Assigned

24 Wed 19 Nov Skip Lists MAW 10 + notes
25 Mon 24 Nov Disjoint Sets MAW 8
26 Wed 26 Nov Disjoint Sets MAW 8
27 Mon 1 Dec B - Trees MAW 4 + notes
Wed 3 Dec
Project 5 Due 11:59pm

28 Wed 3 Dec B - Trees MAW 4 + notes
29 Mon 8 Dec Advanced Topics

Mon 15 Dec 1:00pm
Final Exam
Classes 20 - 28

Course Web Page

A few handouts will be provided in paper form at the first class. After that, all handouts will be provided only on the web. The course web page URL is

www.cs.umbc.edu/courses/undergraduate/341/fall03/index.shtml
Please check the web page frequently. Any changes to the page will be mentioned in the "What's New" link. 
Last modified on August 20, 2003 by Dennis Frey

email: frey@cs.umbc.edu
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