CSC 4170: Theory of Computation

Fall 2008


Meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00-2:15 PM, JBarry 202B

Homework assignments

Lecture Notes

Course Home Page: http://www.csc.villanova.edu/~japaridz/4170/

Instructor: Dr. G. Japaridze

Teaching Assistant: Miss Lauren Palcho

Textbook:
"Introduction to the Theory of Computation" (2nd edition) By Michael Sipser. Thomson Course Technology, 2006. ISBN 0-534-95097-3

Description and goals: This course is about what computers can and cannot do. It approaches this question in a strict mathematical fashion. The goal of the course is to expand your mind and give you conceptual tools for solving theoretical and practical problems.

Topics and Schedule (tentative):

  1. Regular Languages (4 weeks)
  2. Context-free Languages (3 weeks)
  3. The Church-Turing Thesis (3 weeks)
  4. Decidability (2 weeks)
  5. Basics of Complexity Theory (2 weeks)

Examination schedule:

  1. Last class before the Fall break 
  2. T.B.A.

Quizzes: Every Tuesday. Missed quizzes cannot be made up no matter what the reason was. One quiz with the lowest grade, however, will be automatically forgiven.

Grading: Quizzes --- 20%, Examinations --- 80%.