Old Dominion University

Internet-Based Course

CS 381 - Discrete Structures

Spring 2001

Prof. Shunichi Toida

Updated on November 21, 2000

This course is now ready for Spring 2001.

This course covers the fundamental mathematical concepts and reasoning along with problem solving techniques. Topics covered include propositional logic, predicate logic, inferencing, proof methods including induction, set operations, binary relations including order relations, and equivalence relations, graphs, and functions.

This course will be delivered via the internet, as part of the Computer Science Dept's TechEd initiative, under the ODU Teletechnet program. There will be no live (classroom or Teletechnet) lectures for this course, although a few question and answer sessions through Teletechnet may be given. Under this program, a complete upper-division (junior and senior) CS bachelors degree program will be made available via the internet.

The Spring 2001 offering of CS 381 is mainly intended for those who live in the Hampton Roads area. This will be the second offering of this course via the Internet following a successful run in Fall 1999. Although we will make every effort to provide a proper learning environment for students in this class, anyone taking the course should be prepared for the possibility, or the probability, that some things will go wrong. Students who register for this course should do so with the understanding that they are partners, with the instructor, in trying to provide a better learning experience for the students who will follow in subsequent semesters. If you are the kind of student who is easily distracted by unexpected technical problems, then please don't take this class during this semester.

Course Prerequisites

CS 150 (Introduction to Programming),

MATH 163 (Pre-Calculus II),
or equivalents.

Calculus is preferred but not required.

Students are presumed to be familiar with basic programming techniques, including the use of functions and procedures, loops and recursion. Also assumed is facility with basic algebra.

Students are also expected to be familiar with the use of standard Internet-based tools including e-mail

Technical Requirements - Hardware

Because this course is hosted on the internet, you will need to make sure that you have access to the appropriate computing equipment and software to participate in the course activities.

Hardware requirements are pretty straightforward.

Required

Almost any Pentium-class Windows 95, 98, or NT machine should do. Equivalently powered Unix or Macintosh machines are also acceptable, though these may introduce other limitations regarding software (below).

Whatever the machine, a good Internet connection is essential. You should be able to connect to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) at 28k or better. Perhaps more importantly, your ISP must be able to actually feed you information at that rate during the time periods when you will be logged in. It's not unheard of for people to invest in very fast modems only to find that their net access stays the same - because their ISP was too overloaded to serve up the information as fast as their modem could accept it. Unfortunately, this is not an easy thing for individuals to determine (and few ISP's will have the candor to admit when they have too many customers for their own good).

Technical Requirements - Software

Software requirements are more specific:

Required:

Web browser: Acceptable are Internet Explorer 4.0 or better, and Netscape Navigator 4.05 or better
Note that both of these are available for free downloading on Windows (and Macintosh?) platforms. Netscape is available for free on Unix platforms. At the risk of starting a religious war, I will recommend that, all else being equal, you go for Internet Explorer, because this also gives you easy access to NetMeeting in case we need it.
Java: A Java engine is included in your web browser. You may need to activate it from your browser's "settings" or "preferences" area. Occasionally, an otherwise correctly installed browser will not be able to run Java programs (applets). Click here to test the Java engine in your current browser. If a window appears, complete with menus, buttons, etc., then all is well.
e-mail: Any MIME-compliant e-mail program should do.
telnet, ftp: Any program should do.

Communications with the Instructor

The main communication medium is e-mail, (toida@cs.odu.edu), though you may also use telephone, ( (757)683-3392 ),and NetMeeting ( 128.82.4.37 ).
- Homeworks: hand in by attaching a file (see 2. below) to an e-mail
- Questions: send an e-mail. May attach a file (see 2. below) to an e-mail.
The accepted files are MS Word (.doc), Latex (.tex), PDF or Postscript (.ps) files. NO OTHER FILES are accepted. For mathematical symbols, you may also follow the convention given in legend with red color, thus avoiding the use of special fonts.
e-mail questions are first going to be acknowledged (usually immediately but within a few hours at the worst except weekends) and then are going to be answered by e-mail. Every effort will be made to reply as soon as possible and at the worst within 24 hours of receipt (except on weekends). It is not always possible to reply within a few minutes or even a few hours.

Click here to go to CS381 Home Page.

Email me at toida@cs.odu.edu