15-453 Formal Languages, Automata, and Computation

Spring 2000
Frank Pfenning
MWF 1:30-2:20
PH A18B
9 units

This course provides an introduction to formal languages, automata, computability, and complexity. It consists of a traditional lecture component supported by weekly homework assignments and occasional problem solving sessions. There are two midterms and a final examination.


What's New?

  • The final has been graded and letter grades for the course have been assigned. You should have received e-mail on your Andrew account with your grade information. If you have questions or concern, please get in touch with the lecturer or teaching assistants.

Class Material

Schedule  
Assignments  
Handouts  
Overview  

Course Information

Lectures MWF 1:30-2:20, PH A18B
Prerequisites 15-212 and 15-251 (or 21-228)
Textbook Introduction to the Theory of Computation,
Michael Sipser, PWS Publishing Company, 1997
(Errata, 2nd printing)
Credit 9 units
Grading 40% Homework, 15% Midterm I, 15% Midterm II, 30% Final
Homework Weekly homework is assigned each Friday and due the following Friday.
Late homework will be accepted only under exceptional circumstances.
Midterm I Friday, Feb 18, in class.
Closed book, one two-sided sheet of notes permitted.
Midterm II Friday, Mar 24, in class.
Closed book, one two-sided sheet of notes permitted.
Final Friday, May 12, 8:30am-11:30am, WeH 7500
Open book.
Topics Finite Automata, Regular Languages,
Pushdown Automata, Context-Free Languages,
Turing Machines, Decidability, Reducibility, Models of Computation,
Selected Topics in Complexity
Home http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~fp/courses/flac/
Newsgroup academic.cs.15-453
Email to bb+academic.cs.15-453@andrew.cmu.edu.
Directory /afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/fp/courses/flac/

Teaching Staff

    Office Office Hours Phone Email
Lecturer Frank Pfenning WeH 8117 MW 2:30-3:30 x8-6343 fp@cs
Teach. Asst. Aleksandar Nanevski WeH 4201 Thu 1:30-2:50 x8-3054 aleks@cs.cmu.edu
Teach. Asst. Mihai Budiu WeH 4108 Wed 5:00-6:00 x8-3613 mihaib@cs.cmu.edu
Exec. Asst. Maury Burgwin WeH 8124   x8-4740 mburgwin@cs.cmu.edu

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fp@cs
Frank Pfenning