This website will be the main source of information about the course. However, we will also use the following web pages:
The following sections contain additional materials that may be helpful during the course.
Concise notes on important topics covered during the course:
During exams, we will provide copies of any of these reference sheets that could be useful.
Notes on topics related to proofs:
Unlike the reference sheets, we will not provide copies of these notes during exams. Students are expected to remember how to write each kind of proof that could appear on the exam.
Students can receive full credit by submitting homework solutions that are handwritten legibly or typeset using LaTeX.
It is perfectly fine to submit handwritten solutions to homework problems, provided that they are legible (because we cannot give points to solutions that we cannot read). If you have legible handwriting, then submitting handwritten solutions is likely the easiest option.
For students who wish to type their solutions, the traditional option is to use LaTeX, a software program that takes input as a text file, written in its own language, and outputs a formatted document. It is like a Java compiler except that it outputs a PDF rather than a program.
To this day, most academic papers are written using LaTeX. However, students should be warned that LaTeX has a substantial learning curve since you must learn a new language for writing the input. Furthermore, students should be warned that LaTeX is not easy to use. In the past, some students have spent several hours trying to make their solution look the way they want, which is neither necessary nor advisable.
LaTeX is the standard, academic tool for typesetting mathematical materials. While it takes some time to learn, for those headed to grad school, it may pay for itself in the long run.
LaTeX is the standard, academic tool for typesetting mathematical materials. While it takes some time to learn, for those headed to grad school, it may pay for itself in the long run.
For a quick start on Overleaf, see this template and tutorial:
The TAs have prepared this LaTeX guide, for a more detailed explanation of course-specific LaTeX
Note that LaTeX does not need to be installed on a local computer. You can use it in a web browser at the Overleaf website.
Note that LaTeX is not the best tool for every job. In particular, for drawing circuits, finite state machines, and other diagrams, it is often preferable to draw them by hand, take a picture, and include it in the LaTeX document using the \includegraphics{FILE_NAME} command.