Review of the main topics covered in CSC 2700 this term
=======================================================

[NOTE: I will progressively update this doc, if necessary, until the exam]

Course Overview
---------------

 * Introduction to C (and some C++)
 * Numerical Methods
 * Simulation
 * Graphs
 * Dynamic Programming
 * Four assignments

   

 Introduction to C (and some C++)
 ================================


   - Review the basic construct of the language, particularly those that 
     are new to a java programmer:
     + Pointers
     + Pointers versus arrays
     + Pointer arithmetic

   - Be able to quickly see what the output of a small and short C program 
     should be. 
 
  Readings: The appropriate pages in King's book or in K&R's book. 
   


 Numerical Methods
 =================


    - Round-off errors, truncation errors, and machine precisions. 
    - Root finding methods: bisection, secant, Newton.

  Readings: lecture notes and the appropriate pages in the readings. 



 Graphs
 ======


    - Understand basic concepts: vertex, edge, path, cycle, etc.
    - Representation 
    - Depth-First Search
    - Beadth-First Search
    - Diskjstra algorithm (Single Source Shortest Paths)
    - Floyd-Warshall-Ingerman algorithm (All-Pairs Shortest Paths)

  Readings: lecture notes and the appropriate pages in the readings. Make sure 
           to understand all of this 4 algorithms as formulated BOTH in 
           lecture notes and in the readings. 
 Things to notice: 
    - understand the algorithms
    - apply on examples
    - estimate complexity
    - undestand the subtleties of the various algorithms


 Simulation
 ==========

    - Main concepts: 
         + deterministic versus stochastic
         + time- versus event-driven
         etc

    - Components of a simulation
    - Study small examples: 
         + the one in lecture notes
         + the 3 ones in the readings p. 1, 3, 5 (Mole notes)  

    - Random number generation

  Readings: lecture notes and the Mole notes in the readings. 


 Dynamic Programming
 ===================


    - The five steps for solving a problem using DP.
    - All-Pairs Shortest Paths as a DP problem
    - Multistagegraphs
    - Estimating the complexity


 Four assignments
 ================


   Study extensively all the handouts as they are relevant material for 
   the exam. You should be able to answer questions about material covered on 
   them.