Course Syllabus
Contact Information
Dr. Lakshmivarahan (Varahan for short) joined the University of Oklahoma in the fall of 1978 where he is currently a George Lynn Cross Research Professor at the School of Computer Science.
Course Details
For a list of course activities, scroll to the bottom of this page.
Course Format
This 8-week course is multi-modal with asynchronous and synchronous work and meetings. You will have asynchronous online work using Canvas. We meet once every-other week, with a synchronous meeting, or Live Session, for an hour and half using Zoom. The Live Sessions are 7:00 - 8:30 pm (Central Time) on Wednesdays in weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8.
Course Materials
There are no required textbooks for the course, but six optional books are recommended for reference during the course. Four books are etexts available online through the OU Libraries. Two books are hardcover books available at OU Bizzell Memorial Library. One recommended book is available free and online from Open Library.
Refer to the Resources page for the list of books and links to the books.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLO)
- Apply critical thinking and data-driven analysis to dissect complex computing challenges and devise effective computing solutions.
- Assess and adjust to current and evolving technological trends to create innovative solutions and optimize software development processes.
- Utilize software design and development principles and methodologies to create efficient, maintainable, scalable and high-quality applications.
- Communicate technical concepts clearly and concisely, orally and in writing to technical and non-technical audiences.
Course Learning Outcomes (CLO) Alignment
| CLO | Description | PLO |
|---|---|---|
| A | Use logical notation to define and reason about fundamental mathematical concepts such as sets, relations, functions, and integers. | PLO-1 |
| B | Evaluate elementary mathematical arguments and identify fallacious reasoning. | PLO-1 |
| C | Synthesize induction hypotheses and simple induction proofs. | PLO-1 |
| D | Apply graph theory models of data structures and state machines to solve problems of connectivity and constraint satisfaction. | PLO-1 |
| E | Describe matrices and their operations. |
PLO-1 PLO-4 |
| F | Calculate numbers of possible outcomes of elementary combinatorial processes such as permutations and combinations. | PLO-1 |
| G | Calculate probabilities, expectations and discrete distributions for simple combinatorial processes. | PLO-1 |
Grades
Breakdown
| Activity | Description | Points/Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Homework Assignments | Two Assignments per week due Wednesday & Saturday | 40% |
| Exam | Two exams, in weeks 3 and 5 (15% each) | 30% |
| Final Exam | Cumulative exam, week 8 | 30% |
| Total | 100% |
Scale
| Percentage | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 90–100% | A |
| 80–89% | B |
| 70–79% | C |
| 60–69% | D |
| Below 60% | F |
Course Components
Weekly Assignments
You will have two weekly assignments due on Mondays and Fridays. The assignments are in order to build the mathematic skills for the following topics. Homework will have two types of questions: One set to solve and submit for grading and second is for practice problems to work out on your own. The provided practice problems will be flexible and adjust to the needs of the students during the course.
It is important to submit the homework on time and to keep up with pace of the course.
Exams
There will be two exams during the course. Exam 1 covers the mathematics from weeks 1-3. Exam 2 assesses the mathematics topics covered in weeks 4 - 5. The exams will be open-book, timed and available for 24 hours.
Final Exam
The final exam is cumulative and will assess the concepts and mathematics from weeks one through seven. The exam will be open-book, timed and available for 24 hours.
Course Policies
Communication
Note: Any email messages to the professor or teaching assistants must include ACS 5123 in the subject line. Any email without this string in the subject line will likely be filtered as junk.
Discussions and Email: The discussions and announcements on Canvas should be the primary method of communication. This allows everyone in the class to benefit from the answer to your question and provides students with more timely answers since the TAs and instructor check Canvas at least once a day. Matters of personal interest should be directed to email, e.g., informing the instructor of an extended personal illness.
Feedback
Your homework will be graded and feedback will be provided on your homework submission on Canvas. The aim is to return graded homework within 3 days.
Late Policy
Late homework assignments will have with a 50% penalty per day. Please communicate (via OU email) with the professor on Teaching Assistant concerning your situation if you anticipate a late homework submission.
Proper Academic Conduct
- Feel free to discuss all assignments with the instructor or the TAs.
- Make sure that your computer account is properly protected. Use an appropriate password, and do not give your friends access to your account or your computer system.
- Upon the first documented occurrence of inappropriate collaborative work or of taking a solution from a network resource, the instructor will report the academic misconduct to the Campus Judicial Coordinator. The procedure to be followed is documented in the University of Oklahoma Academic Integrity Code on the Office of Academic Integrity page. Both the provider of a solution and the receiver of a solution will be treated equally in the misconduct process.
Plagiarism
For more information about plagiarism, watch this video and then take this short course offered by University Libraries.
University Academic Policies and Student Support
Access the University Academic Policies Document.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|