COMP9024 Data Structures and Algorithms - 2023

Course Code :  COMP9024

Year :  2023

Term :  Term 3

Teaching Period :  T3

Delivery Mode :  In Person

Delivery Format :  Standard

Delivery Location :  Kensington

General Course Information

Course Code :  COMP9024

Year :  2023

Term :  Term 3

Teaching Period :  T3

Is a multi-term course? :  No

Faculty :  Faculty of Engineering

Academic Unit :  School of Computer Science and Engineering

Delivery Mode :  In Person

Delivery Format :  Standard

Delivery Location :  Kensington

Campus :  Sydney

Study Level :  Postgraduate

Units of Credit :  6

Useful Links

Handbook ClassTimetable

Course Details & Outcomes

Course Description

Data structures are about how data is stored inside a computer for effective and efcient use. An algorithm is a step-by-step process for solving a problem within a fnite amount of space and time. Data structures and algorithms are not only important in software design, but also in

hardware design. Being profcient in data structures and algorithms are essential for good software developers, hardware developers, and system architects.

The actual content is taken from a list of subjects that constitute the basis of the toolbox of every serious practitioner of computing: data types and data structures, abstract data types, dynamic data structures, analysis of algorithms and a variety of fundamental algorithms for  graphs, search trees and text processing.

Course Aims

This course aims to make students into confdent Computer Scientists, armed with a rigorous

understanding of useful data structures and algorithms, and ready to continue with their study in more advanced computing courses.

Since it is a pre-requisite for many later computing courses, it is normally taken early in Masters program.

Course Learning Outcomes

Learning and Teaching Technologies

Moodle - Learning Management System | WebCMS3 | EdStem | Echo 360

Other Professional Outcomes

https://www.unsw.edu.au/engineering/student-life/student-resources/program-design

Additional Course Information

There are no prerequisites for this course. However, the course goes at a fast pace through the   necessary programming fundamentals at the beginning, and students may fnd it helpful if at the start of the course they

are able to design, implement and test programs written in a procedural language; know simple data types (characters, numbers, strings, arrays);

are able to use fundamental control structures and programming techniques (conditionals, loops, recursion).

These may have been acquired in the course COMP9021.

Assessments

Assessment Structure

Assessment Details

Assignment

Assessment Overview

The assignment is a substantial programming exercise. It involves adapting and using one or

more of the data structures studied during term and creating your own algorithms to build a large program. Students are also required to analyse the time complexity of their program.

The submission is auto-marked for correctness, and the tutor awards marks for the complexity analysis and programming style.

Detailed Assessment Description

This is a long assignment that will be due in Week 10.

Final Exam

Assessment Overview

The fnal exam consists of questions with short answers and questions that require long

answers. Questions will be on the mathematical properties of data structures and algorithms    studied in this course, on how to construct data structures and algorithms and on how to apply these to given problems.

Hurdle rules

The mark for the fnal exam must be 25 or higher.

Lab work

Assessment Overview

There are weekly assessed practical exercises over the course of the term. Students work on  these in their own time and submit their work online. Submissions are partly auto-marked and partly hand-marked by the course staff. Students are given detailed electronic feedback.

Detailed Assessment Description

These are weekly assessments that will need to be submitted online. We will alternate between quiz and programmatic assignments each week.

Midterm test

Assessment Overview

The mid-term quiz consists of multiple-choice questions, questions with numerical answer or short text answer. The quiz is automatically marked. Students are given detailed electronic     feedback.

General Assessment Information

More information about all assessments are on the coursewebsite .

Grading Basis

Standard

Requirements to pass course

Your fnal overall mark will be the sum of your marks for each component provided that you pass the fnal exam. To pass the course, the sum of your marks must be 50 or higher and the mark for the fnal exam must be 25 or higher.

Course Schedule