Overview
From the course catalog:
I Csi 210 Discrete Structures (4)
Proofs by induction; mathematical reasoning, propositions, predicates and quantifiers; sets; relations, graphs, and trees; functions; counting, permutations and combinations. Prerequisite(s) or corequisite: I Csi 201. Normally offered fall and summer semester only.
CSI210 gives students the opportunity to learn the discrete mathematics and other theoretical foundations that underly the field. The course is challenging, but the student who learns this material is well-prepared both for classes further in the CS curriculum, as well as addressing software development problems that are fundamentally conceptual, which will occur throughout their career.
Name:Professor Neil V. Murray
Internet address: cs210@cs.albany.edu
Office: LI-95A
Office Hours:
- Tuesdays, 1:00 - 2:00 PM
- Wednesdays, 2:35 - 4:00 PM
- Other times are available by appointment.
Voice: 518-442-3393
Fax: 518-442-5638
Name: Amanda Danko
Internet address: amandanko@yahoo.com
Office: LI-96Q
Office Hours :
- Tu-Th 4:05 - 5:05pm
Voice: 518-
Fax: 518-442-5638
Name: Sean Spillane
Internet address: seans@cs.albany.edu
Office: LI-95C
Office Hours :
- Mon. 3:00 - 5:00pm
- Wed. 12:00 - 1:00pm, 4:00 - 5:00pm
- Fri. 3:00 - 4:00pm
Voice: 442-4435
Fax: 518-442-5638
Name: Khadidiatou (Khadi) Diop
Internet address: kd142715@albany.edu
Office: LI-95H
Office Hours :
- Wed. 10:15 - 11:15am
- Fri. 9:20 - 10:20am
Voice: N/A
Fax: 518-442-5638
Name: Chad Furman
Internet address: chadthefurman@gmail.com
Office: LI-95H
Office Hours :
- Wed. 2:30 - 3:30pm
- Fri. 1:00 - 2:00pm
Voice: N/A
Fax: 518-442-5638
Huixian Li (hl365284@cs.albany.edu), Department of Computer Science.
Office Hours : (LI-96Q)
- Tuesday 2:00 - 4:00pm
Voice: 442-4286
Fax: 518-442-5638
Lecture:
There are two class meetings per week: Tuesday and Thursday from 2:45 PM until 4:05 PM in LC-6 (from 9/8 onward). It is very important that you attend class - not only is it where most of the material that you need to know is presented, but in addition, almost all class sessions will have discussion and other interactive activities that are not reflected in any books, web pages, etc., and are an integral part of the course.
Also, as an administrative matter, you are responsible for all announcements made in class.
Discussion Sections:
In addition, there are three discussion sections. Each student in CSI 210 must also be registered for a discussion section:
- Wednesdays 9:20 - 10:15am HU 132, starting Wednesday, September 2 (Diop).
- Wednesdays 1:40 - 2:35pm HU 123, starting Wednesday, September 2 (Furman).
- Thursdays 1:15 - 2:10 ES 147, starting Thursday, September 2 (Danko).
The required text for the course is
- Kenneth H. Rosen, Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications, Sixth Edition. 2007, McGraw Hill, Boston. ISBN: 978-0073312712.
Not Required but recommended:
- Kenneth H. Rosen, Student Solutions Guide to accompany Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications, Fifth Edition. 2007, McGraw Hill, Boston. ISBN: 978-0073107790.
The grades given in this course are based upon a student's individual performance on the various assignments and exams. The relative worth of the assignments and exams is:
Course Assignments (Probably 4 to 8) 30%
Exam I: (Thursday, October 15) 35%
Exam IIa - 1/2 hour exam: (Tue., Dec. 1) 15%
Exam IIb - 1/2 hour exam: (Thur., Dec. 3) 20%
____________________________________ _____________
Total 100%
Note that exams are closed book, no calculators. Definitions will often be included as part of exam questions. Exams IIa and IIb will not be explicitly cumulative, but you are always responsible for previous material.
Final grading in this course is based on an uncurved guaranteed minimum. The table below will give you a minimum guaranteed final grade based on your final weighted average. At the discretion of the instructor and TAs, your final grade may be higher than the guaranteed minimum. Individual exams may be curved; any such curves will be posted on the announcements page. Minimum grades will be determined as follows:
- A >= 93% of the weighted value of all components
- A- >= 90%
- B+ >= 87%
- B >= 83%
- B- >= 80%
- C+ >= 77%
- C >= 73%
- C- >= 70%
- D+ >= 67%
- D >= 63%
- D- >= 60%
- E < 60%
- Exams: There are two exams (with Exam II in two parts) during the semester. Note that exams are closed book, no calculators. Definitions will often be included as part of exam questions. The dates of the exams are:
- Exam I: In class, Thursday, October 15.
