Course information


  • Description: Introduction to the design and analysis of efficient algorithms. Topics include models of computation, efficient sorting and searching, algorithms for algebraic problems, graph algorithms, dynamic programming, probabilistic methods, approximation algorithms, and NP-completeness.
  • Credits: 3.0
  • Prerequisites: COMS W3139 and W3203 or equivalent.
  • For: Undergraduate, Masters, Professional, PhD
  • Instructor
    • Name: Prof. Cliff Stein
      • Office: 424 Mudd
      • Phone: 212-854-5238
      • Email: cliff@ieor.columbia.edu
      • Office hours: Th 3:00PM-4:00PM, and by appointment.
  • Teaching Assistants:
    • Name: Xingyu Zhang
      • Email: xz24644@columbia.edu
      • Office Hours: M 9:30-11:30, W 9:30-11:30, 301 Mudd
    • Name: Sai Mali
      • Email: sa3517@columbia.edu
      • Office Hours: T 12-1, 301 Mudd
    • Name: Sihyun Lee
      • Email: sl3794@columbia.edu
      • Office Hours: Th 4:15-6:15, CS TA/CA Room, first floor of Mudd
    • Name: Thomas Xu
      • Email: tbx2000@columbia.edu
      • Office Hours: W 3-5, 301 Mudd
  • Time: T Th 8:40-9:55
  • Location: 312 Mathematics
  • Textbook: Introduction to Algorithms (Third Edition), by Thomas H. Cormen, Charles E. Leiserson, Ronald L. Rivest, and Cliff Stein.
  • Exams: There will be one in-class midterm, and an in-class final exam. You can bring two one-page "cheat sheets" (both sides) to the midterm and four pages to the final.
  • Grading:
    • Homeworks: 30% (Details on homework grading are here.)
    • Midterm exam: 35%
    • Final exam : 35%
  • Getting help: You can get help in the course by:
    • Visiting the instructor or TAs in their office hours
    • Using Piazza This term we will be using Piazza for class discussion. The system is highly catered to getting you help fast and efficiently from classmates, the TA, and myself. Rather than emailing questions to the teaching staff, I encourage you to post your questions on Piazza. You can access Piazza via courseworks.
  • Students with Disabilites:
    We encourage students with disabilities, including invisible disabilities such as chronic diseases and learning disabilities, to discuss with the instructor any appropriate accommodations that we might make on their behalf.

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