CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, CHICO
 DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

CSCI 15A Programming and Algorithms I Fall 1997

Instructor:Dr. Jim Murphy, Professor of Computer Science

Office Hours: OCNL 228
Mon. & Wed. 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Tues. & Thur. 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Phone number 898-4037  
Secretaries 898-6442
email: murphy@ecst.csuchico.edu
Course Web site at: http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~murphy/gradinfo/mercer/

Course Time Schedule: 
TTH  3:30 - 4:45 p.m.  OCNL 241 (Lecture)
Section 1 M 1:00 - 1:50 p.m. OCNL119/131 (Activity)
Section 2 W 1:00 - 1:50 p.m. OCNL118/131 (Activity)
Section 3 M 2:00 - 2:50 p.m. OCNL119/131 (Activity)
November 24-28  Thanksgiving Vacation

Required Textbooks:
Computing Fundamentals with C++: Using, Modifying & Implementing
 Object classes, by Rick Mercer, Franklin, Beedle & Assoc. Inc.

Catalog Data:  Introduces the discipline of computer science, providing an overview of 
computer systems and their applications and an introduction to software design and 
programming, the software life-cycle, algorithms and their role in software design.  Students 
will be expected to design, implement, and test a number of programs.
3 hours discussion.  2 hours activity.

Goals:By the end of the course, the student will:
  be able to exhibit a disciplined approach to problem solving, 
       algorithm development, and object-oriented program design
  be able to write C/C++ code with good style
  be able to write readable, useful documentation to accompany programs
  be comfortable with the software life-cycle

Pre-requisites:  One year of high school algebra.

Topics:Introduction of software engineering principles
Modularity, Encapsulation, Information hiding
Abstract data types (ADTs)
Object oriented design
Introduction to C and C++ programming
Data types and expressions
Functions and their parameters
Classes and member functions
Selections, repetitions, and arrays
Pointers

Costs which might be incurred during the term:
Disks for your work (cola or coffee)

Evaluation procedures, Exam Schedule:   
40%  Assignments
25%  MidTerm Exam 
35%  Final Exam   Thursday December 18, 1997, 2:00 - 3:50 p.m.

Note: Failure in either the examination component or the programming component will result 
in failure in the course.
Please: No late arrivals or early departures.  They are disruptive to everybody.

First assignment - obtain a unix account, create a working directory for this course and set up a 
symbolic link to the directory containing the source code for the Mercer text with:
ln -s /usr/local/gx/mercer src
cp src/template .
man -k copy
man cp
edit the template file found there to be used when starting C++ programs for this course by 
inserting your name, due date September 2, 1997, and a description of this assignment as 
comments in the appropriate places.
Send email to murphy including this edited template file after specifying your computer 
background (courses, languages, and use) and if you own or have access to a personal 
computer what is it?
cp template assign2.cpp
Also copy to our TA Vincent Ford email: skeeve.