CSCI0170

CS: An Integrated Introduction

Fall 2024

CSCI 0170 is a computer science introduction suitable for students with no prior experience. It focuses on functional programming, which provides a new experience for students who have already done some programming and a solid foundation for students who have never programmed at all. Students learn to design solutions to computational problems, solutions that are compact, elegant, and efficient. Over the course of the semester, the computational problems addressed grow in complexity, from simple (e.g. long addition) to moderate (e.g. implementation of one programming language in another) to sophisticated (e.g. an implementation of an AI game player for two-person games of complete information). We study clear and precise formulation of computational problems, use of recursion, and rudimentary analysis of algorithms. The emphasis is on problem solving and insight and crafting beautiful things rather than on coding.