Course Syllabus

Jump to Today 
Summer Session I, 2022 - Version 3

Note: This syllabus is subject to change based on the needs of the class. Students requiring special assistance or consideration due to a documented disability should look to Section: Recourses for Students.

Course Calendar

Welcome

Welcome to the course! This is CSE 20 (Discrete Mathematics), and I am glad to be your instructor this summer session.

If you ever wondered "What sort of mathematics do I need for computer science?", this course will provide some of the answers. In particular, you will have the opportunity to learn basic concepts about algorithms, computer arithmetic, number systems, Boolean algebras, logic, proofs, program correctness, modular arithmetic, linear and partial orders, recurrences, and induction, amongst other things.

You will learn to use careful mathematical modeling, problem solving, and clear and precise communication to explore key questions in Computer Science. (1) How do we decide (and prove) what's true? (2) How do we use mathematics to give multiple representations of data and computation?

I look forward to working with you all this summer session, and I will do my best to make this course an interesting, enjoyable, and intellectually stimulating, learning experience. Please look to me as a resource and feel free to reach out to me (email: k2tran@ucsd.edu, put “CSE 20:” in Subject Line) regarding any questions, concerns, or suggestions.

Contact Information

Instructor: Khoa Tran, k2tran@ucsd.edu

Instructor Office Hours: Tu Th 5:00 – 6:30 pm in CSE 2204, F 3:00 – 5:00pm over Zoom

 

Teaching Assistant: Kalen Cantrell, kcantrel@ucsd.edu

TA Office Hours: Tu 10:00 - 11:00 pm on Zoom

 

Teaching Assistant: Sophia Sun, sophiasun@eng.ucsd.edu

TA Office Hours: MF 10:00 - 11:00 pm in CSE B240A or Zoom

 

Tutor: Ruichen Li, rul014@ucsd.edu

One-on-one Tutor†: F 1:00 - 3:00 pm on Zoom

Tutor Office Hours: Th 10:00 - 12:00 pm on Zoom

 

Tutor: Jack Yang, g2yang@ucsd.edu

One-on-one Tutor†: Tu 3:00 - 5:00 PM on Zoom

Tutor Office Hours: Th 3:00 -5:00 pm in CSE B240A

 

† To sign-up, please follow the instructions for the one-on-one tutoring spreadsheet.

Course Description

Lectures: MTWR 12:30pm – 1:50pm, PCYNH 122

You are encouraged to attend lectures since there will be engagement and collaborations. Questions are very much welcomed because not only will you benefit from the discussions but your classmates as well. Note that lectures are not recorded, but handwritten notes will be posted soon after.

Discussions: MW 2:00pm – 2:50pm, PCYNH 122

These sections are reviews, which include practice problems, of the lecture materials of the week. It is not mandatory, but there are many opportunities to reinforce your learning and meet your classmates for collaborations.

Credits: 4 Units

Prerequisite: There are no strict prerequisites. However, you should have a basic understanding of elementary computer programming and mathematics (e.g., algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and pre-calculus).

Learning Outcomes:

    • Understand the basic principles of sets and operations in sets.
    • Recognize data types and apply the appropriate operations on the data elements
    • Write an argument using logical notation and determine if the argument is or is not valid.
    • Demonstrate the ability to write and evaluate a proof or outline the basic structure of proof and give examples of each proof technique.
    • Prove basic set equalities and basic problems in number theory.
    • Demonstrate an understanding of relations and functions and be able to determine their properties.
    • Apply important algorithms in arithmetic and solve elementary problems in modular arithmetic.

Course Resources

Textbook:

No textbook is required.

Additional References:

Piazza (Link):

Online discussions platform for you and your classmates. Please email me if you would like to be added.

