CSC104, Fall 2017

Welcome to our Fall 2017 offering of Computational Thinking!

The course introduces you to Computer Science so that you can then actively participate in the world of computing, and be a more informed and active citizen in an age where computing is rapidly changing how we live and work.

Extra help: Every Monday through Thursday, 4–6 p.m., the CSC Help Centre awaits your questions.

Below you'll find a calendar with entries for all significant course events

Week:MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday
Week #0
Introduction

input:

chapters 0 and 1 of picturing programs

DrRacket values videos

output:

Lab for Wednesday September 13

throughput:

CBC Spark podcast: video games that feel like work

Sep 4

Sep 5

Sep 6

Sep 7

Sep 8

First day of class!

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Week #1
Values, Expressions, Naming

input:

chapter 2 of Picturing Programs

first DrRacket definitions video In csc104, use the (step... ) command instead of the pull-down menu. Also, don't use (require 2htdp/images).

throughput:

CBC Spark podcast: no kids allowed

Sep 11

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Sep 12

Sep 13

Help with installing DrRacket, 10am-4pm in BA3175

Sep 14

Sep 15

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Week #2
Function Definitions, Function Design

input:

Chapter 3 of Picturing Programs

Chapter 4 of Picturing Programs

output: week 2 exercise

throughput:

CBC Spark podcast: have we become anti-innovation

Sep 18

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Sep 19

Sep 20


office hour week 2 in BA3175, 10–4 p.m.

Questions before the quiz? Instructors or TAs will be in BA3175 between 10 and 3 on Wednesday.

T0201 quiz:

(A--L) 11:30 in RS310,

(M--V) 11:30 in HA316,

(W--Z) 11:45 in RS310

T0301 quiz: (A--M) 12:30 and (N--Z) 12:45 in BF323

T0401 quiz: (A--M) 1:30 and (N--Z) 1:45 in UC256

T0501 quiz: (A--M) 2:30 and (N--Z) 2:45 in RS310

T0101 quiz: (A--M) 3:30 and (N--Z) 3:45 in RW140

sample runnable quiz file

Sep 21

Sep 22

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Week #3
More Function Design. Testing. Lists.

input:

Videos on lists; ignore material on structs (for now).

output:

week 3 exercise

throughput:

women and online gaming

Sep 25

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Sep 26

Sep 27


office hour week 3 in BA3175, 10–4 p.m.

Questions before the quiz? Instructors or TAs will be in BA3175 between 10 and 3 on Wednesday.

T0201 quiz:

(A--L) 11:30 in RS310,

(M--V) 11:30 in HA316,

(W--Z) 11:45 in RS310

T0301 quiz: (A--M) 12:30 and (N--Z) 12:45 in BF323

T0401 quiz: (A--M) 1:30 and (N--Z) 1:45 in UC256

T0501 quiz: (A--M) 2:30 and (N--Z) 2:45 in RS310

T0101 quiz: (A--M) 3:30 and (N--Z) 3:45 in RW140

sample runnable quiz file

Sep 28

Sep 29

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Week #4
Booleans, Conditionals. Recursion.

input:

output:

week 4 exercise

throughput:

mobile mindfulness

Oct 2

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Oct 3

Oct 4


office hour week 4 in BA3175, 10–4 p.m.

Questions before the quiz? Instructors or TAs will be in BA3175 between 10 and 3 on Wednesday.

T0201 quiz:

(A--L) 11:30 in RS310,

(M--V) 11:30 in HA316,

(W--Z) 11:45 in RS310

T0301 quiz: (A--M) 12:30 and (N--Z) 12:45 in BF323

T0401 quiz: (A--M) 1:30 and (N--Z) 1:45 in UC256

T0501 quiz: (A--M) 2:30 and (N--Z) 2:45 in RS310

T0101 quiz: (A--M) 3:30 and (N--Z) 3:45 in RW140

sample runnable quiz file

Oct 5

Oct 6

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Course slog due at 10 p.m.

Week #5
Test #1

input:

output:

2017 Winter Test 1

2016 Winter Test 1

2015 Fall Test 1

2015 Winter Test 1

throughput: selfie resumes

Oct 9

Thanksgiving: university closed!

Oct 10

Oct 11

Pre-test office hours: 10am-4pm in BA3175

Oct 12

Jacqueline's office hours: 1:30pm-3pm in BA4261

Oct 13

Test #1 - during lecture time

11:10am - 12:00pm

Last names A-L -- Room: WB116

Last names M-Z -- Room: KP108

12:10 - 1:00pm

Last names A-L -- Room: WB116

Last names M-Z -- Room: KP108

3:10 - 4:00pm

Last names A-R -- Room: BA1130

Last names S-Z -- Room: MP202

Week #6
More recursion. Lists of lists. Local definitions.

input:

output:

week 6 exercise

Project #1

Texts to analyze

throughput: do you really own your smart device.

Oct 16

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Oct 17

Oct 18


office hour week 6 in BA3175, 10–4 p.m.

Questions before the quiz? Instructors or TAs will be in BA3175 between 10 and 3 on Wednesday.

T0201 quiz:

(A--L) 11:30 in RS310,

(M--V) 11:30 in HA316,

(W--Z) 11:45 in RS310

T0301 quiz: (A--M) 12:30 and (N--Z) 12:45 in BF323

T0401 quiz: (A--M) 1:30 and (N--Z) 1:45 in UC256

T0501 quiz: (A--M) 2:30 and (N--Z) 2:45 in RS310

T0101 quiz: (A--M) 3:30 and (N--Z) 3:45 in RW140

sample runnable quiz #6

Oct 19

Oct 20

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Week #7
More lists of lists. Iteration.

input:

output:

week 7 exercise

throughput: jobs and automation

Oct 23

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Oct 24

Oct 25


office hour week 7 in BA3175, 10–4 p.m.

