8 ms·

Algorithms course material

58 points by awa 17y ago

awa 17y ago
I stumbled upon this today... The page has a link to everything.pdf (http://compgeom.cs.uiuc.edu/~jeffe/teaching/algorithms/everything.pdf http://compgeom.cs.uiuc.edu/~jeffe/teaching/algorithms/every...) which is an 765 page pdf & covers all the material from the course. It can also be a good reference/text book for a self-taught algorithms course.
ambition 17y ago
Much inadvertent wisdom in this: If you're a student, you will (usually) learn more from trying to solve a problem and failing than by reading the answer.
- gjm11 17y ago
  Inadvertent?
tsally 17y ago
In case you didn't make the connection, this material is by the professor who wrote the recently posted article: "Getting into a PhD program with a low GPA". His undergraduate GPA was a 2.4/4.0, according to his website. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1072923 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1072923
amohr 17y ago
Good link - I had Jeff for algorithms a couple years ago and he's a dedicated and passionate teacher.
- jcsalterego 17y ago
  +1
  - jcsalterego 17y ago
    To wit, I also had Jeff for algorithms a couple years ago and he is indeed a dedicated and passionate teacher. But thank you for your support, fellow HNers!
- amitt 17y ago
  I second that, I had him in '05 and specifically waited to take the class with him as the teacher. Was well worth it, he brings a sense of humor and style to teaching that turned an otherwise difficult class into an absolute joy.
- mnadel 17y ago
  I had Jeff his first semester at UIUC. He received a standing ovation the last day of class. He's _that_ good.
z8000 17y ago
"Am I writing a textbook? No. All textbooks suck. (Partly that's because of the unethical rapacious profitable business practices of (most) textbook publishers—these notes will always be freely available." excellent!
afterz 17y ago
What is a good book for learning about this subject? Knuth's? Any other recommendations?
- samdk 17y ago
  I'll second Intro to Algorithms, which has been mentioned. It's what I used in my algorithms class and it's quite comprehensive. (It will also take you a while to get through.) I've also heard The Algorithm Design Manual recommended, although I haven't read it and don't own a copy. http://www.amazon.com/Algorithm-Design-Manual-Steven-Skiena/dp/1848000693/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0 http://www.amazon.com/Algorithm-Design-Manual-Steven-Skiena/...
- 1331 17y ago
  _Introduction to Algorithms_ (aka "CLRS") http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Algorithms-Third-Thomas-Cormen/dp/0262033844 http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Algorithms-Third-Thomas-C...
  - awa 17y ago
    CLRS is the classic textbook for Algorithms... For some topics Klienberg and Tardos is good, I will suggest to read the CLRS text and keep K&T for topics you want to read more on, also the K&T problems are much harder (usually) than CLRS.
- rw 17y ago
  Also check out the (now free) Problems on Algorithms: http://www.eng.unt.edu/ian/books/free/license.html http://www.eng.unt.edu/ian/books/free/license.html
- jsolson 17y ago
  Last I checked, Georgia Tech was using: http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~vazirani/algorithms.html http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~vazirani/algorithms.html for their intro algorithms class. I TA'd a semester with this book, and while it definitely has its warts it is much more compact and readable than CLRS.
- randliu 17y ago

58 points by awa 17y ago

awa 17y ago

I stumbled upon this today... The page has a link to everything.pdf (http://compgeom.cs.uiuc.edu/~jeffe/teaching/algorithms/everything.pdf http://compgeom.cs.uiuc.edu/~jeffe/teaching/algorithms/every...) which is an 765 page pdf & covers all the material from the course. It can also be a good reference/text book for a self-taught algorithms course.

ambition 17y ago

Much inadvertent wisdom in this: If you're a student, you will (usually) learn more from trying to solve a problem and failing than by reading the answer.

gjm11 17y ago
Inadvertent?

tsally 17y ago

In case you didn't make the connection, this material is by the professor who wrote the recently posted article: "Getting into a PhD program with a low GPA". His undergraduate GPA was a 2.4/4.0, according to his website. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1072923 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1072923

amohr 17y ago

Good link - I had Jeff for algorithms a couple years ago and he's a dedicated and passionate teacher.

jcsalterego 17y ago
+1
- jcsalterego 17y ago
  To wit, I also had Jeff for algorithms a couple years ago and he is indeed a dedicated and passionate teacher. But thank you for your support, fellow HNers!
amitt 17y ago
I second that, I had him in '05 and specifically waited to take the class with him as the teacher. Was well worth it, he brings a sense of humor and style to teaching that turned an otherwise difficult class into an absolute joy.
mnadel 17y ago
I had Jeff his first semester at UIUC. He received a standing ovation the last day of class. He's _that_ good.

z8000 17y ago

"Am I writing a textbook? No. All textbooks suck. (Partly that's because of the unethical rapacious profitable business practices of (most) textbook publishers—these notes will always be freely available." excellent!

afterz 17y ago

What is a good book for learning about this subject? Knuth's? Any other recommendations?

samdk 17y ago
I'll second Intro to Algorithms, which has been mentioned. It's what I used in my algorithms class and it's quite comprehensive. (It will also take you a while to get through.) I've also heard The Algorithm Design Manual recommended, although I haven't read it and don't own a copy. http://www.amazon.com/Algorithm-Design-Manual-Steven-Skiena/dp/1848000693/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0 http://www.amazon.com/Algorithm-Design-Manual-Steven-Skiena/...
1331 17y ago
_Introduction to Algorithms_ (aka "CLRS") http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Algorithms-Third-Thomas-Cormen/dp/0262033844 http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Algorithms-Third-Thomas-C...
- awa 17y ago
  CLRS is the classic textbook for Algorithms... For some topics Klienberg and Tardos is good, I will suggest to read the CLRS text and keep K&T for topics you want to read more on, also the K&T problems are much harder (usually) than CLRS.
rw 17y ago
Also check out the (now free) Problems on Algorithms: http://www.eng.unt.edu/ian/books/free/license.html http://www.eng.unt.edu/ian/books/free/license.html
jsolson 17y ago
Last I checked, Georgia Tech was using: http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~vazirani/algorithms.html http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~vazirani/algorithms.html for their intro algorithms class. I TA'd a semester with this book, and while it definitely has its warts it is much more compact and readable than CLRS.
randliu 17y ago