COMP2521
Data Structures & Algorithms
Week 1.1
Introduction
Relevance to your program
Assumed Knowledge
Assume that you are at least a mediocre C programmer
Produce a program from a specification
Use fundamental data structures (char, int, float, arrays,
structs, pointers, linkedlists)
Need to revise?
Structs
Pointers
Malloc
Linked Lists
https://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~cs2521/18s2/videos/structs.html
https://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~cs2521/18s2/videos/pointers.html
https://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~cs2521/18s2/videos/malloc.html
https://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~cs2521/18s2/videos/linked_list.html
Why should this course be important
to you?
Engineering is about scale, and this course is about scale.
COMP2521
We plan to graduate you from a Programmer to a Computer Scientist by
having you learn about how to:
Analyse performance characteristics of an algorithm
Analyse performance characteristics of a data structure
Make decisions about appropriate data structures or algorithms
COMP1511 VS COMP2521
COMP1511 COMP2521
Assessment
The course outline describes the assessment structure for COMP2521
https://webcms3.cse.unsw.edu.au/COMP2521/21T2/outline
Teaching Strategies
Lectures
Tutorials
Labs
Quizzes
Assignments
Help Sessions
Exam
Teaching Strategies | Lectures
2 x 2 hours per week
Schedule listed , showing live stream links to
Youtube (to watch them live)
Slides for the lectures, and the recordings uploaded
later, found on the .
here
course work page
https://webcms3.cse.unsw.edu.au/COMP2521/21T2/resources/60854
https://webcms3.cse.unsw.edu.au/COMP2521/21T2/resources/60855
Teaching Strategies | Tutorials & Labs
Tutorial and lab schedule and meeting
links/locations can be found .
Tutorial and lab content can be found on the
.
here
course
work page
https://webcms3.cse.unsw.edu.au/COMP2521/21T2/resources/60854
https://webcms3.cse.unsw.edu.au/COMP2521/21T2/resources/60852
Teaching Strategies | Quizzes
The course consists of 7 multiple choice quizzes.
First is due at the start of week 3
Quizzes can be found .here
https://webcms3.cse.unsw.edu.au/COMP2521/21T2/resources/60852
Teaching Strategies | Assignments
2 Assignments:
Assignment 1 (15%): Released week 4, due week 7
Assignment 2 (20%): Released week 7, due week 10
Will be released .on this page
https://webcms3.cse.unsw.edu.au/COMP2521/21T2/resources/60853
Teaching Strategies | Help Sessions
Help sessions are online “drop-in” sessions
where you or your group can get further
assistance outside of class time.
Begin in week 4
Schedule listed here
https://webcms3.cse.unsw.edu.au/COMP2521/21T2/resources/60439
Teaching Strategies | Exam
Final exam will tentatively be open book and
online worth 40%
There is no hurdle.
Details about the final exam will be shared
closer toward the end of teaching termhere
https://webcms3.cse.unsw.edu.au/COMP2521/21T2/resources/61763
Getting Help
Step 1: EdStem forum
Look for answers before posting
You were invited ” .au”
Step 2: Help Sessions
Step 3: Emailing Tutor / Assistant Tutor
Step 4: Hayden & Kevin .edu.au
Step 5: hayden.smith@unsw
Lecturer: Hayden Smith
Course admin: Kevin Luxa
Tutors: A team of 30 awesome people!
Textbook resources
Algorithms in C, Parts 1-4, Robert Sedgewick
Algorithms in C, Part 5, Robert Sedgewick
System
You can use the same setup that you had for COMP1511!
Vlab or local installs – just compiling and running C programs
with GCC
If you need help, navigate back to your COMP1511
Webcms3 site to view the “Home Computing” tab
Credits
COMP2521 credit for material goes to:
John Shepherd (mostly!)
Aleks Ignjatovic (COMP2011 2005)
Manuel Chakravarty (COMP1927 08s1)
Richard Buckland (COMP1927 09s2)
Gabrielle Keller (COMP1927 12s2)
Michael Thielscher (COMP9024 17s2)