Computer Science, Prifysgol Cymru Aberystwyth University of Wales

CSM0220 - Software Development, Data Structures and Algorithms I

Brief Description

Aims, Objectives, Syllabus, Booklist

Further Details

Number of lectures

36

Number of seminars/tutorials

6 (latter part of semester)

Number of practicals

6 (first part of semester)

Coordinator

Dr. Edel Sherratt

Other staff involved

Not yet known

Pre-requisites

CSM0110

Co-requisites

None

Incompatibilities

This module is not available to undergraduate students

Assessment

Assessed oursework 50%
Written exam 50%
This course is assessed at the end of Semester 1.

Timing

This module begins during September and continues through Semester 1.

• introducing more advanced facilities that are available to the software engineer to improve the robustness, reusability and maintainability of software;
• applying these skills in practice using the Ada programming language;
• introducing the main Abstract Data Types common in software development.

• have an understanding of the concepts of problem abstraction and program design;
• be capable of realising their design in the Ada programming language producing software that is robust, reusable and maintainable;
• have an understanding of the Unix operating system at a level to support their programming requirements.

Further Design and Implementation of Computer Programs - 16 Lectures

This module looks at more advanced programming facilities available to the software developer (numbers of lectures in brackets). Composite types - arrays and records. (3) Developing robust programs - illustrated by exceptions. (4) Building abstract data types - case studies. (4) Handling persistent data - advanced input/output and files. (4)

UNIX: An environment to support component reuse? - 2 Lectures

This modules looks at some of the basic UNIX components e.g. sort , uniq and the pipe.

Introduction to telematics: - 2 Lectures

Telematic applications - mailers, teleworking, the internet.

Introduction to telecommunications: - 3 Lectures

Network protocols, communication technologies, and standards.

Introduction to the analysis of algorithms - 3 Lectures

O() notation, growth rates. This material will be used as the basis of more detailed discussions of algorithms later in this course and in CSM0310 .

Dynamic Storage Allocation - 4 Lectures

Introduction dynamic allocation (using the heap). Comparisons of bounded and unbounded forms of data structures. Discussion of the failure modes associated with pointers and dynamic allocation.

Storing and Retrieving Data by Key - 6 Lectures

This problem motivates the discussion of some important data structures and algorithms, the features of various solutions being related to the dimensions of the problem such as the volume of the data to be handled, volatility, and the operations required. Binary searching, trees, a brief look at hashing.

Another Further Look at Abstract Data Types - 3 Lectures

Building more general ADTs. Parameterisation by type using the Ada generic facility.

Practicals - 6 Practicals

This module has a heavy practical content which is used to give students actual experience of the techniques that are described in class.

It is considered essential to purchase the following

J G P Barnes. Programming in Ada. Addison-Wesley, Wokingham, England, 4th. edition, 1993.

J.E.Cooling, N.Cooling, and J.Cooling. Introduction to Ada. Chapman and Hall, 1993.

Mark Allen Weiss. Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis in Ada. Benjamin/Cummings, Redwood City, California, 1993.

Notes

Students do not need to obtain both these Ada texts. Choose the one whose style you like.

The following should be consulted for different approaches or for further information

Thomas A Standish. Data Structures, Algorithms and Software Principles. Addison-Wesley, Reading, Massachusetts, 1994.

Version 1.5

Nigel Hardy Departmental Advisor