CMSC 160: Introduction to Algorithm Design I
Fall 2024
Prof. Blaheta
Edsger Dijkstra famously said that "computer science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes." What did he mean?
In this course, we will indeed spend plenty of time with computers, but my focus is ultimately to teach a different way of thinking about problems. The key skills I hope to help you develop are analytical problem solving and thinking in terms of abstractions. Should you choose to continue with more computer science courses, you will use these skills in every CS course you take, whether you are writing programs in C++, or in some other language, or not at all. And if I really do my job, the precision of thought you learn here will help to shape how you think about problems in your other courses, even if you never take another CS course again.
Lectures meet at 1pm on MWF in Rotunda 352, with a required lab section that meets at 9:30am on Tuesday in Rotunda G56.
The textbook is free and online (linked below).