CSCI 2011 - Discrete Structures of Computer Science

Spring 2021 Syllabus

Kate Jensen

[email protected]

Office Hours: Mondays, 9-10AM and 3:30-4:30PM Central

Course Description

This course provides an introduction to the fundamental principles of Discrete Mathematics as it is applied to Computer Science. Specifically, the course covers:

Foundations of discrete mathematics

Sets and Sequences

Big-O

Propositional/predicate logic

Proof Methods

Counting Methods

Recursion and Recurrences

Relations

Graph Fundamentals

Prerequisites

Prior exposure to a first semester Calculus course is a formal prerequisite for this course. The mathematical and logical reasoning skills developed in Calculus I will play a significant role in this class. It is important that you have the mathematical maturity to both reason with abstractions and generalize abstract concepts from specific problem statements.

Remote Course Format

Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions on large gatherings in the state of Minnesota, all CSCI 2011 operations will necessarily be remote. To allow for maximum flexibility, our course will be primarily asynchronous with some synchronous components.

All times referred to in this syllabus and henceforth in the course will be in Central Time.

• Lectures: Recorded lectures for each week will be posted to our course Canvas page by 9AM on Mondays, and will be available for asynchronous viewing. We suggest viewing lectures following the suggested Lecture Schedule posted to Canvas to ensure you are on track for participation in discussions, homework assignments, etc.

• Lecture Companion Problems: We will provide fully worked out example problems/solutions when applicable to lecture videos. Like the lectures, lecture companion problems will be posted to our course Canvas page by 9AM on Mondays and will be available for asynchronous viewing.

• Discussion Sections: You are expected to attend, and participate in, a weekly 1-hour "active- learning" problem solving discussion section. Discussion sections will be offered synchronously via Zoom (see Canvas for access details). Discussion sections will provide an opportunity to solve problems interactively in a small group setting with immediate feedback from course staff.

• Recommended Exercises: Discrete mathematics is a topic that must be learned by doing. Recommended exercises will be posted for each lecture. We suggest completing these exercises after completing lecture companion problems. Some recommended exercises will also be covered in course discussion sections.

• Ungraded Weekly Quizzes: To further your understanding of course material, we will provide weekly practice quizzes. Quizzes will not be graded (or required) - they are optional additional material to help deepen your understanding of the course material. The content will be taken from reading assignments, lectures, discussions and recommended exercises.

• Weekly Assignments: To evaluate your understanding of course material, we will have weekly assignments. Assignments will be posted on Fridays by 5PM, and due the following Friday at 9PM.

• Midterm & Final Exam: We will have two synchronous course exams. The midterm exam will take place during lecture time on Friday, March 12. The final exam for this course will be at the Final Exam time given on One Stop: Saturday, May 8, from 10:30AM - 12:30PM, Central Time. Please ensure this time works with your schedule, as we cannot provide alternative exam times.

Essential Course Tools

We will use several tools to assist in the remote operation of the course.

• Reliable Internet: Due to the remote nature of this course, all students must have access to a reliable, high speed internet connection to participate in the course (discussion sections, exams, etc). 

• Canvas: All lectures, quizzes, announcements, class information, grades, and other need to know information will be provided via our class Canvas webpage. It's imperative to check this page regularly. To access the class Canvas page use the following URL: https://canvas.umn.edu

• Textbook: The required textbook for this class is Discrete Mathematics, by Gary Chartrand and Ping Zhang.

• Zoom: All discussion sections and office hours will be held using Zoom. You can find information on accessing your UMN Zoom account here: https://it.umn.edu/services-technologies/how-tos/zoom-login-your-umn-zoom-account

• Gradescope: Gradescope is an online homework submission system. You will use Gradescope to submit your assignments and exams. We will use Gradescope to access your homework and provide feedback to you. For general information on Gradescope, you can check out: https://www.gradescope.com/. We will post specific access information for our CSCI 2011 Gradescope page to Canvas.

• E-mail: Due to the large volume of students in the class, we unfortunately cannot feasibly answer all student e-mails. Please instead utilize our Zoom office hours and discussion sections for help with course content. Please restrict the use of e-mail to urgent or personal issues.

