--- title: Eboard 01 An introduction to algorithms number: 01 section: eboards held: 2017-08-25 --- CSC 151.03, Class 01: An introduction to algorithms ==================================================== _Overview_ * Preliminaries * Notes and news * Upcoming work * Extra credit * Questions * Introduction - What is CS? * Exercise - An everyday algorithm * Debriefing on exercise * Friday PSA ## Preliminaries ### News / Etc. * Welcome to CSC 151! * I'm Sam (or SamR) * Your class mentors are Anh Thu, Ritika, and Zander. * You should have received four handouts at the start of class. * A playing card * The [CS Department Academic Honesty Policy](http://www.cs.grinnell.edu/academic-honesty-policy) * [Assignment 1](../assignments/assignment01) * A packet of readings * Reading: [Algorithms](../readings/algorithms) * Reading: [Linux](../readings/linux) * Reading: [The DrRacket Programming Environment](../readings/drracket) * Reading: [Beginning Scheme](../readings/beginning-scheme) * At the end of class, please restore your station to its original state (or better): Push in your chairs, put the nodepad neatly next to the machine, give your playing card back to the mentors, etc. * The CS department maintains a listserv of announcements of events and opportunities. If you would like to be added to that listserv, please send me an email. * Warning! I'm losing my hearing. I'm also snarky. The two are independent. * Since it's the first day of class, I'll be taking attendance. * It always takes me a few weeks to learn names. This semester it will take even longer, because I am teaching approximately 150 students. * This exercise will probably take ten minutes. That's okay, I consider it worth the time. I hope you do, too. * When I call your name, please stand up and respond with something like the following * "Hi, my name is FORENAME SURNAME." * "You can call me PRIMARY NAME." * "If you must address me by surname, you can call me Mr./Ms./Mx./[nothing] SURNAME." * I'm from LOCATION. * Optional: "My pronouns are ...." ### Upcoming Work * [Assignment 1](../assignments/assignment.01.html) Due Sunday night. * Readings (handed out today), due before class Monday. * Signed academic honesty policy due in class on Wednesday. * If you are uncomfortable signing it, make an appointment to chat with me. ### Extra credit (Academic) * CS Table, noon, Tuesday, Whale Room (I hope) ### Extra credit (Peer) *None yet.* ### Good things to do * Ag Days in Grinnell, Thursday the 31st. More info forthcoming. ### Questions How do I get credit for an extra credit activity? : Send me an email message with a one- or two-paragraph reflection on the event in the body of the message. How do I get one of my events on the extra credit list? : I prefer that you send me email. But I'll also add events that you announce in class. Will these notes appear online? : Yes. But take your own. What font are you using? : I'll let you know later. Introduction - What is CS? -------------------------- What is computer science? Write down a definition (your own definition). You may be called upon to share it with the class. * The study of systems that are used to make computers efficiently solve problems. * Systems may be "ways to express programs * Systems may be "algorithms" - "Steps taken to solve a problem" * People can also execute algorithms * We study algorithms, we also study ways to organize data. * What is science and why is CS science? * Science is the analytical study of an academic or other subject and its applications. * Using the scientific method: Hypothesis, design experiment, conduct experiment, analyze, replicate, review, repeat * Focusing on the collection and using data Exercise - An everyday algorithm -------------------------------- Goal: Write a set of unambiguous instructions to help me make a sandwich without causing too much destruction. Things we have * A loaf of bread. * A jar of jam. * A jar of Wow butter * A stack of plates * Two knives * Some napkins * Two spoons * Band aids * Bags 1. Get with people with the same number on your playing card. 2. Introduce yourselves to each other. 3. Start writing instructions * No, you can't look at the ingredients. I told you what they are. * The mentors and I will wander through your groups to peek over your shoulder. * One mentor will distract you with another task. * We'll break after ten minutes to see how you are doing. Note: There are approximately 2.2 pounds per kilogram. Round one * We managed to avoid bread on the floor and bloody hands, but it was close. Round two Debriefing on exercise ----------------------- *Come up with five things you might have taken from this exercise.* * We believe in common sense; computers and cs faculty have no common sense. * Make sure you understand your audience - instructions that work for an expert may not work for a beginner. * Be specific, include details, don't make assumptions. * Understand what the person/computer knows. * Break down big problems into smaller instructions that the computer (or whatever) can understand. * If at first you don't succeed, try try again. (Or: It's okay to fail; just start again.) * Working in teams can be better. * Things will go wrong. Laugh when they do. Friday PSA ---------- *You are almost certainly awesome people. Take care of yourselves.*