Piazza Etiquette:

      • Please be respectful of those who ask questions and those who answer, whether it is your peers or your teaching staff.
      • Please be patient when you are waiting to receive a response from your teaching staff.
      • Quiet Hours: During the hours of 11pm to 9am, you should not expect TA’s and instructor to answer your questions.
      • Please try to keep up-to-date with the discussions. This will avoid reposts and keep you informed of the misunderstandings of the materials.

Gradescope (Link)

Online homework submission and AI-assisted grading tool. Please email me if you would like to be added.

Instruction:

Please ensure your name(s) and PID(s) are clearly visible on the first page of your homework submission and then upload the PDF to Gradescope. If working in a group, submit only one submission per group: one partner uploads the submission through their Gradescope account and then adds the other group member(s) to the Gradescope submission by selecting their name(s) in the "Add Group Members" dialog box.

Overleaf: Cloud-based LaTeX editor (Link)

We recommend cloud resources that don't require you to download and install LaTeX on your local machine. A good example is Overleaf, which has lots of documentation.

Overleaf works similar to Google Docs in that all members can edit the file in parallel and changes are updated in real time. There is a way to directly invite group members to your document, but the free version of Overleaf only allows two people to work at the same time. To get around this, turn on link sharing: Click on “Share” in the top right; click “Turn on link sharing;” copy the displayed link and share it with your group members. To export your work, click on the “Download PDF” button on the right-hand side If you want to export the raw source files, click on the “Menu” button in the top-left, then click on “Source.”

This open source LaTeX reference can be helpful when getting started, and you can use the .tex source of all the files we use in class as templates.

Grading & Course Policies

Assignments & Exams

Lecture Review Quizzes (RQ’s): Best 14 out of 17 RQ’s

Access on Canvas: An RQ is available at 4:00pm during the day of lecture until 11:30 am of the next day. During each window, you can make an unlimited number of submissions without penalty.

Late Submissions: None

These quizzes will help you track and reinforce your understanding of the concepts and examples of lectures, and they give you immediate feedback. You can collaborate with your classmates on review quizzes, and you can ask questions about them in public posts on Piazza and in office hours.

Homework (HW’s): Best 4 out of 5 HW’s

Access on Gradescope: Available on Saturday (except HW 1) at 8:00 am and due the upcoming Friday at 11:00 pm.

Late Submissions: Homework submitted within 24 hours from the due date, i.e., Saturday 11:00 pm, will be accepted without penalty.

These give you practice with the main concepts and techniques of the course with opportunities to collaborate. Weekly homework must be typed, may be done individually or in groups of up to 4 students, and you can ask questions about the problem sets in public posts on Piazza and in office hours. You may switch HW partners for different HW assignments. The lowest HW score will not be included in your overall HW average.

Examlets:

Access on Canvas (Examlet 1): Examlet 1 is available Friday 7/1 8:00 am – Saturday 7/2 11:00 pm with unlimited submissions with no penalty. You will have 80 minutes for each attempt. 

Access on Canvas (Examlet 2): Examlet 2 is available Friday 7/8 8:00 am – Saturday 7/9 11:00 pm with unlimited submissions with no penalty. You will have 80 minutes for each attempt. 

The examlets are designed to assess your individual understanding of the materials. Hence, you are not allowed to collaborate with anyone or seek any help outside of your recommended texts, notes, quizzes, and homework.

Midterm:

Access: In-person during scheduled lecture Monday July 18, 2022

The exam will give us the opportunity to assess your understanding of writing proof and basic knowledge of the first-half of the course. It will also show your standing on the materials, so you may improve accordingly. You may bring a single-sided size A4, customized notes for the exam.

Final:

Access: In-person on July 29, 2022 from 11:30 – 2:30 pm at CENTR 113

The exam review the entire quarter and solidify your understanding of CSE 20's foundational material. You may bring a double-sided size A4, customized notes for the exam.