Graded Components

There are three graded components to this course:

• Weekly assignments (55%): There will be 11 graded weekly assignments, each worth 5% of your course grade. Assignments received after the due date will be subject to the following penalties: 1 minute to 24 hours late — 25% deduction. 24 hours 1 minute to 48 hours late — 50% deduction. Assignments submitted more than 48 hours past the deadline will not be accepted. We strongly suggest submitting assignments early to avoid unnecessary deductions.

• Midterm Exam (15%): A midterm exam will be administered remotely, and will occur synchronously with the lecture time on March 12.

• Final Exam (30%): A comprehensive final exam will be administered remotely, and will occur synchronously with the final exam schedule posted to OneStop (Saturday, May 8, from 10:30AM - 12:30PM, Central Time). We cannot accommodate makeup final exams; please check your schedule prior to the drop deadline for the course and ensure you are able to make the final examination time and date. You must score 50% or higher on the fifinal exam to receive a passing grade in the course, irrespective of performance on the midterm and weekly assignments.

Course Grading

Your final percentage score will be based on a weighted sum of the following:

• 55% Weekly Assignments (11 assignments weighted at 5% each)

• 15% Midterm Exam

• 30% Final Exam

The letter-grade cutoffs are as follows:

For S/N grading, a satisfactory grade (S) requires a weighted score of 60 or above.

Note that grading is performed by class TAs and supervised by the graduate TAs. If you have a question about grading, please contact a graduate TA directly. It is your responsibility to report grading issues (missing or incorrect grades) within two weeks of the grade posting date. Grade issues reported more than two weeks following the posting date will not be considered. Therefore, please promptly verify that your assignment and examination grades have been properly recorded on Canvas. It is your responsibility to provide proof of a missing/incorrect grade.

Important Class Policies

Please read and understand the following policies. To be consistent and fair with all students in the class, these policies will be strictly enforced without exception: 

• Attendance: You are not permitted to attend a discussion in a section for which you are not registered.

• Makeup Policy Exams: Makeups for the midterm and final exam will only be awarded in case of emergency or dire circumstance. To be considered for a makeup exam, you must contact the instructor prior to the posted start time of the exam and provide evidence of your inability to attend the exam. Makeup exams will be verbal examinations with the instructor, at her discretion.

• Incompletes: A grade of incomplete is generally not considered or granted. Incompletes will be given only in very rare instances when an unforeseeable event causes a student who has completed all the coursework to date to be unable to complete a small portion of the work (typically the final exam). Incompletes will not be awarded for foreseeable events including a heavy course load or poorer than-expected performance. Verifiable documentation must be provided for the incomplete to be granted, and arrangements for the incomplete should be made as soon as such an event is apparent.

• Distribution of Course Material: Distribution of any class material to individuals not currently enrolled in CSCI 2011 without the prior consent of the instructor is not permitted. This includes lectures, lecture companion videos, discussion section material, displayed solutions, and any other course materials.

• Class Conduct: Students are expected to treat their fellow students in the class, the instructor, and the teaching assistants in a respectful manner. In an online environment, be mindful of how your written interactions with others may be interpreted. Please turn on your cameras when interacting with others via Zoom when at all possible.

• Disability Accommodations: We desire to make learning rewarding and fun for all students and make every attempt to accommodate anyone who has a desire to learn. Students registered with Disability Services, who have a letter requesting accommodation, should contact the instructor early in the semester to discuss the accommodations outlined in their letter. Disability Services (DS) is the campus office that works with students who have disabilities to provide and/or arrange reasonable accommodations. The DS website is: http://ds.umn.edu

A note on Scholastic Conduct:

Egregious academic dishonesty is a grave matter, and will result in further disciplinary action by the Office of Community Standards. Academic integrity is essential to a positive teaching and learning environment. All students enrolled in University courses are expected to complete coursework responsibilities with fairness and honesty. Failure to do so by seeking unfair advantage over others or misrepresenting someone else's work as your own will result in disciplinary action.

The material you turn in for an assignment or exam must be entirely your own work. Copying, assisting, or collaborating on any assignment or exam is misconduct, as is changing your answer after the assignment or exam is returned and then asking for re-grading. Claiming emergency when none exists, in order to obtain special consideration on quizzes or exams, is also considered misconduct.

Please review in detail the Computer Science department policy on academic misconduct, posted to the course website. You will be treated as though you have read and understood the policies contained therein.

If you have any questions about what is and is not allowable in this class, please ask the course instructor.