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Syllabus for CSCE 798
Analysis of Algorithms (substitute for CSCE 750)
Summer 2025
Time and Place
Remote, asynchronous, but to be completed on or before Friday August 1.
Instructor
Name: Stephen Fenner
Email: fenner at cse dot sc dot edu
Web: https://cse.sc.edu/~fenner
Office Hours: by appointment only
Description
Official Description
Algorithm design techniques; algorithms and data structures for sets
and graphs; time and space complexity; sorting and searching;
NP-complete problems.
Content
The course emphasizes methods for designing and analyzing algorithms.
It includes a selection of specific algorithms that solve important problems,
illustrate recurring algorithm design techniques, or both, along with
an introduction to a set of tools, including the theory of
NP-completeness, for establishing the hardness of algorithmic
problems.
Prerequisites
CSCE 350 (Data Structures and Algorithms) or an equivalent
undergraduate-level course on algorithms and data structures. I will
refer to and build upon this background material throughout the
semester.
Textbooks
Required
T. H. Cormen, C. E. Leiserson, R. L. Rivest and C. Stein, Introduction
to Algorithms, fourth edition, MIT Press/McGraw-Hill, 2009. (We will
cover a substantial fraction the material in this book, which is
considered to be a standard reference for algorithms. Homework
problems will be assigned from it. You can limp along with most of
the course if you only have the 3rd edition, but I don't recommend it.)
Recommended
M. R. Garey and D. S. Johnson, Computers and Intractability: A Guide
to the Theory of NP-Completeness, Freeman, 1979. (This is the
definitive book on NP-completeness, which we will cover in the final
part of the semester. The book has remained remarkably relevant and
accessible since its original publication.)
Homework and Quiz Submission, Evaluation, and Grading
Your learning in this course will be evaluated based on the following
measurements.
- Seven quizzes, worth 40 points each (see the table on
the homepage for dates and times) will be taken
on Blackboard. Each quiz
will last 30 minutes plus 5 minutes for uploading answers. Quizzes
are open book, open notes. Quizzes may be taken at the student's
convenience, but require the Respondus LockDown browser and are timed
starting when the quiz is first viewed. Communicating during the
quiz-taking window with anyone except me
regarding the content of the quiz is strictly forbidden and is
considered a violation of the Carolina Honor Code with all its severe
consequences (see the Cheating section of Class Policies, below).
- A final exam worth
200 points (see the table on the homepage for
date and time). The rules for both sections of the course are the
same as for the quizzes. The final exam will be open book, open
notes, but no electronic devices are allowed.
Thus, a total of 480 points will be available through the
semester.
Your letter grade corresponds to your total point value x as follows:
| A |
if 425 ≤ x ≤ 480 |
| B+ |
if 403 ≤ x < 425 |
| B |
if 370 ≤ x < 403 |
| C+ |
if 348 ≤ x < 3700 |
| C |
if 315 ≤ x < 348 |
| D+ |
if 293 ≤ x < 315 |
| D |
if 260 ≤ x < 293 |
| F |
if x < 260 |
Gradebook access
Grades will be posted on Blackboard. It is your responsibility to
verify that grades are correctly recorded on this site.
Showing your work
Merely giving a correct final answer on a test or
quiz is not enough to show that you understand the crucial principles and
methods used to solve a problem beyond simply guessing. Therefore, unless I
explicitly say otherwise, you must show reasonable and relevant work
on every problem. Not showing your work will carry a point penalty,
even if your final answer is correct. Conversely, showing reasonable
work may earn you partial credit if your final answer is incorrect.
Corrections and regrades
Our goal is to ensure that all of the grading for this course is fair
and correct. If you believe there's been a mistake in grading, please
bring it to the instructor's attention in office hours
within one week after the scores are posted. Regrade requests after
one week will be politely declined. Please note that we do not
negotiate point values; we will change grades only if a mistake was
made in grading.
Deviations from the grading policy
We assume that every student takes the class intending to succeed, and
we share that goal. However, in the interest of fairness and
consistency, requests for grade increases that are inconsistent with
the stated grading scale will be politely declined. Here is an
incomplete list of hypothetical requests from students that are not
sufficient reasons to deviate from the stated grading scale:
- I need a GPA of at least ____ to get the internship I want.
- My parents will be disappointed in me.
- If my grade is less than ____, I won't be able to graduate.
- I've never gotten a grade as low as ____ before.
- Getting a grade lower than ____ makes me feel sad.
- I have too many other responsibilities.
- The course is too hard for me.
- I worked really hard in this course.
- I am about to graduate.
- I have a good GPA so far.
- I have never failed a class before.
- I am willing to do extra work.
- I am really close to getting a ____.
- I want to stay in the graduate program.
Class Policies
Attendance
The instructor will not keep detailed records of class attendance.
However, your instructor will make every effort to ensure that class
attendance is worth your time. Missed quizzes due to unexcused
absences will result in a score of zero.
Cheating
Academic dishonesty undermines the educational mission of the course
and the University
and reflects disrespect to your classmates and to your
instructor. Therefore, you are expected to practice the highest
possible standards of academic integrity. The academic penalty for
cheating is a failing grade for the course. This policy includes all
forms of academic misrepresentation. Details on the university's academic
integrity policies are available at
http://sc.edu/academicintegrity
Accommodations for disabilities
The instructor is happy to ensure that the class is fully accessible
to students with disabilities. Any student with a documented
disability should contact the Student Disability Resource Center to
make arrangements for appropriate accommodations.
Policy changes
Changes to the syllabus at the instructor's reasonable discretion,
including changes to course schedule or to the evaluation and grading
mechanisms, are possible. (See the next item.)