Princeton University
Computer Science Department

Computer Science 240
Reasoning about Computation

Ran Raz

Spring 2025
Directory
General Information | Schedule | Policies

Summary

An introduction to mathematical topics relevant to computer science. Combinatorics, probability and graph theory will be covered in the context of computer science applications. The course will present a computer science approach to thinking and modeling. Students will be introduced to fundamental concepts in theoretical computer science, such as NP-completeness and cryptography that arise from the world view of efficient computation.

Course Content

We will cover basic topics in math that are important in computer science as well as basic topics in theoretical computer science. The following is a rough estimation of the number of lectures spent on each topic: Mathematical Proofs (1.5 lectures); Combinatorics (2 lectures); Probability Theory (6 lectures); Midterm Exam (replacing 1 lecture); Graph Theory (4 lectures); Game Theory (1.5 lectures); Countable vs Uncountable Sets (1 lecture); Theoretical Computer Science (Computability, Complexity, Cryptography) (7 lectures).

Administrative Information

Lectures

MW 3:00PM-4:20PM, Bowen Hall 222

Precepts

Please direct questions concerning your precept assignment to Colleen Kenny-McGinley, the CS Department's Undergraduate Program Manager. Colleen's contact information is provided later on this page. The course's professor, lead preceptors, and graduate student preceptors do not manage precept assignments.

Number Meeting Time Meeting Place Preceptor
1 Th 12:30PM-1:20PM Friend Center 112 Arin Mukherjee
2 Th 12:30PM-1:20PM Friend Center 005 Iasonas Petras
3 Th 1:30PM-2:20PM Friend Center 112 Iasonas Petras
4 Th 2:30PM-3:20PM Friend Center 112 Yanjin Chen
5 F 9:00AM-9:50AM Friend Center 009 Max David Gupta

Lead Instructor

Ran Raz, Ph.D. : email: ranr (at) cs.princeton.edu

Faculty Lead Preceptor

Iasonas Petras, Ph.D. : email: ipetras (at) cs.princeton.edu

Office Hours: M from 11:00AM to 3:00PM

Preceptors

Yanjin Chen : email: yc0901 (at) princeton.edu

Office Hours: W from 1:00PM to 3:00PM

Max David Gupta : email: mg7411 (at) princeton.edu

Office Hours: M from 10:00AM to noon

Arin Mukherjee : email: arinm (at) princeton.edu

Office Hours: Tu from 1:00PM to 3:00PM

Graduate Teaching Assistants

Yuqi Zhang : email: yz0067 (at) princeton.edu

Office Hours: Tu from 3:30PM to 5:30PM and Th from 6:30PM to 8:30PM

Precepts start on Thursday 1/30

Preceptors' office hours start on Thursday 1/30

Undergraduate Graders

Alexander Khoretonenko

Chaeyoung Lee

Coco Gong

Ijay Narang

Jeffrey Xu

Joy Patterson

Sonny Lowe

Lab Teaching Assistants

Athan Zhang

Christopher Chen

Claudia Lee

Emily Gai

Jack O'Donnell

Lucy Wang

Ryan Chen

William Pan

Undergraduate Program Manager

Colleen Kenny-McGinley : CS Building 210, email: ckenny (at) cs.princeton.edu

Prerequisites

COS 126 and 226 (or sufficient mathematical background), and MAT 175 or MAT 202 or MAT 204. COS 226 can be taken along with COS 240 in the same term.

Textbooks and Other Reading

Academic Regulations

Please study the course Policies webpage.