Questions before the quiz? Instructors or TAs will be in BA3175 between 10 and 3 on Wednesday.

T0201 quiz:

(A--L) 11:30 in RS310,

(M--V) 11:30 in HA316,

(W--Z) 11:45 in RS310

T0301 quiz: (A--M) 12:30 and (N--Z) 12:45 in BF323

T0401 quiz: (A--M) 1:30 and (N--Z) 1:45 in UC256

T0501 quiz: (A--M) 2:30 and (N--Z) 2:45 in RS310

T0101 quiz: (A--M) 3:30 and (N--Z) 3:45 in RW140

sample runnable week #7 quiz

Oct 26

Oct 27

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Week #8
Animation. Nested lists.

input:

output:

week 8 exercise

throughput: hanging out with Siri...

Oct 30

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Oct 31

Nov 1


office hour week 8 in BA3175, 10–4 p.m.

Questions before the quiz? Instructors or TAs will be in BA3175 between 10 and 3 on Wednesday.

T0201 quiz:

(A--L) 11:30 in RS310,

(M--V) 11:30 in HA316,

(W--Z) 11:45 in RS310

T0301 quiz: (A--M) 12:30 and (N--Z) 12:45 in BF323

T0401 quiz: (A--M) 1:30 and (N--Z) 1:45 in UC256

T0501 quiz: (A--M) 2:30 and (N--Z) 2:45 in RS310

T0101 quiz: (A--M) 3:30 and (N--Z) 3:45 in RW140

sample runnable week #8 quiz

Nov 2

Nov 3

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Project #1

Text to analyze (unzip in the same folder)

Download authorship.rkt and follow the instructions. You may work in groups of up to 3 CSC104 students.

Re-read the course information sheet on academic integrity before you start.

Reading Week
Enjoy your break!		Nov 6

No class

Nov 7

Nov 8

No class

Nov 9

Nov 10

No class

Week #9
More nested lists. Test #2.

input:

output:

2017 Winter Test 2 : Questions 1, 2, and 4.

2016 Winter Test 2 : Questions 2, 3, and 4.

2015 Fall Test 2 : Questions 3 and 4.

2015 Winter Test 2 : Questions 2 and 3. Note: (make-color 0 0 0 0) means "transparent".

Racket file of recursions to practice stepping.

throughput: AI mistakes a cat for guacamole?

Nov 13

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Nov 14

Nov 15

Pre-test office hours in BA3175

Nov 16

Nov 17

Test #2 - during lecture time

11:10am - 12:00pm

Last names A-L -- Room: WB116

Last names M-Z -- Room: KP108

12:10 - 1:00pm

Last names A-L -- Room: WB116

Last names M-Z -- Room: KP108

3:10 - 4:00pm

Last names A-R -- Room: BA1130

Last names S-Z -- Room: MP202

Week #10
Limits of computation.

input:

output:

week 10 exercise

Project #2

Nov 20

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Nov 21

Nov 22


office hour week 10 in BA3175, 10–4 p.m.

Questions before the quiz? Instructors or TAs will be in BA3175 between 10 and 3 on Wednesday.

T0201 quiz:

(A--L) 11:30 in RS310,

(M--V) 11:30 in HA316,

(W--Z) 11:45 in RS310

T0301 quiz: (A--M) 12:30 and (N--Z) 12:45 in BF323

T0401 quiz: (A--M) 1:30 and (N--Z) 1:45 in UC256

T0501 quiz: (A--M) 2:30 and (N--Z) 2:45 in RS310

T0101 quiz: (A--M) 3:30 and (N--Z) 3:45 in RW140

Nov 23

Nov 24

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Week #11
Number representation.

input:

output:

Nov 27

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Nov 28

Nov 29

No quiz this week! Project #2 office hours 10am-4pm in BA3175

Nov 30

Project #2 office hours 1pm-5pm in BA4261

Dec 1

Project #2 office hours 12pm-6pm in BA4261

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Week #12
More limits of computation.

input:

output:

Questions on Binary Representation, from Tests posted in Week #9:

2017 Winter Question 3.

2016 Winter Question 1.

2015 Fall Question 2.

2015 Winter Question 1.

Racket file for the questions above

Dec 4

Lecture 11:10–noon WB116

Lecture 12:10–1:00 WB116

Lecture 3:10–4:00 MP202

Dec 5

Dec 6

See "output" at the beginning of the week.


office hour week 12 in BA3175, 10–4 p.m.

Questions before the quiz? Instructors or TAs will be in BA3175 between 10 and 3 on Wednesday.

T0201 quiz:

(A--L) 11:30 in RS310,

(M--V) 11:30 in HA316,

(W--Z) 11:45 in RS310

T0301 quiz: (A--M) 12:30 and (N--Z) 12:45 in BF323

T0401 quiz: (A--M) 1:30 and (N--Z) 1:45 in UC256

T0501 quiz: (A--M) 2:30 and (N--Z) 2:45 in RS310

T0101 quiz: (A--M) 3:30 and (N--Z) 3:45 in RW140

Dec 7

No class for Makeup Monday. See you at the exam!

Past Exams

Winter 2017 Exam

Fall 2016 Exam

Winter 2016 Exam

Fall 2015 Exam