[an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive]
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Learning Objectives

At the completion of this unit students will have:

  • understanding of a formal specification;
  • ability to create a formal specification for an informal problem;
  • knowledge and understanding of algorithmic properties such as correctness, termination and complexity;
  • ability to, given a non-trivial algorithm, formally prove certain properties, such as correctness and termination;
  • ability, given a non-trivial algorithm, to determine its best, average and worst-case, time and space-complexity;
  • knowledge and understanding of reasonably complex data structures such as minimum spanning trees, and Directed and Undirected, Weighted and Unweighted Graphs;
  • ability to design and implement new non-trivial algorithms using complex data structures;
  • knowledge of and ability to use algorithmic paradigms such as divide and conquer, greedy, dynamic programming and so on;
  • ability to identify these paradigms in diverse algorithms;
  • knowledge and understanding of the issues involved in implementing a non-trivial algorithm efficiently.
Developed attitudes that enable them to:
  • carefully design and/or analyse the algorithms they are using in order to verify important properties such as correctness, termination, and complexity;
  • identify the key features of a brief informal problem description and abstract the underlying formal problem.
Developed the skills to:
  • create their own data structures.
  • create a new algorithm to solve a new problem.
  • make a formal argument about desirable properties of the solution.
  • adapt an existing algorithm and/or data-structure where that is possible and appropriate.
  • implement a non-trivial algorithm efficiently.
Demonstrated the communication skills necessary to:
  • make a formal argument that an algorithm and/or data-structure has a given property, such as correctness, termination or complexity.

Graduate Attributes

Monash prepares its graduates to be:
  1. responsible and effective global citizens who:
    1. engage in an internationalised world
    2. exhibit cross-cultural competence
    3. demonstrate ethical values
  2. critical and creative scholars who:
    1. produce innovative solutions to problems
    2. apply research skills to a range of challenges
    3. communicate perceptively and effectively

    Assessment Summary

    Examination (3 hours): 70%; In-semester assessment: 30%

    Assessment Task Value Due Date
    ADTs, Proofs & Induction 6 % 18 March 2011
    Complexity Analysis 6 % 1 April 2011
    Dynamic Programming 6 % 15 April 2001
    Trees 6 % 6 May 2011
    Graphs & Graph Algorithms 6 % 27 May 2011
    Examination 1 70% To be advised

    Teaching Approach

    The approach to teaching and learning includes two weekly one-hour lectures, a fortnightly one-hour tutorial and a fortnightly three-hour laboratory. Additionally, each student should spend a minimum of 8 to 12 hours for personal study every week and should allocate up to 5 hours per week in some weeks for use of a computer, including time for newsgroup and discussion.

    Feedback

    Our feedback to You

    Types of feedback you can expect to receive in this unit are:
    • Informal feedback on progress in labs/tutes
    • Graded assignments without comments
    • Solutions to tutes, labs and assignments

    Your feedback to Us

    Monash is committed to excellence in education and regularly seeks feedback from students, employers and staff. One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through SETU, Student Evaluation of Teacher and Unit. The University's student evaluation policy requires that every unit is evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys. The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied and areas for improvement.

    For more information on Monash's educational strategy, and on student evaluations, see:
    http://www.monash.edu.au/about/monash-directions/directions.html
    http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/quality/student-evaluation-policy.html

    Previous Student Evaluations of this unit

    If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to
    https://emuapps.monash.edu.au/unitevaluations/index.jsp

    Required Resources

    Java (latest version) installed in the labs, you can download a free copy from Sun Microsystems.

    Examination material or equipment

    None

    Unit Schedule

    Week Date* Activities Assessment
    0 21/02/11   No formal assessment or activities are undertaken in week 0
    1 28/02/11 Specification & Abstract Data Types  
    2 07/03/11 Proofs & Induction  
    3 14/03/11 Complexity Analysis I  
    4 21/03/11 Complexity Analysis II Assignment 1 due 8 March 2011
    5 28/03/11 Pattern Matching  
    6 04/04/11 Dynamic Programming Assignment 2 due 1 April 2011
    7 11/04/11 Dynamic & Balanced Trees  
    8 18/04/11 Amortized Analysis Assignment 3 due 15 April 2011
    Mid semester break
    9 02/05/11 Multi-way Trees  
    10 09/05/11 Graphs Assignment 4 due 6 May 2011
    11 16/05/11 Path Problems  
    12 23/05/11 Flow Problems Assignment 5 due 27 May 2011
      30/05/11 SWOT VAC No formal assessment is undertaken SWOT VAC

    *Please note that these dates may only apply to Australian campuses of Monash University. Off-shore students need to check the dates with their unit leader.

