cs2102
Discrete Mathematics
This is a preserved file from cs2102 Fall 2016. An updated version may exist at https://uvacs2102.github.io/

Problem Set 1 Comments


The solutions and comments for PS1 are now posted in collab: PDF

The grades will be released soon. Sorry it took so long to get the grading and solutions done for PS1. We are sorting out how to manage grading using collab and figuring a better way to manage this, and getting tablets to make it easier to write on your submitted PDFs (instead of typing notes, as was done for PS1). I hope this will go more smoothly for PS2, and be fully worked out for PS3 and later. Our goal (which I think is reasonable for you to expect) is to always return assignments within a week of when they are due.

The way problem sets are graded in this class is probably different from what most of you are accustomed to. The purpose of the problem sets is primarily for learning and not for grading, so the grading system I use is designed with the goals of providing useful feedback to you, as well as giving us a way to see how the class is going and if students are on track. This means instead of giving detailed point scores for every problem and grading in a way that emphasizes losing points by making mistakes, the problem sets are graded in a way meant to capture how well students are understanding the material.

Collab requires specifying a maximum score for each assignment, but there is no real maximum score, and you should not view the scores as being “n out of m” where there is some maximum score and you are losing points if you end up below that score.

The meaning of the grades for PS1 is:

  1. Real problems - only attempted a few problems, and nothing that shows any understanding.

  2. Substantial problems - attempted a few of the problems, but didn’t show any real understanding of many concepts.

  3. Fundamental problems understanding key concepts; not able to complete reasonable answers for most questions.

  4. Several fundamentally incorrect answers, or fundamental problems understanding important concepts for this assignment.

  5. Nearly all answers correct, but justifications not as strong as desired.

  6. All answers acceptable. (This is the “expected” score for problem sets.)

  7. All answers essentially correct, with at least one especially good answer.

  8. All answers well done, and more than one especially good answer.

  9. Your answers broke new ground in computer science. (Not used for PS1)

  10. You solved an important open problem! (Not expected to be used in cs2102)

  11. You deserve a Turing award! (in theory, there is no upper bound on the grading, but I do not expect to have occassion to use grades higher than 11)

Getting the “expected” code (6 for PS1) on assignments means you are well on track to getting an A in the class (this is the “expected” grade for everyone). You’ll need to do well on the exams, also, of course.

If your score on PS1 is below 6, you should have a good idea from the comments and from reading the solutions, what you need to improve on to do better on future assignments.

If you notice a significant error in any of the provided solutions (where “significant” is at my discretion, but generally means something more than an obvious typo), you can earn bonus points by reporting it.