Homework

Homework Logistics and Guidelines
  • Homework can be completed in small groups of up to three people. You can choose your own groups. It is okay if you prefer to work alone.
  • Homework will be handed in via Gradescope
    • You should automatically have access to Gradescope if you are enrolled in the course. If you have any issues, please post on Ed and we'll figure it out.
    • If you are working in a group, please use the group submission feature on gradescope. Each group should submit only once.
  • Adhere to the Collaboration Policies and Honor Code.
  • Homework must be typed and submitted as a PDF. See the Resources page for resources to help you typeset math.
Homework Style and Best Practices
  • One of the big skills you'll be developing in CS161 is how to communicate technical material clearly. To that end, we expect homework sets in CS161 to be clear, and easily human-readable. Think of them like memos you might write to a team of colleagues to explain your awesome new algorithmic ideas for your company/club/side project/etc.
  • Your homeworks should be typed and clearly written with complete sentences and well-organized logic, and should definitely not be your first draft. You will be graded on style, just as you are graded on style when you hand in an essay in a Philosophy or English class. We may take points off of a technically "correct" solution, if, for example, it contains irrelevant true statements; is not written in complete sentences; does not have a clear logical flow; or if it is otherwise difficult to understand.
  • When we ask for pseudocode, we are expecting pseudocode that is clear enough that a CS106B student (and certainly the grader) can understand what your algorithm is doing, and could implement it in a language of their choice, without thinking too hard. It is good practice to include an English description of what your pseudocode is doing, to help out the reader, and sometimes we will explicitly require this.
  • HW Tips:
    • Try to put yourself in the position of the reader. If you hadn't just been thinking about this problem for several hours, would your answer make sense to you?
    • The homework questions will always end with a text block explaining what sort of answer we expect. Read this text block carefully.
    • Start the homework early.
    • Try to "finish" the homework early, step away from it for a day, and then come back to it and read it over again. Chances are, you'll find some way to write what you've written more clearly.
    • If you get stuck, then ask for help from the course staff: come to office hours prepared to explain what you have tried, and why you are stuck.
Homework 0
Homework 0

Homework 0 is a special homework, graded for completion (not correctness). The point is for us (and you) to assess your background relevant to this class. Please do this one on your own.

  • Find it on Gradescope now!
  • Due: Tuesday 9/30 at 9am (before class)

Homework 1
Homework 1