CS 374 A, Fall 2025
About this course Course staff Announcements Stuff you already know
Guided problem sets Lab handouts and solutions Homeworks and solutions Exams and solutions
Course calendar (with lecture notes and videos) Weekly events (including office hours)
PrairieLearn Gradescope (entry code R5B7GB) MediaSpace Ed Discussion Discord Other useful resources
Homework policies Exam policies Grading policies Accommodations Health and wellness Academic integrity Conduct
CS/ECE 374 A — Fall 2025

Upcoming Deadlines / Events

Fri Sep 26
Register for the Midterm 1 conflict exam
Mon Sep 29
Midterm 1
Tue Sep 30
Conflict Midterm 1
Mon Oct 6
Guided Problem Set 5 (9pm)
Tue Oct 7
Homework 5 (9pm)

Recent Announcements

Tue Sep 30
Sun Sep 28
Fri Sep 26
Midterm 1 Practice 2 solutions are available.
Thu Sep 25
Midterm 1 Practice 1 solutions are available. Anything edited or added after today's lecture period is written in a darker color. There is an alternative solution to Problem 1(b) given in the scratch notes, but please remember we will only grade the first solution you submit for each problem.
Web Sep 24
Homework 4 solutions are available.
Tue Sep 23
  • Practice exams for Midterm 1 are available. We strongly recommend attempting each of these practice exams under exam conditions — two hours alone in a quiet space with a one-page sheet sheet, but no other notes or internet — before looking at any solutions. Handwritten solutions and walkthrough videos for each practice exam will be posted on the days listed below. The format of the actual exam will match these practice exams. At the actual exam, we will pass out the question sheet, give everyone a few minutes to read the questions, pass out the answer booklets, and then start the clock.
  • Midterm 1 will be held in the following locations. Please go the room that matches the start of your last name.
    • A–J: 141 Wohlers Hall — (≤150 students in 306 seats)
    • K–M: 101 Armory — (≤96 students in 200 seats)
    • N–Sc: 120 Architecture Building — (≤62 students in 130 seats)
    • Sh–Z: 103 Mumford Hall — (≤100 students in 215 seats)
    You may find these floor maps for all buildings on campus helpful.
Thu Sep 18
Midterm 1 will be held on Monday, September 29, from 7pm to 9pm.
  • The exam will cover all material covered in Homeworks 1, 2, 3, and 4: induction on strings and languages, regular languages, regular expressions, DFAs, NFAs, fooling sets, regular language transformations, and context-free languages and grammars (but no Turing machines).
  • The exam will be split across multiple rooms by last name. We will announce locations for the exam early next week.
  • Please read and understand the exam policies. In particular, you are allowed to bring one double-sided 8½"×11" handwritten cheat sheet to the exam.
  • We are offered multiple optional review sessions next week:
    • Thursday, September 25, in place of the usual lecture
    • Thursday, September 25, in place of the usual homework party
    • Friday, September 26, in place of the usual labs
    • Sunday, September 28,, in place of the usual homework party
    ACM is also planning to offere an independent review session; stay tuned for more details. There will no homework party on Monday, September 29.
  • We will post multiple practice exams early next week, which will have the same format (but different questions!) as the actual midterm . We will cover these practice exams in the review sessions. Solutions and walkthrough videos will be released for each practice exam after the corresponding review session.
  • We are offering a conflict exam on Tuesday, September 30. If you cannot attend the regular midterm for any of the reasons outlined in the student code, please fill out this registration form no later than Friday, September 26. On Monday, September 29, we will email the precise time and location of the conflict exam to students who have filled out the registration form.
  • If you have a DRES accommodation, you are welcome to take the exam at the DRES Testing Accommodation Center either Monday or Tuesday. We strongly recommend scheduling your exam at TAC immediately if you have not done so already.
Thu Sep 18
Homework 3 solutions are available.
∞
Earlier announcements
Illam vero methodum calculi mechanici taedium magis minuere, praxis tentantem docebit.
[Truly, this method greatly reduces the tedium of mechanical calculation; practice will teach those who try.]
— Carl Friedrich Gauß, “Theoria interpolationis methodo nova tractata” (c. 1805)

Dealing with failure is easy: Work hard to improve.
Success is also easy to handle: You’ve solved the wrong problem. Work hard to improve.
— Alan Perlis, “Epigrams on Programming” (1982)

Algorithms are for people who don't know how to buy RAM.
— Clay Shirky (2011)

The only way to learn is by playing, the only way to win is by learning, and the only way to begin is by beginning. So without further ado, let's begin.
— Sam Reich, Game Changer (2019–present)