Introduction to Computer Science

Instructor: Jeremy Gottlieb
Office: Lentz Hall 307
Phone: x5943
E-mail: jgottlieb@carthage.edu
My Schedule

Take-home midterm

Due: Wednesday, May 9, 2007, at 11:00am CDT

Purpose of the course

Computer programs are all around us. The web browser you are using to read this web page is a program. The operating system running on your computer is a program. Your e-mail reader and instant messager are both programs.

The purpose of this course will be to understand how to write computer programs to solve problems and accomplish tasks. To accomplish this, we will be learning the C++ programming language.

Submitting assignments

Assignments must be submitted through e-mail. They must be submitted with a filename that consists of your first initial followed by your last name followed by the assignment you are submitting. Finally, the extension on the file must be .cpp.

For example, if I am submitting HW 5, I would name the file: jgottlieb.hw5.cpp

If Eric Clapton was going to turn in Lab 8, he would name the file: eclapton.lab8.cpp

Assignments not labeled in this fashion will not be accepted.

Other course policies can be found here.

Assignments labeled as "Pre:" are generally readings to be done before class.
Assignments labeled as "Lab:" were done in class and must be submitted to me through e-mail.
Assignments labeled as "HW:" are homework assignments to be done on your own. These must also be submitted to me through e-mail.

Course Calendar

Date	Topic	Assignment
Feb. 7	Programming as Problem solving
Feb. 9	Modular Programming and Functional Decomposition	Pre: Read Chapter 1 HW1: Write a detailed functional composition of some mundane task that you perform frequently (examples: brushing your teeth, making a PB&J sandwich, Also: Download MS Visual C++ Express
Feb. 12	Introduction to Visual C++ Express The Structure of a C++ program: #include files and main()	Lab 1: Hello, World!
Feb. 14-16	The Structure of a computer program: Variables, blocks, and assignment Input & Output in C++	Pre: Chapter 2 Lab 2: Input variables HW 2: Exercise 2.1
Feb. 19	Structure of a computer program: Declarations, Data Types, and Expressions	Pre: Chapter 3 Lab 3: Reading into variables from the keyboard
Feb. 21-23	Functions 1: Calling functions	Lab 4: Programming Warm-up Exercise 3.6 (p. 136) HW 3: Exercise 3.3
Feb. 26	Using Files	Pre: Chapter 4 HW 4: Working with files
Feb. 28	Changing the Flow of Control, part 1: The if() statement	Pre: Chapter 5 Lab 5: If statements
Mar. 2	More about if()	Lab 6: Conditional Expressions HW 5: Problem 5.5 on Page 247; Along with the functional decomposition, I want you write the program, too.
Mar. 5-7	Flow of control, part 2: While Loops	Pre: Chapter 6 (3/1) Lab 7: Exercises 5, 6, and 7 on p. 297 (3/3) Lab 8: While loops (3/6) HW6: Exercise 6.3
Mar. 9	Catch-up day	Work on previous assignments
Mar. 12-16	Spring Break
Mar. 19-23	For Loops	Pre: Chapter 9.3 (pp. 426-430) Lab 9: Factorial! Lab 9.5: Write a program implementing programming Warm-Up exercises 9.8 and 9.9 on page 445. However, instead of only printing out 10 multiplication tables or 10 rows of stars, your program should ask the user how many tables and rows of stars they want the program to print. HW7: Using loops
Mar. 26-28	Nested loops	Lab 10: More Factorial! All homeworks and labs through Mar. 26 due midnight, MARCH 26!!
Mar. 30	MIDTERM EXAM
Apr. 2-4	Visual Studio Lesson Using the debugger.	HW8: Craps
Apr. 6-9	Easter Break
Apr. 11-13	Programming Problems 1 Integrating what we've learned	HW9: Blackjack HW9.5: Standard Deviation
Apr. 16-25	Functions 2: Writing your own functions.	Pre: Chapter 7 Lab 11: Functions
Apr. 27 - May 4	Arrays	Pre: Sections 12.1-12.3 Lab 12: Arrays HW10: Problem 12.4 on p. 658 All Homeworks and labs through May 2 due on May 4
May 4	Take home midterm handed out
May 7	NO CLASS. Work on your exams
May 9	Introduction to Grafix Discussion of final projects.	TAKE HOME MIDTERM DUE No exceptions. Lab: Install Grafix and go through the Basic Lessons. You will need this version of the grafixExpress.cpp file to properly use Grafix. You will also need to follow the instructions here to use Grafix with Visual Studio Express. HW: Choose your game for your final project. Write a functional decomposition of it for Friday.
May 11	More Grafix - Advanced Lessons
May 14-18	Work on final projects	To use Grafix in the classroom, you'll need to run this program GrafixFix
May 23	FINAL PROJECTS DUE	Present projects from 8:45-10:15 No exceptions. No excused absences. If you are not present, you get a 0 for your final project.

Homework rubric

All homework and labs are worth 20 points each, broken down as follows:

Functional decomposition (5 pts): Should be in comments at the beginning of the program.
Style (5 pts): Is there proper indenting; are there appropriate comments in the code; do variables and functions have reasonable names; etc.
Compilation (3pts): Does the program even compile without errors.
Run time (7pts): Does the program run properly for all reasonable inputs.

Semester grade

The semester grade will break down as follows:

Labs - 15%
Homework - 35%
Mid-term exam - 16%
Take-home exam - 24%
Final project - 10%