Textbook Information

In an effort to bring high-quality materials to UW students at a low cost, and in a manner that tends to exploit current technologies, we have selected the online, interactive text Problem Solving with Algorithms and Data Structures Using Python by Bradley Miller and David Ranum for the Autumn 2014 offering of CSE 373.

This text is available both online free of charge and as a conventional printed hardcopy book from the publisher Franklin Beedle and Associates.

The use of Python in this book has both advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantage is that most students coming into CSE 373 are unfamiliar with Python, and so a little extra learning is required to get the basics of Python. An advantage of Python is that it makes a great language for illustrating algorithmic ideas in clear and concise terms. A second advantage is that learning a little Python broadens one's knowledge and skills to include another mainstream language that is gaining in popularity and finds uses in many fields. The third advantage of Python is that it can more directly support interactivity in a textbook such as ours, because facilities exist for executing Python directly in a browser (using a special package written in JavaScript).

In spite of the textbook's use of Python, we will not require that CSE 373 assignments be done in Python. Java will be fine for the programming portion of the course. Python will be an option, however, in one or more of the assignments and class activities.

Here is a direct link to the textbook online: Problem Solving with Algorithms and Data Structures in Python.