- Exam IIa: In class, Tuesday, December 1. (short)
- Exam IIb: In class, Tuesday, December 3. (short)
- Only valid and verifiable excuses (e.g. major medical) will be accepted as legitimate reasons for missing tests. If you have a valid excuse and must miss an exam, you must notify the professor before the start of the exam (via email, voicemail, or fax). There will be no consideration for notification given after the start of the exam.
- Extra Credit: There will be no extra credit work. All students will be expected to complete, and be graded on, the same set of assignments.
- The drop date for the Fall 2009 semester is Monday, September 14. That is the last date you can drop a course without receiving a 'W'.
Thursday, November 5. That is the last date you can drop a course and receive a 'W'.
It is your responsibility to take action by these dates if you wish to drop the course. In particular, grades of "incomplete" will not be awarded to students who wished to drop, but missed the drop deadline.- Students with Disabilities: Students who feel that they have disabilities that require special arrangements for them to take the course must register with the Disabled Student Services (DSS) office. Students are eligible for special services to which both the DSS and the professor agree. If this includes special test-taking circumstances, it is the student's responsibility to contact the professor at least one week before the test to make arrangements.
- Incompletes: As per the Undergraduate Bulletin, the grade of Incomplete (I) will be given "only when the student has nearly completed the course requirements but because of circumstances beyond the student's control the work is not completed." A student granted an incomplete will make an agreement specifying what material must be made up, and a date for its completion. The incomplete will be converted to a normal grade on the agreed upon completion date based upon whatever material is submitted by that time.
Important: Incompletes will not be given to students who have not fulfilled their classwork obligations, and who, at the end of the semester, are looking to avoid failing the course. This is asking for special treatment.- Late Assignments: The date and time an assignment is due will be specified. After that point, an assignment may be handed in for credit with a 25% penalty for every weekday it is late.
In this class, all course work and examinations are individual exercises. The work that you do must be yours - not that of other students, friends, tutors, etc. While it may seem like the easy way out of doing the assignments to copy them from others, this strategy will backfire on the tests, when you will not know the material you would have learned from doing the assignment. You may of course form study groups, discuss assignments and techniques in general terms, etc., but the assignments themselves must be your own work. In particular, two or more people may not create an assignment together and submit it for credit. Please, ask if you have any questions about academic integrity.
The Undergraduate Bulletin states the policy on academic integrity. You will be held to this policy. You are expected to be familiar with it.
Any incident of academic dishonesty in this course, no matter how "minor" will result in
- No credit for the affected assignment.
- A written report will be sent to the Dean of Undergraduate Studies
- One of -
- A final mark reduction by at least one-half letter grade (e.g. B -> B-, C- -> D+),
- A Failing mark (E) in the course, or
- Referral of the matter to the University for disposition.
In order to pass CSI210 you must take an active part in learning the course material. You must do the readings on time, attend the classes consistently, participate in class discussions and activities, prepare for and diligently execute your assignments, and study for exams. If you neglect doing these things, you will almost certainly fail the course.
The key to learning the material in this course (and thereby passing it with a good grade) is to stay current. That is, stay up to date in the readings and assignments. If you attend the classes and keep current in the reading, you should have relatively few problems. Do not wait until just before a test or assignment is due to try and cram several weeks worth of material in one night. It will not work - there are just too many different concepts to master. If you do find that you are having trouble with this course - seek help from the TA or the professor, SOON! The longer you wait, the tougher it will be to get back on track.
If you wait until the end of the semester, do poorly in the course, and then tell the professor, there's nothing he can do. This is especially important for those of you who, because of previous academic "setbacks", must do well in this course.
I expect everyone's help in order to keep the classes manageable and enjoyable. Please turn off all phones and pagers. Also, please avoid arriving late or leaving early. These things disturb your fellow students and make it harder for everyone to concentrate.
- Assignments will not be handed out on paper, but will rather be announced in class and posted to the class web pages (http://www.cs.albany.edu/csi210). You are responsible for all material, including assignments, from any classes you miss. If you miss a class, you should check the web page for announcements.
- The Computer Science Department (including my office) is located in the courtyard between the Library and Business Administration Buildings. Go down the steps into the courtyard, and then inside. LI-95A is located off the southwestth (Old Library) corner of the courtyard.
Unless otherwise noted, original content created by George Berg and Ben Carle; modified by Neil V. Murray, 2007. Rights reserved under a creative commons license.