CS 3S -- Self-Paced Introduction to Symbolic Programming

    1-4 units (the first two units of CS 3S must be taken together).
    Self-paced.
    Offered fall, spring, and summer terms.
    Restrictions on enrollment: CS 3S is a "Computer Science Service Course"
    with restrictions on credit toward graduation as specified in the
    rules for such courses.

ABBREVIATED COURSE TITLE

    INTRO SYMBOLIC PROG

INSTRUCTOR IN CHARGE

    M. Clancy, Senior Lecturer.

CATALOG DESCRIPTION

    The same material as CS 3 but in a self-paced format:
    introduction to computer programming, emphasizing symbolic
    computation and functional programming style, using the
    Scheme programming language. Units assigned depend on
    amount of work completed. The first two units must be taken
    together; the course may be repeated for credit up to a
    total of four units.

PREREQUISITES

    High school algebra.

EXPANDED DESCRIPTION

    This is a self-paced course in which the unit credit depends on
    the number of topics a student masters, and the grade depends
    upon the level of mastery demonstrated by the student.
    Course activities include quizzes that test language details
    and programming assignments that provide practice with the language
    and associated programming techniques.
    There are no formal required lectures; the student
    meets with tutors for consultation on and evaluation of all
    programming assignments and quizzes.

    Topics for the first unit of credit include the following.
	The Scheme evaluator:  atoms and use of built-in Scheme functions.
	Definition of functions, scope of variables.
	Predicates and conditional evaluation.
	Lists.
    Topics for the second unit of credit include the following.
	Linear recursion.
	Planning and debugging.
    The first two units must be taken in the same semester.

    Topics for the third unit of credit include the following.
	Tree recursion.
	Advanced data structures.
	Functional operators.

    The fourth unit consists of a large (200 lines or more)
    programming project.

TEXTBOOKS

    *Simply Scheme: Introducing Computer Science* (second edition),
    Brian Harvey and Matt Wright, MIT Press, 1999.

    *Exploring Computer Science with Scheme*, Oliver Grillmeyer,
    Springer-Verlag, 1998.