COMP-4370 Details

COMP 4370 Algorithmic Problem Solving

Course description

Algorithmic problem solving is a programming-first class focused on teaching students about common algorithms used to find solutions. Students are taught how to analyze and solve problems in C++ using data structures and algorithms. Specific course topics are:

• Introduction to software testing (unit testing) using googletest
• Test driven development
• Identifying and using common data structures to solve problems
• Generating good random numbers
• Refactoring code safely and correctly using a test driven approach
• Version control with git
• Dynamic programming to solve problems
• Constraint solving and backtracking search
• Cryptographic/hashing libraries and usage in C++
• Hashing functions used for passwords, password hash storage, password cracking programs
• Concurrency, threads, incorporating threads to speed up CPU bound problems
• Shared queue; thread pools for multi-threaded programs

Course learning objectives

• Learn common data structures used to solve problems
• Understand how to write unit tests for programs
• Become familiar with various approaches to tackle problems with code
• Learn about cryptographic hashing functions and their purpose and security
• Be able to utilize threading libraries to parallelize CPU bound programs
• Introduction to mutexes and locks