Department of Computer Science
Middlebury College
CS 150 - Computing for the Sciences
Fall 2011
instructor: Dave Kauchak
e-mail: [first_initial][last_name]@middlebury.edu
office hours: MBH 635
M/W 2:45-3:45pm
T 2-3pm
Th 3-4pm
and by appointment
time:
A: MWF 11:15am-12:05
B: MWF 1:45-2:35pm
location: MBH 505
web page: http://www.cs.middlebury.edu/~dkauchak/classes/cs150/
Evening Tutor Information
textbook:
- Required: Practical Programming: An Introduction to Computer Science Using Python. Jennifer Campbell, Paul Gries, Jason Montojo and Greg Wilson. The book is available at the bookstore, online or you can buy an electronic version from the publisher.
- Optional: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist: Learning with Python. Allen Downey, Jeff Elkner, and Chris Meyers. It is available online for free.
general information:
Computer Science 150 is an introduction to the field of computer science geared towards students interested in the sciences. By the end of this course you should have a good basic understanding of how to develop (design, code, and debug) medium-sized programs in Python and will have a using understanding of large data analysis and some of the tools used in scientific computation.
We do not assume you have had any previous programming experience for this course.
If you're not sure if this class is appropriate for you, I'm happy to discuss it with you.
administrivia
Announcements
- Final "Cheat Sheet" posted
- Test Project 2 is now available
- Digital file submission link
- Double-sided printing from Wing IDE: Edit -> Preferences, select Editor/Printing, Print Spool Cmd, check "Use this command line:", and enter the following command:
/home/share/bin/lpr2 %s
- Test Project 1 is now available and due Friday Oct. 21 at 6pm
- The midterm is scheduled for Th. Oct. 20 7:30-9:30pm in MBH 104
Schedule
Note: This is a tentative schedule and is subject to change
| Date | Topic | Reading | Problems | Comments |
|---|
| 9/12 | admin, intro to CS and Python | Ch 1-1.2, 2-2.3 | | |
| 9/14 | variables, comments, functions | Ch 2.4-2.9 | set 1 - solutions | Lab prep 1 |
| 9/16 | Lab 1 | | | |
| 9/19 | functions, scope | Ch. 3 | set 2 - solutions | |
| 9/21 | turtle graphics, randomness | Ch. 4-4.1 | set 3 - solutions | Lab prep 2 |
| 9/23 | Lab 2 | | | |
| 9/26 | strings and objects | Ch 4.3 | set 4 - solutions | |
| 9/28 | more strings | Ch 6-6.1 | set 5 - solutions | Lap prep 3 |
| 9/30 | Lab 3 | | | |
| 10/3 | conditionals | Ch 6.2-6.4 | set 6 - solutions | |
| 10/5 | more conditionals, while | Ch 7.2-pg. 143 | set 7 - solutions | Lab prep 4 |
| 10/7 | Lab 4 | | | |
| 10/10 | lists | Ch 5-5.5 | set8 - solutions | |
| 10/12 | lists, files | Ch 5.6-5.8 | set 9 - solutions | NO Lab prep |
| 10/14 | Lab 5 | Ch 5.10-pg. 102 | | Test Project 1 |
| 10/17 | object references | Reading catch-up | set 10 - solutions | |
| 10/19 | objects, midterm review
Sample questions | - | set 11 - solutions | |
| 10/21 | Lab 6 - Work session | | | |
| 10/24 | NO CLASS | | | |
| 10/26 | sets | Ch 4.2, 9.1 | <-- do reading | Lab prep 7 |
| 10/28 | Lab 7 | | | |
| 10/31 | dictionaries | Ch 9.2-9.4 | set 12 - solutions | |
| 11/2 | matplotlib | - | set 13 - solutions | Lab prep 8 |
| 11/4 | Lab 8 | | | |
| 11/7 | modules | Ch 12.1 | set 14 - solutions | |
| 11/9 | Terminal, files, URLs | Ch 8 | set 15 - solutions | Lab prep 9 |
| 11/11 | Lab 9 | | | |
| 11/14 | recursion | Ch 4.9, 4.11 from "Optional"
book linked above | set 16 - solutions | |
| 11/16 | more recursion | - | set 17 - solutions | Lab prep 10 |
| 11/18 | Lab 10 | | | |
| 11/21 | R | Skim over R basics (original here) | set 18 - solutions | Test project 2 |
| 11/23 | NO CLASS | | | |
| 11/25 | NO CLASS | | | |
| 11/28 | matlab basics | | set 19 - solutions | |
| 11/30 | matlab programs | | Finish matlab basics
through section 5 | Lab prep 11 |
| 12/2 | Lab 11 | | | |
| 12/5 | sorting | Ch 11.3-11.5 | set 20 - solutions | |
| 12/7 | representing numbers | Ch 10 | set 21 - solutions | |
| 12/9 | review | | | |
Midterm:
Both sections: Thursday, October 20 7:30-9:30pm in MBH 104
Final exam (in MBH 505):
A: Wednesday, December 14 7-10pm
B: Saturday, December 17 2-5pm
Resources