Q: How to draw a DFA/NFA?
You are of course welcome to just use free form drawing by
using a pen and a paper, but if you want nicer looking results,
here are a few options:
Q: How to get DRES accommodation for
homeworks and exams?
We believe that DRES accommodations are important, and we
are happy to facilitate them. In particular, we encourage you to
ask for such accommodations if you need them.
To this end, please email the instructors in the class your LOA
(letter of
accommodation) from DRES.
Usually, accommodations for exams are done via DRES - you would
need to allocate a slot with DRES for taking the exams.
Accommodations in detail:
- Exams:
For any accommodations, you have to take the exam with DRES.
You have to allocate a slot to take the exam with DRS. It is
a good idea to do the scheduling two weeks before the
exam. Schedule the exam in time *after* the class had taken
the exam.
- Homeworks:
- We do not provide make up assignments.
-
If you have
DRES accommodation for homework, you can submit your
homework up to 24
hours later. To do so, please email the pdf of your
homework to the appropriate TA. We expect people to use
this
late submission rarely,
on need basis, as stated in such LOAs. No submission would be
accepted once the solutions to the homeworks are released.
Explanation:
These letter usually say "These accommodations are not intended
to substantially alter the nature of the course." However, we
are trying to release the homework solutions in a timely fashion
(i.e., 24 hours after the deadline) so that:
- it helps students with writing the next homework, by providing
a detailed solutions,
- hopefully have students look at the solutions while they
are still interested in the homework,
- help the students prepare to the midterm (if the homework
due date is before the midterm).
Q: Syllabus for the class?
The official course description is
here. The unofficial (but potentially more useful)
description is here.
When would discussion section solutions be
posted?
A: The solutions, for the week discussion section, would be posted
every weekend (hopefully) by Sunday morning.
Do we need to provide pseudo-code when describing an algorithm?
No (unless we explicitly ask you to provide it). But it is highly
recommended - done correctly it gives us another way to verify your
algorithm is correct. There are however many cases where pseudo-code
does not
provide clarity, and in such cases it is not helpful. Use your common sense.
Why do we need to provide pseudo-code when describing dynamic programming
solution?
We only ask for the explicit iterative code for the DP, and there
are
several reasons:
- The iterative algorithm is much faster (first column [marked DP] in
the table below):
Yes. It is only a constant factor, but it is a significant constant
factor.
(Table taken from lecture
slides.)
- This is what you need to know. Not only for this class,
but more importantly to get a job -
if you do a job interview and you solve something using DP, they
would expect you
to write code that uses loops and solves the DP. You need to practice
doing it so you can do it.
- As usual, in the exams, if we want pseudo-code, we would
explicitly ask for it (we probably wouldn't, unless we think
it makes it easier [sometimes it does]).
Q: How do algorithmic questions with stated running time are graded?
For such questions, your solution should be correct (as usual), but
the algorithm
you present must run in the stated time or faster. If it is slower, then
it would got no partial credit, and is an automatic 0. The policy is a
bit draconian, but usually it reflects that getting a worse running time is
usually
trivial and uninteresting, and fails to demonstrate a mastery of the
material.
Q: How do algorithmic questions asking for an algorithm as
fast as possible are graded?
This means that you should do a best effort - namely, you should try to
come up
with an algorithm with reasonable running time - considering the material
seen in class. In some cases, the problem
might have ridiculously clever/complicated algorithms that achieve even
faster running time than what we expect, but such solutions are neither
necessary, nor wanted. Naturally, we are interested in an efficient
algorithm - so an exponential time algorithm always worth no points. A polynomial
time algorithm slower than the expected solution would give you some credit, as
long as it is better than the naive solution. In some cases, the naive solution
is so obvious that it would give you very close to no points on the
question.
Q: Why don't you tell as the required
running time?
Several reasons:
(A) If we state the running time, we get submissions that
claim
to achieve the running time, independently if they are even remotely correct,
or achieve the claimed running time. It is a waste of everyone time!
(B) Figuring out the right running time is part of the problem. Sometime
stating the running time is a very strong hint how the problem should be
solved.
(C) Sometimes problems have multiple solutions, where one can get even faster
running time than required (even without a major effort). We do not
want to discourage such solutions.
Prairie Learn
- Q: What parts of PrairieLearn count towards the course grade?
A: Only the Guided Problem Sets (GPS') are required for
course credit. The additional exercises available are for
practice.
-
Q: When will new GPS' be posted?
A: At least a week before the deadline. The usual deadline
will be Tuesdays at 10AM CST. This may change depending on where
holidays fall.
- Q: What is the grading scheme for PrairieLearn?
A: Each question in each assessment in PrairieLearn is graded by
taking the
best submission before the deadline. You have unlimited
submissions on all questions.
-
Q: What order do I need to complete the questions in an assessment?
A: It is strongly recommended that you complete the questions
in-order, as later
questions depend on the answers for earlier ones, though not
always strictly required. Some assessments may require completing
questions in-order before you can progress. This will be clear
from the individual assessment page, so make sure to plan
accordingly.
Last modified: Mon 2024-10-21 20:55:02 UTC 2024 by Sariel Har-Peled