CS 102 
Fall 2010

An Introduction to

Computer Science

using robots!

Instructor:
Bruce MacLennan, PhD
Phone: 974-5067
Office: 217 Claxton Complex
Hours: Tues. 3:45–5:00, or make an appointment
Email: maclennan AT eecs.utk.edu

Lectures: TR 2:10–3:25 in WLS 311

Labs: Claxton 103 (Cetus Lab: Cetus availability – section 1)

Claxton 105 (Hydra Lab: Hydra availability – sections 2, 3, 4)

Labs begin Sept. 1 (Wednesday labs) or Sept. 3 (Friday lab).  Online lab handouts. 

This page: http://web.eecs.utk.edu/~mclennan/Classes/102 
Or: http://web.eecs.utk.edu/courses/spring2010/cs102robots/

Information

IMPORTANT: Bring your UT ID to class and lab; you must have it to get an account on EECS machines!

Description

Problem solving and algorithm development. Organization and characteristics of modern digital computers with emphasis on software engineering, building abstractions with procedures and data, and programming in a modern computer language.  Includes Level 1 design projects, which require laboratory work. In sections 1–4 the laboratories will focus on programming robots.

Prerequisites

None.  If you have any questions about whether you should take this course, please send me mail.

Teaching / Lab Assistants

Sudarshan Srinivasan (labs 2, 4)
Phone: 974-8990
Office: Hydra or Cetus Lab
Hours: TR 8:00–11:00, or make an appointment
Email: ssriniv3 AT eecs.utk.edu

Nick Overfield (labs 1, 3)
Phone: TBA
Office: Hydra or Cetus Lab
Hours: M 3:00–6:00, F 2:00–5:00, or make an appointment
Email: noverfie AT utk dot edu

John Hoare (lab 1)
Phone: TBA
Office: Hydra or Cetus Lab
Hours: M 12:00–3:00, or make an appointment
Email: jhoare AT eecs.utk.edu

Josh Strange (labs 2, 3, 4)
Phone: TBA
Office: Hydra or Cetus Lab
Hours: TR 3:30–6:30, or make an appointment
Email: jstrang3 AT eecs.utk.edu

Jiajia Luo
Phone: TBA
Office: TBA
Hours: TBA, or make an appointment
Email: jiajialuo1984 AT gmail.com

Kefa Lu
Phone: TBA
Office: TBA
Hours: TBA, or make an appointment
Email: klu3 AT utk.edu

Grading and Other Policies

Please note that the EECS department requires a grade of at least C in all CS, ECE, and Math courses. If you get C– or below, you will have to repeat this class!

Texts

Both of these textbooks are available online (click on their titles).

Learning Computing with Robots in C++, edited by Deepak Kumar.

The book is available in hardcopy, in case you would prefer reading the book on paper rather than online. It is available from from Graphics Creations for $30.  I expect that copies will also be available from FedEx Office.

How to Think Like a Computer Scientist: Learning with C++, by Allen B. Downey.

I have made a pdf file (3.2 MB) of this entire book, in case you find it more convenient.  There is no special formatting; it is just what you would get if you printed out the web pages.  Click here. Paper copies are available from Graphics Creations for $20.  I expect that copies will also be available from FedEx Office.

Useful Links

Return to MacLennan’s home page
 
Send mail to Bruce MacLennan / MacLennan@eecs.utk.edu

Valid HTML 4.01!This page is web.eecs.utk.edu/courses/fall2010/cs102/ or web.eecs.utk.edu/~mclennan/Classes/102
Last updated:  2010-09-07.