Computer Science 126

Fall 1998
  • Announcements
  • General Information
  • Programming Assignments
  • Reading and Exercises
  • Lectures
  • Lab Assistants
  • Help!

    • If you find a bug in the course materials, check the appropriate errata list. Please follow the directions given to report the bug if it's new.
  • Algorithms, 3rd edition, in C errata list
  • COS 126 course packet errata list

    Follow this link to check if others in the class have been bothered by the same problem you have (and we've figured out the answer)! Frequently Asked Questions.

    Current Announcements

  • 1/25 The final exams are graded and can be picked up from Kevin (Room 322). As you know, the exam was difficult. The median score is 74/110. Here's a histogram of exam scores. Detailed solutions are available. Final grades were emailed out today.

    • Stem plot for midterm grades

    There is an entry y in row x of this plot for each score xy. For example, 6 people scored 86. 
    10 200
 9 99877766655544444443333333222222211111000
 8 999998888888888777777777766666655555555444443333332222221111111100000
 7 9988877666555444431
 6 9777543
 5 32
144 scores 84.0 average 86 median
    Your letter grade will be sent to you via email. Your grade is determined by adding 5/9 of your midterm score to 4/9 of your average assignment scores, where all scores are scaled to be out of 100. We assigned A for 89-102, B for 77-88, and C for lower scores. Final grades will be distributed in a similar manner, although we look closely at borderline cases and use "-" to pull people up into the next range when we can.

    Past Announcements

  • 1/15 The final exam will be on Saturday, January 16, 1:30-4:30pm, in McDonnell A02. It is comprehensive. The exam is closed book and no calculators are allowed. As usual you may bring one 8.5 x 11 cheatsheet written in your own handwriting. As usual, we'll provide the TOY opcode cheatsheet.
  • 1/8 Extra office hours in 301/302: Thursday 7-9pm, Friday 10-11am, 3-9pm. The earlier you start studying the better - regular office hours earlier in the week will be less crowded.
  • 1/4 Due date for Programming Assignment 8 has been extended to Friday, January 8.
  • 12/14 No lecture Thursday, December 17 or precept Friday, December 18. The first precept after vacation will be Monday, January 4. The first lecture is Tuesday, January 5. Happy Holidays!
  • 11/23 The average score for Midterm 2 was 57/70. Here's a histogram of exam scores. Here are the solutions.
  • 11/3 The second midterm exam will be on Wednesday, November 18, 7-8:30PM, in McCosh 10. It covers circuit design/architecture, recursion, FSAs and REs (Lectures 9-15 and Reading/Exercises 5-7). You may bring one 8.5" by 11" sheet of paper with handwritten notes on it to the exam, if you wish. Otherwise, the exam is "closed book".
  • 10/12 The first midterm exam will be on Wednesday, October 21, 7-8:30PM, in McCosh 50. You may bring one 8.5" by 11" sheet of paper with notes on it to the exam, if you wish. Otherwise, the exam is "closed book".
  • 10/8 PostScript plot example from todays lecture.
  • 10/7 For interesting reading about computing the value of pi, check this website or this one.
  • 10/7 If you want to use long int for Programming Assignment 3, go ahead and do so, but do it throughout the assignment. This is a good lesson in the importance of interface design. Can you design an interface that allows the use of int in one implementation and the use of long int in another, without changing any clients?
  • 10/7 If you're doing the Extra Credit for Programming Assignment 3, check the revised version online, which advises the use of a continued fraction expansion.
  • 9/18 Every student should sign up for one MF time period (F class, M laboratory). See Tina Hill in CS 410 to do so.
  • 9/17 For a broad perspective on the role of computing in your education, read Prof. Sedgewick's speech to the class of 2001, which was delivered in September, 1997.