\documentstyle[12pt,twoside]{article}
\input{macros-course}
\begin{document}

\handout{course-information}{Course Information}{September 8, 1994}

\medskip

\noindent\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{llrr}
Lecturers: & Prof.\ Charles E. Leiserson & NE43-202 & x3-5833\smallskip\\
	& Prof.\ F. Tom Leighton & 2-377 & x3-3662 \\
	& 			& NE43-328 & x3-5876\medskip\\
Teaching Assistants: 
	& Andrew Chou \\
	& \multicolumn{1}{r}{\tt achou@theory.lcs.mit.edu} 
	& NE43-311 & x3-2345\smallskip\\
	& Victor Luchangco \\
	& \multicolumn{1}{r}{\tt victor\_l@theory.lcs.mit.edu} 
	& NE43-369 & x3-1499\smallskip\\
	& Stephen Ponzio \\
	& \multicolumn{1}{r}{\tt ponzio@theory.lcs.mit.edu} 
	& NE43-371 & x3-9681\smallskip\\
	& Keith Randall \\
	& \multicolumn{1}{r}{\tt randall@theory.lcs.mit.edu} 
	& NE43-249 & x3-8862\smallskip\\
	& David B. Wilson \\
	& \multicolumn{1}{r}{\tt \hspace*{.2in} dbwilson@theory.lcs.mit.edu} 
	& NE43-346 & x3-1365 \\
	&& 2-333  & x3-7826\medskip\\
Secretary: 
	&  Irena Kveraga \\ 
	& \multicolumn{1}{r}{\tt irena@theory.lcs.mit.edu} 
	& NE43-201 & x3-2322\\
\end{tabular}
\end{center}


\section{Almost-new course}

This term is only the second time that 6.042J/18.062J has been
offered.  Consequently, the number of students who will be allowed to
take the course this term is limited to 100.  We will attempt to
accomodate all students who wish to take the course, but we reserve
the right to deny enrollment to any student for whom the course is not
absolutely necessary.  Admission to the course will be announced in
the first recitation.  The course will be offered again in the spring.

\section{Prerequisites and ``antirequisites''}

The only official prerequisite for the course is 18.01.  Students
should be familiar with sequences and series, limits, and integration
and differentiation of univariate functions.

Students who have taken 18.063 or 18.310 should not take this course.
To learn probability, we recommend these students instead take 6.041,
18.440, 18.313, or 18.05.  Students can substitute 18.063 for 6.042 in
the EECS department M.Eng.\ and S.B. requirements.

%	It will be very useful for students to have some programming
%	experience, such as is acquired in the course 6.001.  Although no
%	programming course is a prerequisite, you should have some experience,
%	since we will at times refer to notions and terminology drawn from
%	computer programming.  For example, we will study induction and
%	recursion, and may at times refer to pointers or stacks.  If you have
%	no idea what these things are, then you will be at a disadvantage.

\section{Lectures and recitations}

Lectures will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:00 to 2:30 in Room
{\bf 6-120}.  Recitations will be held once a week for an hour on Fridays.
The four recitations are scheduled for 10:00 and 11:00 in 36-372, and
1:00 and 3:00 in 26-310.
Based on the information you give us today, we will assign recitation sections.
These assignments will be posted on the doors of the two recitation rooms
on Friday.  You may attend the recitation section of your choice tomorrow.

\section{Tutorials}

Each student must attend a one-hour tutorial each week on Monday or
Tuesday.  Each tutorial will be taught to approximately four students.
Problem sets will generally be handed in at the beginning of tutorial,
and students will be asked to present and discuss solutions.  Also,
students may spontaneously be asked to solve problems during tutorial.
Performance in tutorial is a significant factor in determining your
final grade for the course.

\section{Handouts and course notebook}

In order to keep your handouts organized, get a loose-leaf notebook
for the course.  All handouts will be on standard three-hole punched
paper and will be numbered consecutively.  Handouts will be available
in a file cabinet outside room NE43-201.

Handouts will also be available in postscript form on Athena.
Type {\tt attach 6.042} at the Athena prompt and then 
{\tt cd /mit/6.042} to get into the course directory.  
Once there, you can type {\tt lpr -P$\ang{\mbox{printer-name}}\
\ang{\mbox{file-name}}$} to print the file of your choice.  For example, to
print this handout you would type {\tt lpr
-P$\ang{\mbox{printer-name}}$ H01-Info.ps}.

\section{Books}

The textbook for the course is {\it Discrete Algorithmic Mathematics}
by Stephen Maurer and Anthony Ralston, Addison-Wesley (1991).
Readings will be assigned from M\&R for the first part of the course.
The later part of the course (probability) is not well covered by any
existing textbook.  The required text for this part of the course is a
small inexpensive book, {\it The Essentials of Probability\/} by
Lutfiyya.

Another text, a small paperback entitled {\it The Nuts and Bolts of
Proofs\/} by Cupillari is recommended for those who are interested in
learning more about how and why proofs of mathematical statements
work.  If you find mathematical proofs difficult, you should buy this book.

All texts are available at The Coop.

\section{Grading}

Grades will be based on 
written problems and		%($\approx 20 \% $),
performance in tutorials,	%($\approx 15 \% $), 
two quizzes, 			%($\approx 15 \%$ and $20\% $),
and the final exam. 		%($\approx 30 \% $).
The final will be worth about one and a half times as much as each quiz, 
and the written problems and performance in tutorials will be worth a bit
more than a quiz.  This weighting is approximate and we reserve the right to
modify it.
As in most subjects, the written problems are essential to learning the 
material.
The quizzes will be held in the evening on
October 19 and November 29 from 7:00--9:00 {\sc p.m.}


\section{Problem sets}

Problem sets will be assigned on a weekly basis.
They will usually be issued in lecture on Tuesday to cover that week's 
lectures and recitation, and then due in tutorial the following week.
% We hope to follow the schedule indicated in the Course Outline handout, but
% difficulties may arise.  The problem set itself will provide official
% due dates.
Please clearly mark your problem sets with
(1) your name, 
(2) the date, 
(3) problem numbers, and 
(4) the name of your TA.

Try to be as clear and precise as possible in your written solutions.
Understandability of the solution is as desirable as correctness.
Sloppy answers will be at a disadvantage and will receive fewer points
even if they are correct.  Do not use red ink to write up your
homework, because red is our color for grading.

If you are unable to complete a homework by the date assigned, please
talk to your TA {\em in advance}. If you are unhappy with the way that
your homework has been graded, see your TA\@.  Questions, suggestions,
and complaints will be welcomed by the course staff.

\section{Collaboration}

You are encouraged to collaborate in solving the homeworks.  Study
groups provide an excellent means to master the material of the
course.  You must write up solutions on your own, however.  You must
neither copy solutions nor provide solutions to be copied.  Your
write-up of a problem solution must be done alone and without help.
No collaboration will be allowed on exams.  Plagiarism, cheating, and
other antiintellectual behavior will be dealt with severely.

If you feel you may have violated this code of ethics, please talk
with either Professor Leighton or Professor Leiserson.  If you come to
us, we can usually work something out without resorting to official
action.  Consequences will be dire if we find out from someone else
that you have been involved in unethical behavior.

\vfill

\begin{quotation}
\it
A great discovery solves a great problem but there is a grain of 
discovery in the solution of any problem.  Your problem may be modest; 
but\ldots if you solve it by your own means, you may experience the
tension and enjoy the triumph of discovery.

\rm
\hfill George Polya

\end{quotation}

\end{document}

