CS 684 Spring 2012

Graph Algorithms


Lecture Time: Monday 7:20 pm - 10:00 pm
Location: Sandbridge Hall 107
Course webpage: http://www.cs.gmu.edu/~lifei/teaching/cs684_spring12
Credit: 3

Instructor: Fei Li, Room 5326, Engineering Building, email: lifei@cs.gmu.edu
Office hours: Monday 2:00pm - 4:00pm

NEW:
Course Overview:

This is an advanced course in the design and analysis of efficient algorithms. The emphasis is on algorithms for standard graph problems, such as minimum spanning trees, shortest paths, network flow, and maximum matching. We will also study advanced data structures, which are crucial for the more advanced topics. Randomized algorithms will also be discussed.

Prerequisites:

CS 583. Please contact with the instructor if you are not sure.

No Required Textbooks.

Course Materials (Tentative):
Lecture
Date
Topic
Scope
Assignments
Note
1
01/23/2012
Graphs

Background

KT Chapter 3
2

01/30/2012
Graph Traversal

Math Background (from Spring 10's class)

Graph Traversal
3
02/06/2012
Minimum Spanning Tree

CLRS Chapter 16

KT Chapter 4

Class Notes
4
02/13/2012
Shortest Paths

CLRS Chapter 24

CLRS Chapter 25

KT Chapter 4 (slides 35 - 41)
5
02/20/2012
Network Flows

CLRS Chapter 25 (more)

KT Chapter 7 (1)
6
02/27/2012
Network Flow Applications

Bipartite Matching

KT Chapter 7 (2)

Network Flow Application
7
03/05/2012
Linear Programming

Linear Programming

Notify the intructor the topic you choose for your paper and presentation
03/12/2012
Spring Break

8
03/19/2012

Approximation Algorithms

Nan Li's talk (45 minutes)

Approximation Algorithms (Brief Introduction)
Assignment 1 due
9
03/26/2012
Class cancelled

 
10
04/02/2012
Approximation Algorithms

 
11
04/09/2012
Multiway Cut and k-Cut

Cut-Related Problems
12
04/16/2012
Complex Networks

Complex Networks: Introduction

Mansour Abdulaziz, ``A Scaling Algorithm for Maximum Weight Matching in Bipartite Graphs''.

Tyler Hollingsworth, ``Packet Routing with Arbitrary End-to-End Delay Requirements''.

Vidmas Kondratas, ``The Robot Localization Problem''.
13
04/23/2012

Maryam Bandari, ``Energy-(Harvesting)-Aware Routing Problems in WSNs''.

Rohan Khade, ``Sybil Defenses via Social Media''.

Songrun Liu, ``Shortest Paths without a Map''.

Michael Connor, ``Graph Properties: Centrality, Density, Connectivity, etc.''
14
04/30/2012

Shiva Ghaemi, ``Partitioning Graphs to Speedup Dijkstra's Algorithm''.

Steve Donnelly, ``On the K-Shortest Paths Problem''.

Yuan Li, ``Polynomial Time Approximation Schemes for Euclidean Traveling Salesman and Other Geometric Problems''.

Venkatesh Jagannathan, ``Arbitrage(Currency) Graph Algorithms''.
15
05/14/2012, 11:59pm
Report due date

 

Tentative Grading:

Assignments (45%)

Survey/research (40%)

Presentation (15%)

Reading List (Being Updated):

References for Survey and Projects
Policies:
 
Hand in hard copies of assignments in class. Please note that all coursework is to be done independently. Plagiarizing the homework will be penalized by maximum negative credit and cheating on the exam will earn you an F in the course. See the GMU Honor Code System and Policies at http://www.gmu.edu/catalog/acadpol.html and http://www.cs.gmu.edu/honor-code.html. You are encouraged to discuss the material BEFORE you do the assignment. As a part of the interaction you can discuss a meaning of the question or possible ways of approaching the solution. The homework should be written strictly by yourself. In case your solution is based on the important idea of someone else please acknowledge that in your solution, to avoid any accusations.
Academic Honesty:

The integrity of the University community is affected by the individual choices made by each of us. GMU has an Honor Code with clear guidelines regarding academic integrity. Three fundamental and rather simple principles to follow at all times are that: (1) all work submitted be your own; (2) when using the work or ideas of others, including fellow students, give full credit through accurate citations; and (3) if you are uncertain about the ground rules on a particular assignment, ask for clarification. No grade is important enough to justify academic misconduct.

Plagiarism means using the exact words, opinions, or factual information from another person without giving the person credit. Writers give credit through accepted documentation styles, such as parenthetical citation, footnotes, or endnotes. Paraphrased material must also be cited, using MLA or APA format. A simple listing of books or articles is not sufficient. Plagiarism is the equivalent of intellectual robbery and cannot be tolerated in the academic setting. If you have any doubts about what constitutes plagiarism, please see me.

Disability Statement:

If you have a learning or physical difference that may affect your academic work, you will need to furnish appropriate documentation to the Disability Resource Center. If you qualify for accommodation, the DRC staff will give you a form detailing appropriate accommodations for your instructor.

In addition to providing your professors with the appropriate form, please take the initiative to discuss accommodation with them at the beginning of the semester and as needed during the term. Because of the range of learning differences, faculty members need to learn from you the most effective ways to assist you. If you have contacted the Disability Resource Center and are waiting to hear from a counselor, please tell me.