CS 1320 (Principles of Algorithm Design I):
Old Announcements

Old "latest news" entries, in reverse chronological order

• (December 9) A sample solution for Homework #9 is available linked from the assignments page.
• (December 8) A review sheet is available to help you prepare for the final. Dates/times for the finals are:
  • 10:30am section: Monday Dec. 13 at 8:30am.
  • 11:30am section: Thursday Dec. 16 at 2pm.
• (December 8) Last-minute administrative details:
  • All homeworks except Homework #9 have been graded and returned. Homeworks and quizzes not claimed during class can be found in the box outside my office (HAS201L).
  • I will post a sample solution for Homework #9 around noon Thursday. If you haven't already turned yours in, you can do so until then (I'll deduct a few points for lateness).
  • Homework #9 should be graded Thursday; I will post an announcement here when it's graded, and put the papers in the box outside my door for you to pick up.
  • After I grade Homework #9, I will send mail to each of you with all the grades I have recorded and your average so far. If you don't get such a message, after you see the announcement here that Homework #9 is graded, it may mean I don't have an address for you; send me a message and ask.
  • I should be in my office most afternoons from now through next Thursday. You can also try calling me (999-8138) or sending me e-mail any time, to ask questions and/or set up a time to meet.
• (December 6) There will be an optional review session Thursday from 3:30pm to 4:30pm in HAS228; this session will focus on recursion and classes.
• (December 6) A sample solution for Homework #8 is available linked from the assignments page.
• (December 3) The date shown in the syllabus for the 10:30 section's final is incorrect. It should be Monday, December 13, at 8:30am.
• (December 3) The due date for Homework #9 has been extended again, to December 6.
• (December 1) The due date for Homework #9 has been extended to December 3.
• (November 24) Homework #9 is now available/assigned; it is due December 1..
• (November 24) A sample solution for Homework #7 is available linked from the assignments page.
• (November 12) Homework #8 is now available/assigned; it is due November 19. This homework has only one problem, plus an optional extension for extra credit.
• (November 10) Homework #6 and Exam 2 were returned in class today. I have also computed averages-so-far for everyone; come by or send me mail to see yours.
• (November 8) This Tuesday (November 9) there will be an extra tutorial session on functions at 7pm in HAS228, conducted by Jeffrey Oldham (who teaches two of the other sections of this course). If you need practice in writing functions or have questions about it, please try to attend.
• (November 4) A sample solution for Homework #6 is available linked from the assignments page.
• (November 4) Some students have had problems with some of the code provided in Homework #7. See the "Addendum" section at the bottom of the homework writeup.
• (November 3) Homeworks #4 and #5 are graded. A sample solution for Homework #5 is available linked from the assignments page.
• (November 1) I will hold a review session for Exam 2 on Wednesday from 7pm to 8pm in the same room where class meets (HAS 228).
• (November 1) A review sheet is available to help you prepare for Exam 2 on Friday.
• (November 1) Homework #7 is now available/assigned; it is due November 8. (This homework has only one problem and so should be less time-consuming than some of the others.)
• (October 29) For Homework #6, the first problem is now optional; if you do it, you will receive up to 10 points extra credit, to be added to your total number of points.
• (October 27) A clarification to Homework #6: Your program should not use arrays to store the exchange rates, but it can use arrays for other purposes (it's a little tough to store a string without a character array).
• (October 25) Homework #6 is now available/assigned; it is due November 1.
• (October 25) A sample solution for Homework #4 is available linked from the assignments page.
• (October 22) Some comments in the code provided for Homework #5 were misleading, and some of the function headers used constructs we haven't covered yet. I've made appropriate revisions and put an updated copy of the code in /users/blm1320/ASCIIart/asciiArt.cc. (A copy of the previous version has been preserved in /users/blm1320/ASCIIart/v1/asciiArt.cc. To see what was changed, you can use the following commands: cd /users/blm1320/ASCIIart, followed by diff v1/asciiArt.cc asciiArt.cc
• (October 22) I've added a page on hints and tips for using the CS lab machines containing information about printer names, etc.
• (October 20) I've updated the ../Homeworks and other assignments page with additional reading.
• (October 19) I've updated the Unix Hints and Tips and vi Hints and Tips pages and added a g++ Hints and Tips page.
• (October 18) Dr. Oldham, who also teaches two sections of this course, will hold an "extra help" session for Homework #5 Tuesday at 7pm in the same room where class meets (HAS 228).
• (October 18) Homework #5 is now available/assigned; it is due October 25.
• (October 14) Homework #3 is graded. You can pick yours up outside my office today or tomorrow; I will also bring them to class Monday.
• (October 13) A tip about the grading of homework programs: A small part of your score for any problem that requires input is based on whether your test data is reasonable. Even if your program doesn't work, you will still get the test-data point(s) if you show the test data you would have used.
