Data structures and algorithms I

COSC 202 - Fall 2022

Instructor

Scott Emrich
Office: 608 Min Kao Hall
Phone: (865) 974-3891; E-mail: semrich at utk.edu
Office hours: Mondays 4:30-5:30 pm; and by appointment

Overview

This course is part one of our two course sequence that focuses on fundamental data structures and associated algorithms. During the semester we will cover basic data structures with a focus on the Standard Template Library (vectors, deques, lists, sets, and maps), basic memory management, queues, stacks, hash tables, binary search trees, binary heaps, recursion, and introductions to both generics (templates) and algorithm analysis. For these topics students are expected to design and implement compilable code with the overall goal of becoming more self-sufficient (C++) programmers. All programming will take place in a Unix environment and will be reinforced by weekly assignments.

Text and syllabus

I have chosen to make the textbook optional given the large number of online (and FREE!) resources available to you, including my and Dr. Plank's historical notes.


That said, when I have previously taught this class students have found the text below an inexpensive but useful resource. Since we'll largely avoid newer C++ syntax (e.g., C++11) any version of this text should be the same. You should consider this text entirely supplementary, though.

C++ How to Program by Deitel and Deitel.

The syllabus can be found here

Schedule

Date Topic Homework Notes
8/25/2022 Brief C++ review [Lab 0],
due 9/2 6PM

[Lab 1],
due 9/7 8AM
[Notes]
[CS102/202 review]
8/30/2022 String and STL (review)   [Notes]
[Historical]
9/01/2022 Classes / OOP / Constructors [Lab 2],
due 9/14 8AM
[Notes]
[Historical]
9/06/2022 Polymorphism and exceptions   [Notes]
[Historical]
9/08/2022 Code review / making a good interface (.h) [Lab 3],
due 9/21 8AM
[Notes]
9/13/2022 The rule of three   [Notes]
[Historical]
9/15/2022 Lists, Deques, Iterators [Lab 4],
due 9/28 10AM
[Notes]
[Historical]
9/20/2022 Linked data structures: Stacks, Queues and Doubly linked lists   [Notes]
9/22/2022 Collaborative midterm review; sorting with the STL [Lab 5],
due 10/5 6PM
see link above
9/27/2022 Intro to Hashing, separate chaining   [Notes]
[Historical]
9/29/2022 Midterm    
10/04/2022 Hash functions: good, bad and in-between [Lab 6],
due 10/19 8AM
[Challenge]
10/11/2021 Sets and maps   [Notes]
[Historical]
10/13/2021 Big-O [Lab 7],
due 10/26 8AM
[Historical]
10/18/2022 Recursion   [Historical]
10/20/2022 A recursive Sudoku solver [Lab 8],
due 11/2 8AM
[Historical]
10/25/2022 The basics of trees and binary search trees   [Historical]
10/27/2022 Engineering day (no class) [Lab 9],
due 11/16 8AM
 
11/01/2022 AVL trees (1)   [Historical]
11/03/2022 AVL trees (2)   [Historical]
11/08/2022 Trees + recursion   (see notes
for Lab 9)
11/10/2022 Templates [Lab 10],
due 11/23 12:30AM
[Git code]
[Historical]
11/15/2022 Priority queues and binary heaps   [Historical]
11/17/2022 Binary heaps (cont)   [Historical]
11/22/2022 Study hall to work on final lab    
11/29/2022 Case study: circular linked list API   [Exercise]
12/01/2022 Case study: searching approaches for a sequence container    
12/06/2022 Final wrap up/review    

Academic dishonesty

All are required to abide by the EECS and University honor code. Discussions are encouraged, but all answers/programs must be written/developed individually unless explicitly told otherwise (e.g., final lab projects based on student feedback)