George Mason University
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
CS330 - Formal Methods and Models - Spring 2023
Section 003 MW 1:30–2:45, Exploratory 004
Prerequisites | Description | Readings | Syllabus | Grading | Late | TA | Dates
703-993-1545
richards@gmu.edu
(Please prefix the subject of your email with CS330.)
Course office hours:W 3:00-5:00 or by appt.
Engineering Bldg 5320
Note new room.
PREREQUISITES :
CS211 and Math 125 (C or better in both).
DESCRIPTION :
This course is an introduction to two kinds of formal systems - languages and logics - with important applications to computer science. The study of formal languages underlies important aspects of compilers and other language processing systems, as well as the theory of computation. Various systems of logic and automatic reasoning are put to use in artificial intelligence, database theory and software engineering. The entire course will give you practice in precise thinking and proof methods that play a role in the analysis of algorithms. The programming assignments provide practical experience with some theoretical topics.
OUTCOMES :
Will understand the concepts and relevance of logic, formal languages and automata theory, and computability .
Will be able to able to do mechanical formal proofs, program correctness proofs and solve problems in first-order logic.
Will be able to solve problems in elementary machine models: designing finite-state, pushdown and Turing machines.
Will be able to solve problems in formal languages: writing regular expressions, regular grammars, and context-free grammars.
READINGS:
SYLLABUS:
We will cover the book chapter by chapter; in lecture section that are deemphasized will be announced.
GRADING :
Quizzes -- 30%
Exams -- 70%
The two exams each cover about a half of the semester; Exam #2 is not cumulative.
Of these exams the highest score will count 40%, and the lowest 30%.
Exam #1 will be October 11 (a Tuesday) and Exam #2 will be December 12 (001) or December 7 (003)
Homework is ungraded.
Quizzes will test homework; generally ever other class.
The lowest quiz grades will be dropped.
This semester there will be no programming assignment!
All testing is closed book, but limited notes are permitted, as follows for exams (but not for quizzes). One sheet of notes
(8.5 by 11 inches, 1 side only). NO COPYING is allowed. That means no photocopying of anything, even the textbook,
though you may write out material from it verbatim. It also means no copying of anyone else's notes, even by hand.
You may use a computer for editing your own notes. The sheet must be turned in with your exam.
Violations of these rules for creating the notes is considered a violation of the Honor Code.
SEEING ADVISOR
It is a departmental requirement that every CS major must see their academic advisor twice, once while enrolled in CS101 and in CS330. Of course, you should see your advisor more often, as needed. If you are in both CS330 and CS101, one visit per semester is enough. (Non-majors and graduate students are not included.) The visit must be documented and signed/verified by the advisor.
If you do not do this you will receive an incomplete in CS330.
When you see your advisor you should discuss your degree progress and anticipate any reason your plan of study would be problematic. Of course you may have other questions. Also note that your advisor may not be able to meet with you at the last minute.
What do you need to do? You should print out the department’s form (cs.gmu.edu/resources/ student.forms) , FILL OUT the form, and print a copy of your degree progress from DegreeWorks before your meeting. Turn in the signed form. (Also your advisor can just send me email, if this is very late.)
TA: Negar Nejatishahidin <nnejatis@gmu.edu>
NO LAPTOPS, CELL-PHONES, etc. (If you NEED a laptop for note-taking then speak to me.)