• (October 12) The sample programs page has been updated with tips about where to find the sample programs on the CS lab machines and how to compile with all recommended options.
• (October 11) Several programs from recent class meetings have been added to the sample programs page.
• (October 11) The due date for Homework #4 has been changed to October 18. Mostly this is being done because the code provided in the homework writeup uses a construct we have not discussed in class (static_cast). I have updated the homework writeup with a short explanation of this construct. We will talk more about it in class Wednesday.
• (October 8) A sample solution for Homework #3 is available linked from the assignments page.
• (October 8) Scores for Exam 1 have been scaled (up). See me to find out your new (scaled) score (or send me mail at bmassing@trinity.edu.
• (October 8) Directions for cancelling a print request on the (Linux) lab machines have been added to the Unix Hints and Tips page, in response to the problems caused when some students mistakenly tried printing the whole output of the text-strings problem in Homework #3. Note that normal users cannot cancel other users' print requests. If another user is tying up the printer unduly, first try to find that user and get him/her to cancel the request. In an emergency, however, the system administrator (for the Linux lab machines, Dr. Howland or Dr. Konstam) should be able to cancel an out-of-control print job.
• (October 6) Exam 1 was returned in class, and a sample solution was distributed. If you missed class, you can pick up your exam and the solution in my office.
• (October 6) Homework #4 is now available/assigned; it is due October 13.
• (October 6) More reading has also been assigned; see the assignments page for details.
• (October 6) A sample solution for Homework #3 will be available tomorrow.
• (October 4) The due date for Homework #3 has been extended again to Wednesday, October 6. Homework #2 was returned in class, or come by my office to pick yours up.
• (October 1) Homework #2 is graded and can be picked up Monday, either in class or outside my office.
• (September 29) A review sheet is available to help you prepare for Exam 1 on Friday.
• (September 29) Several students have asked about making up quizzes. You will not be allowed to make up a missed quiz, but at the end of the semester I will drop your lowest quiz score.
• (September 29) The due date for Homework #3 has been extended to Monday, October 4. I recommend, however, that you attempt all the problems in this assignment before the exam; this will help you prepare for the exam.
• (September 29) Quiz #2 was returned in class today. Homework #2 will be returned no later than Friday. (I hope to finish grading it by tomorrow; if I do, I'll post an announcement on this page and make it available for pickup outside my office.)
• (September 29) In addition to normal office hours, I plan to be in my office most of the afternoon today and tomorrow (except for 2:10pm - 3:30pm tomorrow).
• (September 28) A new version of Homework #3 is available, with clarifications of many of the problems and some additional hints.
• (September 27) Correction to Homework #3: For the "Patterned text strings" problem, your output may be more than you want to print out and turn in. If that is the case, print a sample of the output (a page's worth, say) and indicate how many text strings total are printed.
• (September 27) The vi Hints and Tips page has been updated with additional basic commands.
• (September 27) Reminder: Exam #1 will be this Friday during class time. We will talk Wednesday about content and format.
• (September 24) Homework #3 assigned; due October 1.
• (September 24) A sample solution for Homework #2 is available linked from the assignments page.
• (September 23) Homework #1 is graded and can be picked up outside my office, HAS 201L. Apologies for the delay. Almost everyone produced correct code, but many people could have done better at producing clear and well-documented code. The guidelines for what to turn in have been updated with some suggestions on how to do better.
• (September 22) Homework #2 correction: In problem 2, print years/days/hours/minutes/seconds, but no months.
• (September 20) Homework #2 due date changed to September 24.
• (September 15) Homework #2 assigned; due September 22.
• (September 15) A sample solution for Homework #1 is available linked from the assignments page.
• (September 13) Links have been added to some tutorial information about Unix and vi. See the notes and links pages.
• (September 13) Reminder: Homework #1 due Wednesday. Some last-minute corrections and comments:
  • You may use integer (int) variables for all parts of this assignment, even though the answers for the temperature-conversion program will not be accurate.
  • See the CS1320 FAQ (a.k.a. "Administrative Details") for information on how to print text files. A simple way to capture output into a text file is as follows:
    1. Type script to initiate a screen-capture session (in which everything you type and the computer responds will be captured into a text file called typescript).
    2. Run your program with the desired input data.
    3. Type exit to stop the screen-capture session.
    4. Print the file typescript. (You can edit it first, with a text editor such as vi, if you choose.)
• (September 8) More reading assigned; see the assignments page for details. Homework #1 assigned; due September 15.
• (September 1) Read the first two sections of Chapter 1 for Friday.
• (August 30; updated September 7) Instructions for obtaining an account on the CS computers, and other administrative details are available courtesy of J. Oldham. Choose HTML, PostScript, or PDF.