CPSC 120 Syllabus

	Assignments	Important Dates

Week 1: 1/21-1/25 Topics: course introduction; computation and representation; logical circuitry Reading: TMCM ch 1-2.1



	Lab 1 Preparation Worksheet Lab 1: The Web, Java, and DataReps writeup due Wed 1/30 (selected solutions)

Week 2: 1/28-2/1 Topics: logical circuitry; binary arithmetic Reading: TMCM ch 2.1-2.2	Homework 1 due Fri 2/1 (selected solutions)



	Lab 2 Preparation Worksheet Lab 2: xLogicCircuits #1 writeup due Wed 2/6

Week 3: 2/4-2/8 Topics: binary arithmetic; an arithmetic-logic unit; memory Reading: TMCM ch 2.2-2.3

	Homework 2 due Mon 2/18

	Lab 3 Preparation Worksheet Lab 3: xLogicCircuits #2 writeup due Wed 2/13

Week 4: 2/11-2/15 Topics: building an electronic computer Reading: TMCM ch 3.1-3.4



	Lab 4 Preparation Worksheet Lab 4: xComputer writeup due Wed 2/20

Week 5: 2/18-2/22 Topics: non-electronic computers; introduction to Linux Reading: the reading from homework 2

		midterm #1 in class Wed 2/20 (review information) solutions (PDF - get Adobe Acrobat if you need it)

	Lab 5: Introduction to Linux writeup due Wed 2/27

Week 6: 2/25-2/29 Topics: introduction to programming; python Reading: TMCM ch 5.1-5.2, ch 6 For chapter 6, you don't need to worry about the exact syntax of xTurtle (we'll be studying a different language - python - instead), but the ideas about names, variables, subroutines, parameters, assignment statements, loops, decisions, and building programs from a collection of statements are common to many different programming languages (including python). Non-Programmers Tutorial for Python - sections Hello World, Who Goes There, Count to 10, and Decisions Examples: count16.py (count to 16) count16-v2.py (count to any number) guess.py (number guessing game)



	Lab 6: Introduction to Python and Programming writeup due Wed 3/5

Week 7: 3/3-3/7 Topics: special lecture on computer vision; python Reading: Non-Programmers Tutorial for Python - sections Debugging, Defining Functions, Lists Examples: area.py (functions to compute area and perimeter)



	Lab 7: Functions writeup due Wed 3/26 (solution for #6)

Week 8: 3/10-3/14 Topics: python Reading: Non-Programmers Tutorial for Python - sections Debugging, Lists, Boolean Expressions Examples: birthday.py (computing the year the user was born) diceroll.py (roll a pair of dice and count the number of times a particular number is rolled)



	spring break

3/17-3/21

Week 9: 3/24-3/28 Topics: python Reading: review the already-assigned sections of the Non-Programmers Tutorial for Python Examples: working with lists calendar1.py (converting month number to name and number of days) calendar2.py (printing number of days in each month, for all 12 months) calendar3.py (check if a date is a legal month and day) calendar5.py (convert month name to a number) working with lists, and algorithms rhymegame.py (children's counting-through-a-rhyme game) rhymegame2.py (children's counting-through-a-rhyme game; user enters the player names and rhyme)



	Lab 8: Binary Number Converter writeup due Wed 4/2 (solution for #1-3)

Week 10: 3/31-4/4 Topics: graphics and animation Reading: TMCM ch 11 VPython documentation (for reference - you do not need to read the entire thing) Examples: shapes.py (VPython program with several shapes) bounce.py (VPython animation - bouncing ball)



	Lab 9: Graphics and Animation writeup due Wed 4/9

Week 11: 4/7-4/11 Topics: graphics and animation; modeling and simulation, artificial life; exam Reading: TMCM ch 12 From Ants to People, an Instinct to Swarm (NY Times article - a copy was handed out in class; you may need to create a free NY Times account to access the online version) Examples: simulation: smoke, fire, water real birds flocking The Undersea World of Jack Cousto (artificial life, simulated fish behavior)

		midterm #2 in class Wed 4/9 (review information) solutions (PDF - get Adobe Acrobat if you need it)

	Lab 10: Nim AI writeup due Wed 4/16 (solution for the nim program)

Week 12: 4/14-4/18 Topics: the computer as human; the computer as oracle Reading: TMCM ch 12 articles: "Can you prove you're not a machine?", "A Smarter Computer to Pick Stocks", "An Oracle for Our Time, Part Man, Part Machine" (handed out in class) articles: "California shoppers, Schwarzenegger is watching you", "Homeland Security tracks travelers' meals", "Software Being Developed to Monitor Opinions of U.S." (handed out in class)



	Lab 11: Introduction to HTML writeup due Wed 4/23

Week 13: 4/21-4/25 Topics: the computer as human; the computer as oracle Reading: the readings assigned in week 12, plus at least one of the following HTML tutorials: HTML Primer (the "Basic HTML" sections) - this is a tutorial-style introduction with a chatty style W3Schools HTML Tutorial (the "HTML Basic" section, except for the frames, tables, and forms subsections) - a more in-depth, less chatty tutorial Examples: genetic algorithm demo



	Lab 12: More HTML writeup due Wed 4/30

Week 14: 4/28-5/2 Topics: what computers can and can't do Reading: TMCM ch 4 Examples: Turing machine programs

	Note: Wednesday lab! Lab 13 Preparation Worksheet Lab 13: Turing Machines writeup due Tue 5/6 (solutions)



Week 15: 5/5-5/6 Topics: what computers can and can't do Reading: TMCM ch 4





Reading Period and Exams: 5/7-5/13





		final exam Tue 5/13 7-10pm (review information)

CPSC 120 Syllabus

Week 1: 1/21-1/25

Week 2: 1/28-2/1

Week 3: 2/4-2/8

Week 4: 2/11-2/15

Week 5: 2/18-2/22

Week 6: 2/25-2/29

Week 7: 3/3-3/7

Week 8: 3/10-3/14

3/17-3/21

Week 9: 3/24-3/28

Week 10: 3/31-4/4

Week 11: 4/7-4/11

Week 12: 4/14-4/18

Week 13: 4/21-4/25

Week 14: 4/28-5/2

Week 15: 5/5-5/6

Reading Period and Exams: 5/7-5/13