FAQ (Frequently-Asked Questions)

If you have questions of a general nature that are not answered here, please email them to:

cse111-fa04-list@listserv.buffalo.edu

with the subject "CSE111:<fill_in_topic> ". Either the TAs or I (or other students) will try to answer them.

If you have questions that pertain only to you (and you don't think are of general interest), please send email to

rapaport@cse.buffalo.edu

with the same subject line as above.

However, I reserve the right to post such questions and answers---without your name or other identifying information---to the newsgroup if I think other students will benefit from reading them.

1. Where do I buy the textbooks?
   • At the University Bookstore, behind the Commons. You can also purchase them online from such vendors as barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com, etc.

2. Does CSE 111 satisfy the requirements for: nursing, business administration, digital arts, etc.? If I take CSE 111, do I need to take MTH 121?
   • I don't know. Check with the relevant department, since they're the ones who determine their own requirements. However, if your major requires a course in computer programming, then CSE 111 would not satisfy such a requirement; for that, you'd need CSE 113. Nor would it satisfy a requirement for a course in "computer literacy" in which you are expected to learn how to use such software as a word processor, a spreadsheet, a database, etc.; for that, you'd need CSE 101. As for MTH 121, the answer depends on why someone says that you should take it. If you need to take it merely to satisfy a General Education math requirement, then the answer is that, if you take CSE 111, then you don't need to take MTH 121. But if you need to take it because of some specific subject matter that is covered in it (namely, Calculus), then the answer is that you would still need to take it.

3. How many exams and projects will there be? Will there be a final exam? Will exams cover lab material? Will lectures cover the text, or other things, too? What are your office hours?
   • Read the syllabus! :-)

4. Do I enjoy teaching CSE 111?
   • Wow! No one has ever asked me that before in over 35 years of teaching! Answer: Yes! (Well, I enjoy teaching; I don't enjoy grading :-|

5. Will there be any opportunity for extra credit or side projects?
   • Nope; sorry.

6. How much time is required to take this course and study for it?
   • See the section on how to manage your time in my "How to Study" website.

7. How much math will be required? Do I need to be good at math?
   That depends on your definition of "math" :-) For me, the study of algorithms (which is the main topic of this course) is a branch of math. Only a very little arithmetic will be needed. We may also study a little bit of logic (truth tables).

8. What is the format of the exams?
   They will be short-answer questions; no multiple-choice exams. They will be like the HWs.

9. Can I take CSE 111 and CSE 113 together? Is 111 a good preparation for 113?
   You should not take them together; almost all of the material in 111 is covered in much more depth in 113, and what we cover that isn't covered in 113 can easily be learned on your own. Note that such material (material in 111 but not 113) is not needed for whatever purposes you are taking 113 for.

   However, if you are a newcomer to computers, and you need to take 113 for your major, then you might find 111 a good preparation for it in the same sense that getting your feet wet is a good preparation for learning how to swim.

10. What about CSE 115?
    CSE 115 is required for all Computer Science majors. If you don't think you're ready for CSE 115, maybe you should think about majoring in something else. Please feel free to come see me to discuss issues like this.

11. What programming language will we use in 111? Do I need a background in programming?
    We will use Karel the Robot's language, perhaps a language for Turing machines, and perhaps Python (a higher-level programming language).

    You do not need any background in programming!

12. What percentage of the course will be devoted to programming?
    Maybe 75%. The course is about algorithmic problem solving. Algorithms (roughly, procedures for solving problems by computer--a more precise definition will be given in lecture) are expressed in programming languages, and the only way to know if your program works is to run it, so that's why I say about 75%.

13. Will attendance be taken?
    Not in lecture, but definitely in labs. You are responsible for anything that goes on in lecture and labs. Not all material that we cover is in the texts.

14. What are the instructor's and TAs' office hours?
    Right now, "to be determined" and by appointment; see the syllabus for latest information.

15. Can I get private tutoring?
    Probably, but I can't arrange that. Check the bulletin boards around the CSE department for ads for private tutors, or send email to the class email list, or post news to sunyab.cse.undergrads or to sunyab.cse.grads.

16. After taking this course, will I be able to create an effective homepage using HTML or Java?
    There's an old joke about a guy who breaks his arm. After the doctor puts his arm in a cast, the guy asks if he'll be able to play the violin when the cast is taken off. The doctor says "Yes". The guy says, "Great; I could never play it before I broke my arm!"

    Well, you'll be able to create an effective homepage using HTML if you learn some HTML and are suitably creative (Java is a programming language, and has nothing to do with it). But this course doesn't teach HTML (or Java).

17. How can I learn HTML or Java?
    For HTML, there's a good tutorial on the Web at: The Complete HTML Tutorial. You can also do a Google search on "HTML".

    For Java, take CSE 113 or 115.

18. Is this course going to be hard?
    Not if you attend all lectures and labs, and read and do all assignments :-)

    See my "How to Study" website.

19. My HW is late; whom should I give it to?
    Give it to Prof. Rapaport, preferably at the start of lecture. I will give it to the TAs who are doing the grading.
    
    
    

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    Copyright © 2004 by William J. Rapaport (rapaport@cse.buffalo.edu)
    file: 111F04/faq-2004-09-01.html