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CS486 - Computability and Intractability - Winter 2004

Instructor:

Valentino Crespi, ET-A138, 3-4596.
vcrespi@calstatela.edu

Office Hours: M 1:30-2:30pm, T 11:30-12:30, W 12:20-2:20pm

cs486 website: http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/vcrespi/CS/CS486/cs486.html
Prerequisites: CS386
Schedule: MW 2:30-4:10PM ET-A220
Abstract: CS486 deals with Calculability and Intractability. This class is theoretical in character and aims at providing a nontrivial understanding of the power of computers from the point of view of which kind of problems cannot be solved through computing devices. It is the natural followup of CS386 (see archive) and so it will include some elements of Automata Theory. Then it will focus on Turing Machines and on the Theory of NP-completeness.
Topics Overview (cp. 7-11):
  • Review on Languages and Automata.
  • Turing Machines.
  • Undecidability.
  • Intractability: the classes P and NP. NP-completeness. Cook's Theorem.
Course Book: J. Hopcroft, R. Motwani, J. Ullman. Introduction Automata Theory, Languages and Computation. Addison-Wesley.
Recommended Books: Michael R. Garey, David S. Johnson. Computers and Intractability. W.H. Freeman and Company.
Grading: Two Midterm Exams (25%+25%), Final Exam (40%), Homework Assignments (10%)
Score (%) Letter Grade
90-100 A
80-89 B
60-79 C
50-59 D
0-49 F
Date and Time of Final Exam: Monday, March 15, 2004. Time: 1:30-4:00pm.
Policies:
  • Makeup Exams: No.
  • Homework Assignments:
    Homework assignments should be written neatly on standard sized paper (8.5 x 11 inch), possibly in black or blue ink (please do not use red) and submitted at the due date (no electronic submissions accepted). Each page should be numbered. Late submissions will not be accepted.
  • Academic integrity and honesty:
    Students are allowed and encouraged to discuss reading materials with each other. However, homework assignments must be solved and written individually. If you obtain a solution with help then you should acknowledge your source in the paper and then write independently your own solution.
  • Office:
    Students are warmly invited to visit the instructor (during the announced office hours) for questions and clarifications.
  • E-mail:
    E-mails addressed to vcrespi@calstatela.edu must have, in the subject, the keyword CS486 (e.g. Subject: CS486 ...). All the E-mails will be possibly processed in the evening and so will be answered with a minimum delay. Be careful, the keyword in the subject is important for automatic filtering. Wrong subjects may result in the accidental loss of the message.