CIS4930/5930 - Problem Solving - Spring 2026 - Schedule | |
| Date | Topic | Resources | Homework | |
| Week 1 | 01/08 | Logistics.
Review of algorithm analysis: big-Oh and selection sort, Big-Omega and
lower bound for comparison-based sorting. | Logistics Scribe 0 Slide 1 |
| |
| Week 2 | 01/13 | Review
of algorithm analysis, continued: How to obtain lower and upper bounds
via integration. Some basics of algorithm design. | Scribe 0 Scribe 1 | | |
| 01/15 | Some basics of algorithm design, continued. | Scribe 1 | | |
| Week 3 | 01/20 | Practice to prepare for Quiz 1. Basics of algorithm design, continued: Binary-search-like algorithms | Scribe 1 | Writing exercise is up | |
| 01/22 | Basics of algorithm design, continued: Binary-search-like algorithm. Quiz 1 | Scribe 1 |
| |
| Week 4 | 01/27 | Basics of algorithm design, continued: Using binary search for optimization. | Scribe 1 | Writing exercise due | |
| 01/29 | Writing workshop | | | |
| Week 5 | 02/03 | Divide-and-conquer: Recursion-tree method and Counting Inversion | Slide
2 Scribe
2 | | |
| 02/05 | Divide-and-conquer: Practice recursion-tree method. Wrap up Counting Inversion. | Slide
2 Scribe
2 | | |
| Week 6 | 02/10 | Master Theorem. Practice: Finding Majority. | Slide
3 | | |
| 02/12 | Divide-and-conquer: Maximum Subarray, Local Minimum in 2D. | Slide
2 Scribe
2 | Hw1 is up | |
| Week 7 | 02/17 | Quiz 2 Local Minimum in 2D, continued. | Scribe
2 | | |
| 02/19 | Practice: Diameter of a Tree. | Scribe
2 | | |
| Week 8 | 02/24 | Review of Quiz 2. Wrap up Local Minimum in 2D. | Scribe
2 | | |
| 02/26 | Substitution method. Generalization-specialization: Pythagorean theorem, lines in a plane. | Scribe 3, Scribe 4 | Hw1 due | |
| Week 9 | 03/03 | Review
of Hw1. Range queries in static array (1D and 2D) .
Generalization-specialization: polygon perimeter, center of
symmetry. | Scribe 4 | | |
| 03/05 | Generalization-specialization: Superposition pattern, secret sharing | Scribe 4 | | |
| Week 10 | 03/10 | Generalization-specialization: the repertoire method | Scribe 4 | | |
| 03/12 | Unweighted graphs: terminology, BFS, DFS, topological order | Slide 5, Scribe 5 | Hw2 is up | |
| Week 11 | 03/17 | Springbreak | | | |
| 03/19 | Springbreak | | | |
| Week 12 | 03/24 | Weighted graph: Shortest path, Minimum-spanning tree | Slide 6, Scribe 7 | | |
| 03/26 | Quiz 3 Induction proofs: Gray code | Scribe 6 | | |
| Week 13 | 03/31 | Induction proofs, continued. | Scribe 6 | Hw2 due | |
| 04/02 | | | Hw3 is up | |
| Week 14 | 04/07 | Quiz 4 | | | |
| 04/09 | | | | |
| Week 15 | 04/14 | | | | |
| 04/16 | | | | |
| Week 16 | 04/21 | | | Hw3 due | |
| 04/23 | | | | |