Computer Science Department
College of Arts and Sciences

CAS CS350
Fundamentals of Computing Systems


Homework Assignments:
Homework assignments constitute an important part of this course. They are designed to help you understand the materials covered in lectures and in assigned readings. It is only by doing the homework that you really learn the material. There will be approximately 6-8 homework assignments handed out throughout the semester. Homework Assignments will be worth 30% of the final grade. Homework assignments will NOT be weighted equally. Harder/longer homework assignments will constitute a larger percent of the combined grade for all homeworks.

Some of the the problems in the homework may require minor programming or use of special educational software to write concurrent software. One of the homework assignments will require writing a discrete event simulator for a queuing system, which (for some) may prove a bit challenging given the ``different'' nature of such a program (management of queues, events, state of the queuing system and of the simulation, etc.)

Homework assignments may be fairly long, each taking an average of 3 to 4 hours to complete, although the time required will vary quite a bit from student to student and assignment to assignment. Always allow more time than you think you will need!

Homework assignments will be handed out at the end of class meetings. Extra copies will be left in one of the handouts box, labeled ``CS-350 / Handouts'', in the hall outside of MCS 137. Also, an on-line copy will be made available through the Course Web Page.

Homework assignments are to be handed in using the slotted homework box, labeled ``CS-350 / Drop Box'', in the hall outside of MCS 137 by 5:00 pm on the day they are due. Late homework must be time-stamped by a CS Office staff and left in Sumit Mehrotra's (the Teaching Fellow's) mailbox (NEITHER in the Drop Box NOR in my Mailbox). Do not hand in your homework in the class or during office hours. Do not hand in your homework by slipping them under the office door of the instructor.

There will be a hefty penalty of 25% for a homework handed in one class late, and of 50% for a homework handed in two classes (i.e. one week) late. No homework will be accepted if late for more than one week. There will be NO exceptions to this policy, other than for religious holidays and certified medical excuses. In such cases, extensions will be granted only if (and until) the homework solutions are posted (hopefully, about 1 week after the original due date).

Graded assignments will be returned in a timely fashion. They will be available for pick-up during section hours. It is the student's responsibility to make sure that the grade they received for each homework is properly recorded by the instructor and/or teaching fellow. This can be done by periodically requesting on-line grade reports. Please check the course's home page for instructions on how to request such reports. Discrepancies will be corrected as long as the student can show the graded homework with the correct grade on it. Thus, make sure to get back your graded assignments.

If you believe that there is a chance that your homework assignment will be lost by the course staff, then here is how you can protect yourself: (1) Make a copy of your homework assignment before handing it in, and (2) Have the Computer Science Department office time-stamp your copy of the homework assignment. Claims for ``lost'' assignments will be considered only if accompanied by a time-stamped copy of what you handed in. There are no exceptions to this rule.


Created on: 1997.10.01
Updated on: 2000.01.10
Maintainer: Azer Bestavros