CST370 - Week 5

This week, we were introduced to the Quicksort algorithm, which is an efficient sorting technique based on the divide-and-conquer strategy. It works by selecting a pivot element from an array and then partitioning the remaining elements into two subarrays, one containing elements less than the pivot and the other containing elements greater than the pivot.

Additionally, we covered binary tree traversals and how to calculate the height of a binary tree. We also learned about the decrease-and-conquer technique, which involves reducing a problem to a smaller instance of the same problem and applying the solution recursively. An example of this is binary search, where the list is reduced by half at each step.

Lastly, we explored topological sorting using Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) and Kahn's Algorithm, which relies on tracking the in-degree of each vertex and a queue. The in-degree represents the number of edges directed into a vertex. For instance, if vertex C has edges directed at it from vertices B and D, its in-degree is 2. 

In the programming homework, we implemented topological sorting using Kahn's Algorithm, as well as calculated the height of a binary tree. Overall, I felt that my understanding of this week's material was strong.

CST370 - Week 4

This week, we primarily focused on preparing for the midterm exam, but we were also introduced to a new sorting algorithm: Merge Sort. Merge Sort uses the divide-and-conquer technique by dividing the input into two halves, sorting them, and then merging them back together to form a sorted array.

As for the midterm itself, I wasn't too happy with my performance. I didn't sleep well leading up to the exam, so I felt a bit out of it. My biggest regret was not practicing more recursive algorithm problems beforehand. I had a general understanding, but I blanked during the exam and messed up the process. Besides the recursive questions, there were a few problems I didn't quite understand how to approach, and I accidentally misclicked the wrong answer on one question because I rushed a bit at the start.

Moving forward, I plan to review all the problems I got wrong during the exam and make sure I understand how to solve them, so I’m better prepared.

CST370 - Week 3

This week in Design and Analysis of Algorithms, we mainly covered various searching techniques, including brute-force exhaustive search, depth-first search, breadth-first search, and divide-and-conquer strategies. There wasn't too much reading assigned, and I felt the videos did an excellent job explaining the material. I'd say I still need to learn more about divide and conquer to feel fully confident in it, but I felt comfortable with everything else while taking the weekly quiz.

I did run into some trouble with the coding homework, specifically getting the output to match what was expected, but overall, I think the week went pretty well. The midterm exam is coming up soon, and I'm a bit nervous about it, but I'm hoping to brush up on my weaker areas before then.

CST370 - Week 2

In the second week of my Design and Analysis of Algorithms course, we focused on analyzing the time efficiency of algorithms. We were introduced to three types of Asymptotic Notation: Big O, Big Theta, and Big Omega. Of these, Big O and Big Theta are the most commonly used. At first, I found these concepts a bit challenging to grasp, but after watching a few supplemental videos, I feel I now have a decent understanding.

We also covered recursive algorithms and how to analyze them. I’m not entirely confident yet when it comes to solving recursive problems, but I believe I’ll get there with more practice.

Aside from the main topics, the overall reading load this week was lighter, which I appreciated. However, I found the puzzles particularly difficult. I often have trouble wrapping my head around them, and I think I spent at least an hour on the puzzle in our quiz.

CST370 - Week 1

With this week wrapping up, I have completed the first week of the Design and Analysis of Algorithms class. There was quite a bit of reading, and the information is somewhat dense, but I've been managing so far. Alongside our readings, we usually have some puzzles, which I honestly enjoy. They can be fun and sometimes confusing, but overall, I find them good. The programming homework has been fairly relaxed, which is nice given the reading load, though the quiz was quite tough. This week's programming assignment was a simple program to determine whether a user's input is a palindrome, and I wrote my program in Java.

In terms of the material, we have had a basic introduction to algorithms, covering topics like Euclid's algorithm for calculating the GCD and other methods for finding the GCD. I learned a bit about reading pseudocode in the context of algorithms, which initially seemed confusing but became clearer as I learned more. We briefly covered sorting and searching algorithms, then moved on to graphs, including unweighted and weighted graphs, and learned about adjacency matrices and lists, along with lots of related terminology. The graph section wasn't difficult to understand, but there is a lot of terminology I still need to refer back to. The most challenging part for me was algorithm analysis, specifically determining time complexities and identifying basic operations. For some reason, this took me longer to grasp, and I still don't have a complete understanding yet.

It's been a challenging first week, and I'm still working on fully grasping some of the terminology and concepts, but overall, I'm enjoying the course so far.

CST462S - Service Learning Experience

With the first half of my Summer semester now coming to a close, I am submitting my final assignments and preparing for the upcoming class in the second half. Reflecting on my time in Race, Gender, Class in the Digital World, I found this course both enjoyable and, at times, a bit stressful.

As part of the service learning assignment, I had the opportunity to work with a nonprofit organization as a web developer. This was an excellent experience for my professional growth. The first week was challenging; there was a lot of information to absorb during a short orientation, and I was unfamiliar with navigating and working in WordPress at the time. However, after the first week, I felt confident and comfortable using the platform, solving issues, and even assisting other web developers on the team. That said, I did encounter issues with code from previous developers, which required additional time to fix.

If I could suggest one improvement to the program, it would be a more structured orientation to help new service learners get up to speed faster. One of the most rewarding aspects of the experience was being able to help and answer questions from a fellow developer, which made me realize how much I had learned in a short time.

For future service learning students, my advice would be to manage your time wisely and not approach the experience with the mindset of just doing the bare minimum to earn credit. I completed 34 hours, even though only 25 were required, because I wanted to make the most of the opportunity. Treat it as a valuable chance to build skills and gain experience.

CST334 - Week 8

Write what you learned this eighth week in CST 334

Topic: Persistence

Well, time has flown by, and I’m already in my final week of my operating systems class. There were no assigned readings this week, but we do need to study for the final exam. A big part of the material for the last two weeks has been on persistence in operating systems. As I mentioned last week, persistence, in the context of operating systems, refers to the ability of storage to maintain a state—meaning that if a device is unexpectedly shut off, the data remains intact and is maintained. In a sense of life, persistence also means moving forward despite difficulties. We’ve encountered challenges, whether with lab projects or understanding complex concepts, but you don’t give up when you struggle; you keep moving forward to better yourself.