EE312 Introductions

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EE312 Introductions
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Goal of EE312

• Provide students to opportunity to practice
  information problem solving.
• Information problem solving is a skill that
  cannot be taught, although it can be learned
  e.g., riding a bicycle, driving a car.
• The program is merely a means to an end
  Computers process information, and information
  problems are what we solve when we write
  computer programs.

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Goal of EE312

• Assess student competence and mastery of
  information problem solving.
• Problem solving is fundamental to being an
  engineer and information problems capture this
  skill in its purest form.
• EE312 is prerequisite to the EE and CE degrees.
• You must achieve basic competence to make a
  passing grade (C or better).

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Goal of EE312

• Have fun.
• OK, so maybe programming isnt youre idea of a
  great way to spend Saturday night.
• But, when the computer begins to make sense,
  programming will suck a lot less.

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EE312 at a Glance

• Home Page http//www.ece.utexas.edu/chase/ECE_Ho
  me/EE312_Spring_2004/
• Texts Patt and Patel
• Compiler Code Warrior
• Lectures MWF 230-4, CPE 2.208
• Recitations 1 hour per week.

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EE312 Course Content

• Information Problem Solving
• Using variables, arrays and data structures to
  store information
• Algorithm selection and algorithm development
• Coding, including C syntax and style
• Debugging and validation of programs
• Develop a working understanding of computation
• Understanding that the machine is not really
  possessed by a demon.

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Programming and Engineering

• You dont have to be an engineer to write a
  program
• e.g., My dad writes a lot of software
• Fortunately, none of it is used to fly airplanes
  or to control nuclear power plants

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When you need an Engineer

• It must be efficient
• Execution speed is critical
• Memory is limited
• Power consumption
• Its just plain hard to solve
• (computer scientists are sometimes useful here
  too)

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Programming is Engineering

• Problem solving is the common thread linking all
  engineering
• Its how we justify our position (and our pay)
• A technician can plug and chug
• Engineers need to be clever
• Finding an algorithm is pure problem solving
• Like working a brain teaser
• Programming is a holodeck for practicing your
  engineering skills

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Course Philosophy

• The foundation for good programming consists of
  three elements
• A (reasonably accurate) model of how the computer
  works.
• Problem solving skills including problem
  analysis, deductive reasoning and creativity.
• Knowledge of the constructs of the programming
  language.

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Who are we?

• Instructor Craig Chase, ENS 504, 471-7457,
  chase_at_ece.utexas.edu
• Ph.D. 1993 Cornell University
• At UT since 1993, teaching and research in
  Parallel Computing, Software Development.
• I have taught EE312 five times
• Lead TA Harshal Ingole
• TA for EE312 in Spring 2003 and Summer 2003
• TA for EE306 in Fall 2002 and Fall 2003

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Who are you?

• The audience for EE312 are individuals with
• Limited programming experience (more than five
  programs, less than a hundred).
• Basic knowledge of how a computer works (EE306).
• You should have experience with
• The sequential execution of program statements.
• Variables.
• Conditionals (if-then-else)
• Loops.
• Subroutines.
• Simple Input and Output.

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How to Pass EE312?Accept your responsibility to
learn.

• Learn during the lectures.
• Much of what you will be expected to learn is not
  in the book.
• No amount of memorization or cramming will
  allow you to pass the exams.
• Start the programming assignments early.
• You will not receive help at the last minute.
• Expect to be able to understand everything and
  ask questions when you do not.

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Programming Assignments

• We will have roughly one project each week.
• The projects will take between 2 and 10 hours to
  complete.
• The projects will take considerably longer if you
  do not understand the material.
• The programs will account for 25 of your course
  grade.

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Exams

• We will have three evening exams and a final.
• Exam 1 February 18
• Exam 2 March 31
• Exam 3 May 5
• Exams will be cumulative.
• The evening exams will each count 15 of your
  course grade.
• The final exam will count 20 of your course
  grade.

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Recitation Sections

• We will answer questions, do demonstrations and
  critique programs.
• Attendance at recitations is required.
• Part of your course grade is based on performance
  in recitation
• Showing up is not performing!

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Academic Honesty

• Programs are individual effort.
• Do not show your program to another student
  (whether its working or not).
• Do not seek (from students) or give help while
  debugging.
• Do not refer to solutions from the web, or from
  previous years.
• Study groups (for exams) are encouraged.

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Professionalism

• Please, come to class on time (exams too).
• Youre responsible for the material covered in
  class
• Indent and comment your programs
• We need to read them!
• Treat your fellow students, TAs and professors
  with respect.
• And alert me immediately if there are problems
  with TAs.

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Summary

• EE312 is a high workload course
• Program each week (except when there is an exam)
• EE312 is required because programming is
  fundamental to engineering
• EE312 uses a bottom-up approach to programming
  well cover lots of gritty details
• Be proactive about learning and you will succeed