Grading

Weighted grades for assignments and exams will be determined from the best of two approaches:

Weighted Approach 1:

Review Quizzes (14/17): 21%          HW (4/5): 32%          Examlets (2): 10%          Midterm: 9%          Final: 28%

Weighted Approach 2:

Review Quizzes (14/17): 21%          HW (4/5): 32%          Examlets (2): 14%          Midterm: 10%        Final: 23%

Weighted Approach 3:

Review Quizzes (14/17): 21%          HW (4/5): 32%          Examlets (2): 18%          Midterm: 9%          Final: 20%

Weighted Approach 4:

Review Quizzes (14/17): 21%          HW (4/5): 32%          Examlets (1/2): 7%          Midterm: 10%          Final: 30%

 

Letter grades are assigned from the weighted approaches following the best of the two schemes:

Grading Scheme 1:

A+

A

A-

B+

B

B-

C+

C

C-

D

F

97

93

90

87

83

80

77

73

70

60

<60

Grading Scheme 2:

A curve (where cutoffs are adjusted) with the median corresponding to B-/C+

Academic Integrity

The UC San Diego Academic Integrity pledge is here. Academic integrity violations will be taken seriously and reported to the campus-wide Academic Integrity Office. Key facts about academic integrity related to our class:

    • Use only resources explicitly allowed for each assignment. Resources not affiliated with this quarter's version of the class may use inconsistent notation or definitions. If you need help, please reach out to the instructor, TAs, and tutors.
    • Do not share written solutions or partial solutions for homework with other students in the class who are not in your group. Doing so would dilute their learning experience and detract from their success in the class. You are free to share hints and basic techniques with others outside of your group.
    • Before and during taking any individual assessment, do not attempt to obtain information about the contents of the exam from students who have already taken it or from any nonauthorized source.
    • After taking a quiz, do not discuss its contents with anyone in the class who has not yet taken it. Do not post information about it or share information about it with others who haven't taken it.
    • You may not ask for help from anyone while taking individual assessments since they are intended to reflect your own mastery of the material. In particular, you may not collaborate on exam questions with other students in the class and you may not post any portion of the exam on forums where others may assist you.

Expectations

Commit a significant amount of time to this class. Given that it is a summer session, this class requires a significant time-commitment. You should plan on spending at least ten hours per week outside the classroom in studying, reviewing class notes, preparing for the next class, and working on assignments.

Be intellectually honest. Learning is a process, and struggling is a part of that; everyone has their own pace in the process, so you should be patient to yourself. Put in the best effort and seek supports from your classmates and resources, and you will find this course to be worthwhile. Certainly cheating means that you are being dishonest, and that you are also doing yourself a disservice by removing yourself from this learning process.

Resources for Students

The IDEA Engineering Student Center, located just off the lobby of Jacobs Hall, is a hub for student engagement, academic enrichment, personal/professional development, leadership, community involvement, and a respectful learning environment for all.  The Center offers a variety of programs, listed in the IDEA Center Facebook page (you are welcome to Like this page!) and its website.  The IDEA Center programs support both undergraduate students and graduate students.

Students with Disabilities

We aim to create an environment in which all students can succeed in this course.  If you have a disability, please contact the Office for Students with Disability (OSD), which is located in University Center 202 behind Center Hall, to discuss appropriate accommodations right away.  We will work to provide you with the accommodations you need, but you must first provide a current Authorization for Accommodation (AFA) letter issued by the OSD.  You are required to present their AFA letters to Faculty (please make arrangements to contact me privately) and to the OSD Liaison in the department in advance so that accommodations may be arranged.

Basic Needs/Food Insecurities

If you are experiencing any basic needs insecurities (food, housing, financial resources), there are resources available on campus to help, including The Hub and the Triton Food Pantry.  Please visit http://thehub.ucsd.edu/ for more information.

Update Logs

Version 1: Updated 6/27/2022

Version 2: Updated 6/28/2022 Office Hours Update and Review Quiz Access at 4:00pm

Version 3: Updated 7/13/2022 Weighted Approach 4 is introduced

Course Summary:

Date Details Due