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Algorithms: Design and Analysis, Part 2
About the Course
Course Syllabus
Weeks 1 and 2: The greedy algorithm design paradigm. Applications to optimal caching and scheduling. Minimum spanning trees and applications to clustering. The union-find data structure. Optimal data compression.
Weeks 3 and 4: The dynamic programming design paradigm. Applications to the knapsack problem, sequence alignment, shortest-path routing, and optimal search trees.
Weeks 5 and 6: Intractable problems and what to do about them. NP-completeness and the P vs. NP question. Solvable special cases. Heuristics with provable performance guarantees. Local search. Exponential-time algorithms that beat brute-force search.
Recommended Background
Suggested Readings
No specific textbook is required for the course. Much of the course material is covered by the well-known textbooks on algorithms, and the student is encouraged to consult their favorite for additional information.
Course Format
FAQ
- Will I get a statement of accomplishment after completing this class? Yes. Students who successfully complete the class will receive a statement of accomplishment signed by the instructor.
- What is the format of the class? The class consists of lecture videos, which are broken into small chunks, usually between eight and twelve minutes each. Some of these may contain integrated quiz questions. There will also be standalone quizzes that are not part of video lectures. There will be approximately two hours worth of video content per week.
- What should I know to take this class? How to program in at least one programming language (like C, Java, or Python); familiarity with proofs, including proofs by induction and by contradiction; and some discrete probability, like how to compute the probability that a poker hand is a full house. At Stanford, a version of this course is taken by sophomore, junior, and senior-level computer science majors. While Part 2 is designed for students who have already taken Part 1, some students have successfully completed Part 2 without taking Part 1.
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