Data Structures and Algorithms

We know that computers are great problem solvers, but there is human work that must be done before computers can work their magic: first, it is necessary to formalize the problem within a mathematical model, find an algorithm to solve the problem in that model, and implement the algorithm in a particular programming language. This course teaches you how to do behind-the-scenes work like designing, analyzing, and implementing algorithms within a programming language. You'll study data structures such as arrays, lists, stacks, queues, trees, and sets to learn different ways of organizing data. You'll analyze sorting, searching, and graphing algorithms to determine their runtime efficiency. By examining these fundamental algorithms, you and your classmates will learn how design decisions can affect their efficiency and scalability. A series of programming assignments will help you learn how to put these abstract ideas into practice. By the end of this course, you will have the conceptual tools necessary to model and analyze various types of computational problems.

Typical Class Size: 18-20