If you plan to take CS 173 in Spring 2017, this Fall 2016 web page will give you a general idea of how the course normally runs. However, for specific information on the spring offering, especially registration information, you must consult the spring course web page
Most information will be in the subpages for the two lectures and the honors add-on. Links will appear below as we get those pages ready.
The class is full on the registration system. However, we can probably still add you via an override. Consult with Margaret Fleck and/or the CS academic office.
You cannot add this class after Add Date (September 2nd) because it's too hard to get caught up. However, we may still resolve purely paperwork issues for people who have been in the class de facto. For similar reasons, it is normally not possible to switch between A and B lectures after Add Date.
To take this course, you must have completed Calculus I (Math 220 or 221) and CS 125 or ECE 220. In early August, we checked everyone's background. If you are adding the course since that time, and credit for these courses is not already visible on your transcript, please consult Margaret Fleck to make sure you have the right background.
In particular, this course assumes that you have significant practice with recursion, have worked with basic data structures (e.g. linked lists, trees or graphs), and have seen simple examples of big-O algorithm analysis. Students without this background sometimes think they are ok towards the start of the term, but get into trouble midway through the course.
Notice that if you have informal background in C++ or Java, you must take the CS 125 proficiency exam.
If you need to take the proficiency exam, have a backup plan in case you don't pass. Similarly have a backup plan if you are depending on informal background to get in.
The main textbook is online. (Some revision may happen over the summer.)
You'll need to purchase two items at the Union Bookstore:
The lab notebook is so that you can submit work during discussion sections, but also retain a copy for later studying. We believe this is most easily done using a carbonless duplicate lab notebook and we've selected one convenient model. However, it's ok to use other methods of quickly making a duplicate copy for your records, e.g. loose carbonless duplicate sheets, the remainder of your half-used chemistry notebook, cell phone camera.
If you have taken previous proof-based math courses, you may wish to attempt the proficiency exam. For more information, see the CS Proficiency Exams page.
If your background is strong and your schedule is not very full, you may wish to do the Honors Add-on. You can add this after classes start.