Course:   

ECE 1 – Ten Puzzling Problems in Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Spring Quarter 2007, Enrollment Code 53348

Catalog entry:   

1. Ten Puzzling Problems in Computer Engineering. (1) PARHAMI. Prerequisite: open to pre-computer engineering only. Seminar, 1 hour. Gaining familiarity with, and motivation to study, the field of computer engineering, through puzzle-like problems that represent a range of challenges facing computer engineers in their daily problem-solving efforts and at the frontiers of research.

Instructor:   

Behrooz Parhami, Room 5155 HFH (Engineering I), Phone 805-893-3211, E-mail parhami at ece.ucsb.edu

Meetings:   

W 5:00-6:15, in Phelps 1260

Consultation:   

Open office hours, held in Room 5155 HFH (Engineering I) – T 2:00-3:30, R 10:00-11:30

Motivation:   

Whether they work in the industry or in academic research settings, computer engineers face many challenges in their quest to design or effectively employ faster, smaller, lower-energy, and more cost-effective systems. Most computer engineering students do not begin tackling such problems, and more generally are not exposed to specific challenges of their field of study, until they enroll in upper-division major courses. Meanwhile, during their freshman- and sophomore-year experiences with foundational courses in mathematics, physics, electrical circuits, and programming, they wonder about where they are headed and what types of problems they will encounter as working professionals. This course is intended to provide an introduction to day-to-day problems and research endeavors in computer engineering via their connections to familiar mathematical and logical puzzles.

Prerequisite:   

Open to pre-computer engineering and computer engineering majors only.

References:   

Textbook – None.

Presentations – All lectures will be posted in PowerPoint and PDF formats to the course's Web page.

Evaluation:   

Pass/Fail grading is based on attendance and class participation. There will be no homework or exam.

0 or 1 absence: Automatic “Pass.”
2 absences: “Pass” if you had prior approval for your 2nd absence or else had strong participation in class or out of class (via e-mail).
3 absences: Can earn a “Pass” by taking a final oral exam covering the three missed lectures.
4 or more absences: “Fail.”

Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class period. If you arrive late, it is your responsibility to see the instructor after class.

Day/Date

Subject of Discussion

Lead Puzzle

Special Notes

W 4/4   

Easy, hard, impossible! 

Collatz's conjecture 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collatz_conjecture

W 4/11   

Placement and routing

Houses and utilities

http://mathforum.org/dr.math/faq/faq.3utilities.html

W 4/18   

Satisfiability

Making change

http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/68609.html

W 4/25  

Cryptography

Secret messages

http://www.antilles.k12.vi.us/math/cryptotut/intro.htm

W 5/2 

Byzantine generals

Liars and truth-tellers

http://www.math.uchicago.edu/~antonio/MEC/liars.html

W 5/9 

Binary search

Counterfeit coin

http://www.delphiforfun.org/Programs/counterfeitcoin.htm

W 5/16  

Sudoku

http://www.websudoku.com

W 5/30 

Sorting networks

Rearranging trains

http://www.americanscientist.org/template/AssetDetail/assetid/54774

W 6/6   

Malfunction diagnosis

Logical reasoning

http://www.expandyourmind.com/logicproblems/