CSC104, WINTER 2019
Winter 2019
Welcome to our Winter 2019 offering of Computational Thinking!
The course introduces you to Computer Science so that you can then actively participate in the world of computing, and be a more informed and active citizen in an age where computing is continuously changing how we live and work.
The aim of the course is to allow you to start changing the world of computing, rather than just observe it.
Please visit this course web page often, check announcements on Quercus, and read email sent to your UofT email account.
Contact
Instructor: Gary Baumgartner.
I’ll meet with you Mondays and Fridays for discussion and to model problem solving and programming.
The Wednesday time slot that you signed up for on Acorn is only for quizzes: the first quiz is on Wednesday January 16th. The quiz room locations will be posted and announced on Tuesday January 15th. The quizzes are 20 minutes long, and the exact start time during the hour you signed up for will also be posted on Tuesday January 15th. Quizzes are written on paper.
The course does not have labs nor tutorials, but will have both TA office hours and my own office hours: those will be posted next week, as we find out who are TAs are and what their availability is.
For personal administrative matters, please email csc104-2019-01@cs.toronto.edu from your University of Toronto email address, include “CSC104” in the subject line, and your full name and UTORid in the body of the email.
Curriculum and Computing Resources
We’ll discuss the following topics:
• Problem solving and algorithms.
• Data representation and manipulation.
• A few Computing or Computer Science topics as time allows.
In parallel with these discussions we will be constantly messing around with a programming language specially designed for CSC104, in the programming environment DrRacket. Your understanding of computers, and the culture associated with them, will be enhanced by an introduction to program design.
I’ll post lecture summaries a few days after each lecture, as well as links to exercises and any other resources.
Our Computing Environment
Install DrRacket Version 7.1.
install the CSC104 2018 Fall Programming Language.
Marking Scheme
The marking scheme is designed to place a low weight (45%) on the final exam, since we believe this reduces a potential source of stress for students. To help keep you on track during the course we have quizzes, as mentioned above, eight in total. And there are two term tests during your lecture time, and three assignments.
• Eight Quizzes: 16%.
• Three Assignments: 7% each = 21%. You may work in a group of up to three students from any section of the course.
• Two Term Tests: 18%.
Everybody has better and worse days. I aim to give higher weight to your better work.
• Quizzes: your best 2 quizzes will have weight 3% each, you next best 4 quizzes will have weight 2% each, and your remaining 2 quizzes will have weight 1% each.
• Term Tests: your best effort will have weight 12%, and the other will have weight 6%.
Calendar of Events
Week
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Values, Expressions, Datatypes
Jan 7
Lecture
Jan 8
Jan 9
No Lecture, no Quiz
Jan 10
Jan 11
Lecture summary:
Part A
Part B
Part C
Function Definitions
Jan 14
Lecture summary:
Part A
Part B
Part C
Jan 15
Office Hours: 1:30–2:40 and 3:30–4:40 in BA 4232.
Jan 16
Quiz 1
Sample Quiz
Rooms and Times by Last/Family Name:
TUT0101 SK 548
A–N: 10:15–10:35
O–Z: 10:35–10:55
TUT0201 SK 548
A–N: 11:15–11:35
O–Z: 11:35–11:55
TUT0301 MS 3278
A–N: 12:15–12:35
O–Z: 12:35–12:55
TUT0401 NF 004
A–N: 3:15–3:35
O–Z: 3:35–3:55
Jan 17
Jan 18
Lecture summary:
Part A
Part B
Lists
Jan 21
Lecture summary
Jan 22
Office Hours: 1:30–2:40 and 3:30–4:40 in BA 4232.
Jan 23
Quiz 2
Some exercises (now updated with a few comments to help people catching up).
One version of the quiz.
Rooms and Times by Last/Family Name:
TUT0101: SK 548 OR BA 1220: whichever room you prefer
A–N: 10:15–10:35
O–Z: 10:35–10:55
TUT0201 SK 548
A–N: 11:15–11:35
O–Z: 11:35–11:55
TUT0301 MS 3278
A–N: 12:15–12:35
O–Z: 12:35–12:55
TUT0401 UC 161 — NOTE THE ROOM CHANGE
A–N: 3:15–3:35
O–Z: 3:35–3:55
Jan 24
Jan 25
Lecture summary:
Part A
Part B
Part C
Conditionals
Jan 28
Lecture summary:
Part A
Part B
Jan 29
Office Hours: 1:30–2:40 and 3:30–4:40 in BA 4232.
Jan 30
Quiz 3
Exercises:
datatypes
text
lists
Rooms:
TUT0101: SK 548 OR BA 1220: whichever room you prefer
A–N: 10:15–10:35
O–Z: 10:35–10:55
TUT0201 SK 548
A–N: 11:15–11:35
O–Z: 11:35–11:55
TUT0301 MS 3278
A–N: 12:15–12:35
O–Z: 12:35–12:55
TUT0401 UC 161
A–N: 3:15–3:35
O–Z: 3:35–3:55
Jan 31
Feb 1
Lecture summary:
Part A.1
Part A.2
Part B
Recursion
Feb 4
Lecture
Feb 5
Office Hours: 1:30–2:40 and 3:30–4:40 in BA 4232.
Feb 6
No Quiz
Feb 7
Assignment 1 : due date moved to Tuesday February 12th at 9PM.
Feb 1
Lecture
Lists of Lists
Feb 11
Lecture
Feb 12
Assignment 1 : new due date is today at 9PM.
Feb 13
Quiz 4
Feb 14
Feb 15
Test 1
Time: during your usual lecture time.
Room: TBA, posted here by Feb 11.
Format: written on paper
Reading Week
Feb 18
Feb 19
Feb 20
Feb 21
Feb 22
Feb 25
Lecture
Feb 26
Feb 27
Quiz 5
Feb 28
Mar 1
Lecture
Mar 4
Lecture
Mar 5
Mar 6
Quiz 6
Mar 7
Assignment 2 due at 9PM
Mar 8
Lecture
Mar 11
Lecture
Mar 12
Mar 13
No Quiz
Mar 14
Mar 15
Test 2
Time: during your usual lecture time.
Room: TBA, posted here by Mar 18.
Format: written on paper
Mar 18
Lecture
Mar 19
Mar 20
Quiz 7
Mar 21
Mar 15
Lecture
Mar 25
Lecture
Mar 26
Mar 27
Quiz 8
Mar 28
Mar 29
Lecture
Apr 1
Lecture
Apr 2
Assignment 3 due at 9PM
Apr 3
No Quiz
Apr 4
Apr 5
Lecture