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\handout{info}{Course Information}{January 31, 1992}

\bigskip \noindent{\bf Staff} 

\smallskip \noindent
{\it Lecturers\/}: 

\quad\mbox{
\begin{tabular}{ll}
Nancy Lynch		&	NE43-365, 3-7225, 
                                {\tt lynch@theory.lcs.mit.edu} \\
Ronald Rivest           &       NE43-324, 3-5880, 
                                {\tt rivest@theory.lcs.mit.edu }
\end{tabular}
}

Both lecturers are available by appointment.
To meet with Professor Rivest, please contact his
secretary (Be Hubbard, 3-6098) to schedule an appointment.
Contact Professor Lynch directly to set up an appointment with her.

\smallskip \noindent
{\it Teaching Assistants:}

\quad\mbox{
\begin{tabular}{ll}
Isaac Saias        	&  NE43-368, 3-1922, {\tt saias@theory.lcs.mit.edu} \\
David Williamson	&  NE43-301, 3-9680, {\tt dpwmson@theory.lcs.mit.edu}\\
\end{tabular}
}

TA Office Hours: To be announced.


\smallskip \noindent
{\it Course Secretary:}

\quad\mbox{
\begin{tabular}{ll}
Be Hubbard	&  NE43-322, 3-6098, {\tt be@theory.lcs.mit.edu}\\
\end{tabular}
}

\noindent{\bf Lectures}

\qquad Lectures are MWF 11--12 in room 4-370.

\bigskip
\noindent
{\bf Recitations}

Recitations begin next week. 
%% Go to the section of your choice.
%% Ron:  Don't they have preassigned sections?
%% We need to discuss whether we want 5 or 6 sections.

\quad\mbox{
\begin{tabular}{lllll}
Section 1		&	Wednesday & 2-3  & 36-186 & Lynch/Rivest alternate   \\
Section 2		&	Thursday  & 12-1 & 34-301 & Williamson \\
Section 3		&	Thursday  & 1-2  & 34-304 & Williamson \\
Section 4		&	Wednesday & 1-2  & 36-372 & Lynch/Rivest alternate   \\
Section 5		&	Wednesday & 4-5  & 34-301 & Saias      \\
Section 6		&	Thursday  & 3-4  & 26-204 & Saias 
\end{tabular}
}
%% Check assignments 

\bigskip\noindent{\bf Prerequisites}

The requirement for the course is either 18.063 ({\it
Introduction to Algebraic Systems}) or 18.310 ({\it Principles of
Applied Mathematics}).  

\bigskip\noindent{\bf Textbooks}

\noindent {\it Required text} (available at the Tech Coop):

\qquad Martin, John C., {\sl Introduction to Languages and the
Theory of Computation}, McGraw-Hill, 1991.

{\em (This is a new text for this course.  We would appreciate your
comments on it.)}

\pagebreak
\noindent {\it Supplemental texts\/}:
\begin{quote}
\vskip -.1in
\noindent
Lewis and Papadimitriou,
{\sl Elements of the Theory of Computation}
Prentice-Hall, 1981.
Covers essentially the same material as Martin covers, but with a more
formal style.  It also includes additional chapters on logic.  This used
to be the textbook for this course.

\noindent
Hopcroft and Ullman, {\sl Introduction to
Automata Theory, Languages, and Computation}, Ad\-di\-son-Wesley,
1979.  
Similar to Lewis and Papadimitriou in style and content, 
but without the logic and with more emphasis on grammars.  
At a slightly higher level than Lewis and Papadimitriou.

\noindent
Garey and Johnson, {\sl Computers and Intractability}, W.H.
Freeman and Company, 1979.  
The definitive work on NP-completeness.
Useful for the complexity theory section of the course.
Available in paperback.
\end{quote}

All three of these books are available on reserve in the LCS/AI
Reading room (545 Technology Square).
In addition, a reasonable number of copies of Garey and Johnson are
available at the Coop.

%% Must make sure that all three of these are on reserve and that 50
%% or so copies of GJ are in the Coop. 

\bigskip\noindent{\bf Grading}

Grades will be based on homework, two quizzes and a final, with
homework worth approximately 30\% of the grade,
the quizzes worth approximately 40\%,
and the final worth approximately 30\%.
There will be ten problem sets, approximately one per week.
The quizzes will take place on Thursday evenings,
March 5 and April 9.
Each quiz is 2 hours long, and you may choose whether to take the exam
from 5-7 P.M. or from 7-9 P.M.
If you choose the earlier exam, you {\em must} stay until the end of the
exam, and if you choose the later exam, you {\em must} arrive at the
beginning.
The final will take place during the exam period as usual.
All three exams will be open book and open notebook.
Exam problems may be adaptations of previously assigned
homework problems or of problems solved in lecture or recitation.

If you have doubts about the way a homework or exam problem has been graded,
consult one of the TAs.

\bigskip\noindent{\bf Problem Sets}

Homework will usually be assigned on a Friday and will be due in class
the following Friday.  Problem sets will be collected in marked boxes with
a separate box for each problem.  
Graded problem sets
will be returned in class the following Friday.  Problem sets not
picked up will be in the filing cabinet 
outside NE43-311.
Solutions will generally be available with the graded problem sets.
%% TA's must work out a division of labor for preparing solutions.
We will generally not accept late homeworks; talk to your TA if there
are exceptional circumstances.

{\bf Important!!!} 
Do each problem on a {\it separate sheet\/} of {\it
three-hole punched paper}.  If a problem requires more than one sheet,
{\em staple} these sheets together, but keep each problem separate.  Mark
the top of your solution to each problem with:
\begin{itemize}
\item[$\bullet$] your name
\item[$\bullet$] 6.045/18.400
\item[$\bullet$] the assignment number
\item[$\bullet$] the problem number
\end{itemize}

Try to be as clear and precise as possible in your presentations.
Understandability of the solution is as necessary as correctness.

\bigskip\noindent{\bf Collaboration}

Try to solve the problems on your own.  If you find a problem very
hard, you may discuss it with other students.  If you do this,
indicate on your writeup with whom you have discussed the problem.
Even in this event, write up solutions in your own words and entirely
alone.

If you obtain a solution with help (e.g., through library
work), acknowledge your source, and write up the solution on your own.
We may occasionally assign a problem that has been used in previous
years; you may NOT make use of material or solutions handed out in
previous offerings of this class. Plagiarism and other anti-intellectual
behavior will be dealt with severely.

\bigskip\noindent{\bf E-Mail Mailing List}

We will type in a mailing list of the e-mail addresses that you put on
the sign-up sheet.
Problem corrections or clarifications, should they arise,
will be posted to this mailing list.
You should receive a ``hello'' at the beginning of next week.
If you don't, we have your address wrong, and you should give
one of the TAs a correction.
%%  Put David in charge of this?

\noindent{\bf Course Notebook}

We suggest that you get  a loose-leaf notebook for use with
the course, since all handouts and homework will be on standard
three-hole punched paper.  
%%% Let's make sure they are!
Handouts will be available at the end of class.  
If you fail to obtain a handout in lecture, you can get a
copy from the file cabinet outside NE43-311.

\bigskip\noindent{\bf Graders}

If you have friends who have taken this course and done well in it, 
please inform them that we are still in need of graders.
They should contact Isaac Saias.

\bigskip\noindent{\bf Warning!!!}

The style of material in this course is different from that
found in most of the other required undergraduate courses
in that it is much more mathematical and rigorous (formal).
As in other mathematical courses,
the course content is very cumulative;
if you fall behind, you will have a lot of trouble catching up.
{\em Don't let yourself fall behind!}

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