Faculty of Engineering, Computing & Mathematics

Computer Science & Software Engineering

Unit Outline

Problem Solving and Programming

CITS1401
SEM-1, 2015
Campus: Crawley
Unit Coordinator: A/Prof Ajmal Mian

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Copying of this material by students, except for fair dealing purposes under the Copyright Act, is prohibited. For the purposes
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The University of Western Australia 2001

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Unit details
Unit title
Unit code
Availability
Location

Problem Solving and Programming

CITS1401
SEM-1, 2015 (23/02/2015 - 20/06/2015)
Crawley

Credit points

Mode

Face to face

Contact details
Faculty
School
School website
Unit coordinator
Email
Telephone
Consultation hours
Lecturers

Faculty of Engineering, Computing & Mathematics

Computer Science & Software Engineering
http://web.csse.uwa.edu.au/
A/Prof Ajmal Mian
ajmal.mian@uwa.edu.au
6488 2702
1:00-2:00pm, Thursdays

Name

Position

Email

Telephone Number

Ajmal Mian Assoc. Prof ajmal.mian@uwa.edu.au 0864882702

Unit contact hours

Lecture capture system
Online handbook
Unit website

Lectures: 2 hrs per week; labs: 3 hrs per week; workshop: 1 hr per week.
LCS is implemented for this unit.
http://units.handbooks.uwa.edu.au/units/CITS/CITS1401
http://undergraduate.csse.uwa.edu.au/courses/CITS1401/

Unit rules
Prerequisites

WACE Mathematics 2C/2D or TEE Discrete Mathematics or equivalent or higher

Unit description
Problem solving is a key intellectual activity. Computer technology has become an important tool to help solve problems in a wide range
of disciplines, from the natural sciences, engineering and mathematics to business, architecture, the social sciences and medicine.
The strength of computer technology is that it can be programmed to perform nearly any task. While effective programs are available
for many kinds of tasks, each program can only perform the tasks anticipated when it was designed. Thus to fully utilise the potential of
computer technology, it is necessary to build programs that are specifically designed to solve a particular problem. Students taking this
unit learn to solve problems via programming, with a focus on building small programs for specialised tasks. The unit is organised
around a number of problems that the students solve as the unit progresses. Many of the problems have a focus on data, and require
tasks such as data retrieval, extraction, conversion, aggregation, cross referencing, filtering, calculation, processing and storage. Other
problems involve techniques such as search, enumeration, backtracking and 'divide and conquer'. To implement solutions, students
learn the fundamentals of programming using a high-level programming language. In addition to solving particular problems, the unit
includes a focus on the problem-solving process itself including problem definition, analysis, generalisation, decomposition into subproblems, reduction to previously solved problems and evaluation of solutions.

Learning outcomes
Students are able to (1) solve many kinds of problems using programming as a primary tool; (2) write programs using a high-level
programming language, including programs for data retrieval, extraction, conversion, aggregation, calculation, processing and storage;
and (3) demonstrate a generic understanding of problem solving as a process and be familiar with common approaches for problem
solving.

Assessment
Assessment overview
Typically this unit is assessed in the following way(s): (1) a mid-semester test; (2) two projects; and (3) a final examination. Further
information is available in the unit outline.

Assessment mechanism
# Component

Weight Due Date Relates To Outcomes

1
2
3
4

15%
10%
15%
60%

Mid-semester test
Project 1
Project 2
Exam

20/4/14
24/4/14
29/5/14
June

All
All
All
All

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Assessment items
Item Title

Description

Submission Procedure for Assignments

Mid-semester test
Project 1
Project 2
Exam

In-lecture test
Programming project
Programming project
Final exam

Paper-based
https://secure.csse.uwa.edu.au/run/cssubmit
https://secure.csse.uwa.edu.au/run/cssubmit
Paper-based

Textbooks and resources

Recommended texts
http://undergraduate.csse.uwa.edu.au/courses/CITS1401/resources/

Other important information

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