View source for CS 151

CS 151 Introduction to Computer Science is taken by CS majors after CS 101 / ECT 130 or passing a placement exam (https://cs.indstate.edu/cs151-test).

This page contains the syllabus for CS 151 for the most recent offering (fall 2025). Previous terms - [[CS 151 Spring 2025]], [[CS 151 Fall 2024]], [[CS 151 Spring 2024]], [[CS 151 Fall 2023]].

Note that all sections of the course will use the same homeworks and lab assignments. Quizzes and exams may be slightly different for the online versus face to face students.

=General Information=
'''Course website''' - https://cs.indstate.edu/web/index.php/CS_151

'''Your Instructor'''

[https://kinnejeff.com Jeff Kinne], [http://mailto:jkinne@indstate.edu jkinne@indstate.edu] <br>
''Office:'' Myers Technology Center (TC) 301D and in Microsoft Teams, phone 812-237-3394 <br>
''Instructor Office Hours:'' normally in my office - MW 10:30-1pm, R 9-11am, 12:30-3pm, F 9am-3pm; normally available for online meetings - MTWRF 8am-4pm, SMTWR 8-10pm if I am not in class or a meeting<br>
''Meeting:'' https://cs.indstate.edu/jkinne-meeting

'''Graduate assistant help''' - TBD. See https://cs.indstate.edu/web/index.php/ISU_CS_People#CS_Departmental_Graduate_Assistants

'''Lecture, Exam'''

''Lecture:'' MW 9-10:15am in Myers Technology Center (TC) 308, over Zoom (link in Canvas, see below), and recorded<br> 
''Exams:''  every three weeks on Wednesdays (Sep 3, Sep 24, Oct 15, Nov 5) during lecture time (9-10:15am).  ''(For those with another class at that time, we will arrange the time after the term starts.)''<br> 
''Final exam:'' Wednesday, Dec 10, 8-9:50am. ''(For those with another class at that time, your exam time will be decided after the term starts.)''<br> 

'''Prerequisites''' - B- or better in CS 101 or ECT 130 or [https://cs.indstate.edu/cs151-test departmental placement exam].

'''CRN numbers''' - 50487 for the face to face section, 51113 for the online section.

'''Required text'''
We will use selections from the following free online sources.
* Automate the Boring Stuff with Python (available free at https://automatetheboringstuff.com/)
* [https://www.khanacademy.org/computing/ap-computer-science-principles Khan Academy AP CS Principles], in particular unit 1 digital information and unit 4 algorithms.
* Additional online sources as needed.
* [https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ccy6CXrdP9415bDEbzcI773cyDNI7p3rr3yA76QmgtQ/edit#slide=id.g877391eabf_0_116 turtle graphics]

'''Class notes''' - Notes during class will mostly be kept in the documents in '''[https://sycamoresindstate-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/jeffrey_kinne_indstate_edu/EiJJbQVND3FMr25IAoHydnUBADrC7z-tZH_OTaD1h_A8Ow this OneDrive folder]'''.  Note that you will need to authenticate with your ISU account to view the folder. Some files from lecture may be kept at https://cs.indstate.edu/~cs151/ which can also be seen when you are logged into the terminal by doing: <code>cd ~cs151/public_html/</code>.

'''Programming practice''' Challenge problems...
* [https://leetcode.com/explore/learn/card/the-leetcode-beginners-guide/692/challenge-problems/4421/ LeetCode beginning problems]
* [https://open.kattis.com/problems?f_language=-1&show_more_filters=on&f_min_difficulty=&f_max_difficulty=2&order=difficulty_data Open Kattis problems]

=Announcements/Assignments/Quizzes/Exams=
'''HW'''
These are posted in Canvas or on the CS server. Some HWs are due the next lecture day, some are due a week after assigned. All times are Eastern US time.

'''Rules'''
Rules for HWs, quizzes, exams are in the course policies below.

