Foundations of Computer Science, CSCI 2200, RPI, Spring 2025

As a computer scientist, your goal will be to choose or design, then implement, efficient algorithms that accomplish the goals for which they were designed. The aim of FOCS is to give you the tools necessary to establish certainty about your algorithms: that they do what they claim to.

This course introduces the fundamental mathematics used in computer science for the purpose of ensuring such certainty: discrete mathematics and the theory of computation.

Discrete mathematics

This is the study of objects that can be counted—including proofs, sums and recurrences, graphs, counting, and probability—this toolbox is essential for showing algorithms do as we claim.

Theory of Computation

This branch of CS helps delineate what kinds of problems can even be hoped to be solved, and how efficiently. Understanding this helps you to avoid tilting at windmills.

See the course syllabus for more details.

Course Logistics

Lectures: Mondays and Thursdays 8:00am-9:50am ET in Darrin 308

Course Discussions: Piazza

Announcements: It is the student's responsibility to be aware of and understand all announcements made in the lectures and on Piazza.

Instructors: Dan DiTursi (ditursi) and Alex Gittens (gittea)

TAs: Mei Huang (huangm10), Junseob Kim (kimj43), Lilian Ngweta (ngwetl), Eric Scheer (scheee2), Xingjian Zhao (zhaox8)

Undergraduate mentors: Angelo Arrandale (arrana2), Bryan Diep (diepb), Harry Hargreaves (hargrh), Catherine Li (lic26), Sophia Lin (lins12), Ronin Silvestre (silver3), William Young (youngw), Justin Zhang (zhangj50)

If you need testing accomodations (e.g. a shift or extension in your test time), please contact the instructors. We will send emails to ensure that you are informed about your test time accomodations near to the tests and quizzes.

Course Details

• Course Syllabus
• Important Dates
• Readings
• Homeworks and Exams
• HOMEWORK SUBMISSION LINK (pdf only, 10MB limit)
• Solutions to DMC Pop Quizzes and Exercises
• DMC Problems