    Assessment Policy

    To pass a unit which includes an examination as part of the assessment a student must obtain:

    • 40% or more in the unit's examination, and
    • 40% or more in the unit's total non-examination assessment, and
    • an overall unit mark of 50% or more.

    If a student does not achieve 40% or more in the unit examination or the unit non-examination total assessment, and the total mark for the unit is greater than 50% then a mark of no greater than 49-N will be recorded for the unit

    Assessment Tasks

    Participation

    • Assessment task 1
      Title:
      ADTs, Proofs & Induction
      Description:
      specific tasks and marking criteria will be distributed at the appropriate time during the semester
      Weighting:
      6 %
      Criteria for assessment:
      specific tasks and marking criteria will be distributed at the appropriate time during the semester
      Due date:
      18 March 2011
    • Assessment task 2
      Title:
      Complexity Analysis
      Description:
      specific tasks and marking criteria will be distributed at the appropriate time during the semester
      Weighting:
      6 %
      Criteria for assessment:
      specific tasks and marking criteria will be distributed at the appropriate time during the semester
      Due date:
      1 April 2011
    • Assessment task 3
      Title:
      Dynamic Programming
      Description:
      specific tasks and marking criteria will be distributed at the appropriate time during the semester
      Weighting:
      6 %
      Criteria for assessment:
      specific tasks and marking criteria will be distributed at the appropriate time during the semester
      Due date:
      15 April 2001
    • Assessment task 4
      Title:
      Trees
      Description:
      specific tasks and marking criteria will be distributed at the appropriate time during the semester
      Weighting:
      6 %
      Criteria for assessment:
      specific tasks and marking criteria will be distributed at the appropriate time during the semester
      Due date:
      6 May 2011
    • Assessment task 5
      Title:
      Graphs & Graph Algorithms
      Description:
      specific tasks and marking criteria will be distributed at the appropriate time during the semester
      Weighting:
      6 %
      Criteria for assessment:
      specific tasks and marking criteria will be distributed at the appropriate time during the semester
      Due date:
      27 May 2011

    Examinations

    • Examination 1
      Weighting:
      70%
      Length:
      3 hours
      Type (open/closed book):
      Closed book
      Electronic devices allowed in the exam:
      None

    Assignment submission

    Assignment coversheets are available via "Student Forms" on the Faculty website: http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/forms/

    You MUST submit a completed coversheet with all assignments, ensuring that the plagiarism declaration section is signed.

    Extensions and penalties

    Submission must be made by the due date otherwise penalties will be enforced.

    You must negotiate any extensions formally with your campus unit leader via the in-semester special consideration process: http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/equity/special-consideration.html.

    Returning assignments

    Students can expect assignments to be returned within two weeks of the submission date or after receipt, whichever is later

    Policies

    Monash has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University's academic standards, and to provide advice on how they might uphold them. You can find Monash's Education Policies at:
    http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/academic/education/index.html

    Key educational policies include:

    Student services

    The University provides many different kinds of support services for you. Contact your tutor if you need advice and see the range of services available at www.monash.edu.au/students The Monash University Library provides a range of services and resources that enable you to save time and be more effective in your learning and research. Go to http://www.lib.monash.edu.au or the library tab in my.monash portal for more information. Students who have a disability or medical condition are welcome to contact the Disability Liaison Unit to discuss academic support services. Disability Liaison Officers (DLOs) visit all Victorian campuses on a regular basis

    READING LIST

    Mark Allen Weiss: 
    Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis in Java. 2nd ed 
    Addison-Wesley.

    Michael Goodrich and Roberto Tamassia.
    Data Structures and Algorithms in Java, 3rd ed
    John Wiley.

    Thomas H. Cormen, Charles E. Leiserson, Ronald L. Rivest, Clifford Stein. Introduction to Algorithms, 2nd Edition, EHT MIT Press & McGraw Hill

     Duane Bailey. Java Structures: Data Structures in Java for the Principled Programmer. International Edition, May 1999, Mc Graw Hill. This book is available for free online at http://www.cs.williams.edu/~bailey/JavaStructures/Welcome.html

    [an error occurred while processing this directive]