'''Announcements'''
Announcements will normally be posted to the course in Canvas (and will probably be emailed to your ISU email address if you have the default settings for notifications in Canvas).

=Course Description and Content=

'''Course Description''' 

The official description of this course from the catalog is  

"Core concepts that are foundational in computer science, including programming, use of computers for dealing with files and programs, how data is stored, number systems. Focus on building skills needed for programming and further study of computer science, and intermediate mastery of a particular programming language." 

'''Course Outline'''

This course outline is subject to change.  

'''Weeks 1-6'''
* Setup accounts 
* Intro to Linux 
* Variables 
* I/O 
* Flow Control 
* If-statements 
* Turtle
* Loops 
* Exam 1 

'''Weeks 7-14'''
* Functions 
* Chapter 4 - Lists 
* Chapter 5 - Collections 
* Chapter 6 - Strings 
* Bits, Bytes, Base and Logic 
* Intro to algorithms 
* Chapter 9 & 10 (Files) 
* Exam2 

'''Week 15-16'''
* Final project and interviews 

'''Learning Outcomes'''
* Able to use Linux systems and terminal - managing files, running code, using utility programs. 
* Basic mastery of core programming concepts - data types, conditionals and loops, Boolean logic, functions, string operations, reading and writing files. In particular, 
* Can take a specification and produce code implementing it. 
* Can take code and "play computer" to determine the precise results of running the code on a given input. 
* Can take a partially complete program and specification for how it should work, and complete it. 
* Can take a program with syntax or logical errors and fix the errors. 
* Understanding of good coding style and able to practice good coding style - use of functions to avoid redundant code, whitespace formatting, variable and function names, comments. 
* Understanding of base systems, including ability to convert between binary, hex, octal, and decimal. 
* Understanding of and ability to explain different file types - text versus binary. 
* Able to read and write data with programs, including parsing simple file formats (e.g., csv). 
* Understanding of sorting algorithms - able to "play computer" to execute sorting algorithms that were covered in class on small test cases.

=Assignments=

'''Start Assignments and Exam Studying Early''' - 
I suggest attempting an assignment the day it is given, or the day after, so that if you have a problem you can ask early. If you continue to have problems in trying to complete the assignment, you will have time to ask again. Many of the assignments require thought and problem solving, which takes "time on the calendar" not just "time on the clock". By that I mean that spending an hour on 3 consecutive days is likely to be more productive than trying to spend 3 hours at once on the assignment.

'''Expected Amount of Work''' - 
If you take this class seriously and get what you should out of it, some weeks you will likely be spending around '''6-10 hours or more''' on the class.  The students who get A’s in their CS courses and have an easier time finding jobs do spend this much time on this course.  Not everyone would need to spend this much time and not all weeks will be the same, but you should plan on putting in whatever time it takes.  Note that the federal government definition of 1 credit hour as requiring 2 hours worth of time on the course for each credit hour of lecture, so you should think of this as the default for all of your courses. 

'''Note - your classes in your major should ideally be more important than your part-time job.'''

'''Each week''', you will normally have at least one assignment, often more than one (in particular at the beginning when the assignments are pretty small).

=Grade Meanings=
The letter grades are intended to have the following rough meaning. For letter grades I will use the usual breakdown as a starting point (90 is A-, 80 is B-, etc.), but will raise letter grades above this if I think it is needed (e.g., if assignments, exams, and quizzes are really tough).
* A+/A: You understand everything and probably could teach the course yourself.
* B+/A-: You understand nearly everything, and should be all set to use this knowledge in other courses or in a job.
* C/C+/B-/B: Some things you understand very well and others you don't (more towards the former for a B and more towards the latter for a C).
* D-/D+/C-: You did put some effort in, and understand many things at a high level, but you haven't mastered the details well enough to be able to use this knowledge in the future.
* F: Normally, students that get an F simply stopped doing the required work at some point, or cheated on something in the course.

{{:Jeff Kinne Course Policies}}

{{:Policies}}

{{:ISU Syllabus Items}}