Amrita School of Engineering, Amritapuri Campus,

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Course Plan July-Dec 2018

15CSE100 Computational Thinking and Problem Solving 3-0-2-4

S1 B.Tech. All Batches

1. Faculty Information

Name : Sarath S, Thushara M G, Jayakumar P, Maya Menon, Bri. Vineetha, Anjali T

Asst. Professor, ASE, Amritapuri
Email :
Contact No:

2. Course Overview

This course aims at teaching students to approach problem solving in an organized manner.

It imparts the ability to interpret a particular situation/problem and plan its solution in a systematic
and logical manner.

It emphasizes on developing the ability to formulate solutions by logically deriving unambiguous
step by step instructions to perform tasks.

It trains the students to apply modular approach to solutions by applying abstraction and
decomposition.
3. Course Syllabus

Unit 1

Basics: Introduction, Information and data, Data encoding. Logic: Boolean logic, Applications of
propositional logic.

Unit 2

Problem Solving and Algorithmic Thinking: Problem definition, Logical reasoning, Problem
decomposition, Abstraction. Algorithmic thinking: Flowcharting, Name binding, Selection,
Repetition, Modularization. Data organization: List and Arrays. Simple algorithms, comparison of
performance of algorithms.

1|5
 Unit 3
Problem Solving Techniques: Factoring and Recursion Techniques, Search and Sort techniques,
Greedy Techniques, Divide and Conquer, Text processing and Pattern matching.

TEXT BOOKS:

1. David Riley and Kenny Hunt , Computational thinking for modern solver, Chapman &
Hall/CRC, 2014
2. R.G. Dromey , “How to solve it by Computer”, PHI, 2008

4. 15CSE100 Course Outcomes (CO)

CO1: Apply computational thinking principles and problem-solving techniques to understand,

define, and solve problems

CO2: Design algorithms and implement solutions for scenarios and problems

CO3: Represent, organize, manipulate and interpret data

CO4: Analyse algorithmic building blocks, trace algorithm flow for states of computation and
analyse techniques and strategies

5. Lecture Plan

Lecture Topics Keywords Objective CO PO/PSO

Hours
1-2 Introduction, Data, Four Corner Stones Provide working CO1 PO-1,2,3
Information definition of
computational thinking.
3-5 Data encoding Encoding data, Data Learn different CO-3 PO-1,3,4
compression. encoding schemes.
Understand the
importance of data
compression.
6-9 Logic Boolean logic, Learn the role of logical CO-1 PO-1,2,3
Proposition, operators in logical
Operators and Truth expressions.
table, Well-formed Learn to evaluate
proposition, logical expressions.
Tautology,
Contradiction,
Contingency
10-11 Applications of Search engine, Understand the use of CO-1 PO-1,2,3
propositional logic Query, Logic gates, propositional logic in
Digital circuit, querying, compositing
Database, Query of images and in the
language design of digital
circuits.
12-14 Logical reasoning Premise, Learn to use deductive CO-1 PO-1,2,3
conclusion, reasoning to evolve
2|5
 Deductive general programming
reasoning patterns.
Learn to use inductive
reasoning.
Think and reason out
logically.
15 Problem Definition Problem definition, Learn to define a CO-2 PO-1 TO
Software problem as functional 10
Perspective, requirements to the
Requirements assist further in design
and implementation.
16 Problem decomposition Pattern recognition, Learn to represent top- CO-2 PO-1 TO
Top down approach down design and 10
bottom-up design.
17 Abstraction Model Learn to abstract data CO-2 PO-1 TO
and create models. 10

19-20 Algorithm , Name Pseudocode and Learn to write CO-2 P0-1 TO

binding flowchart pseudocodes and 10
Names, proper introduce flowchart as
naming, name one of the
binding, binding representations of
time algorithms.
Understand the
importance of naming
and related concepts.
Understand how
binding varies with
computational states.

21-23 Selection Selection, one-way Understand function of CO-4 PO-

selection, two-way flowchart elements for 1,2,3,5
selection, multi- selection.
way selection, Understand the form of
test and termination in
selection.
Learn to use selections.
24-26 Repetition loop, loop body, Understand the form of C0-4 PO-
loop test, Counter test and termination in 1,2,3,5
controlled loop, looping,
Sentinel controlled Understand function of
loop, Infinite loops flowchart elements for
repetition.
Learn to use counters
and sentinels in loops.
27-29 Modularization Algorithm modules, Understand how CO-4 PO-
Sub-process, algorithms are 1,2,3,5
Module flexibility modularized.
and parameters, Learn how smaller units
Well-designed can be made flexible
modules through the use of
formal parameters.
3|5
 Learn the
characteristics of well-
defined modules.
30-32 Data organization: List Lists, Storage, Learn to represent and CO-4 PO-3,5,9
and Arrays Arrays, Indexing, manipulate collection of
Anchor, Operations data in lists and arrays.
on arrays
33-34 Algorithms and Factorial, Digit Learn to observe the CO-4 PO-3,5,9
exercises reversal, Cash patterns for a given
demonization, problem and write the
Smallest divisor, algorithm.
Maximum number, Understand that a
Duplicate numbers, problem can have
Middle number and different algorithms
position, kth varying in performance.
smallest number,
Fibonacci sequence

36-37 Factoring and Recursion Factoring, Learn to express tasks CO-4 PO-3,5,9
Techniques Recursion, Base recursively.
case, Recursive Understand basic forms
step, Stopping of recursion.
condition
38-41 Searching and sorting Search key, Linear
Understand how CO-4 PO-3,5,9
search, Binarysearching is performed
search, Data using the intuitive
decomposition,linear search technique.
Select and Swap,
Understand how
Selection sort,
halving the population
Bubble sort enables efficient
searching.
Observe the use of data
decomposition in the
two search techniques.
Note the need for re-
arrangement of a
collection of data.
Learn selection and
bubble sorting
technique.
42 MOCK TEST-III
ENDSEMESTER EXAM

4|5
5. Evaluation and Grading

Internal External Total

Components Weightage Examination
First Periodical 15% conducted for 100 Internal +
Second Periodical 15% 70% Marks External=100
Class Tests 15% Weightage: 30%
Lab Evaluation 15%
Tutorial 10%

6. Continuous Evaluation

Tutorials & tests = 25 marks

Assignment = 15 marks

*Programme Outcomes (PO) (As given by NBA and ABET)

PO1: Engineering Knowledge

PO2: Problem Analysis
PO3: Design/Development of Solutions
PO4: Conduct Investigations of complex problems
PO5: Modern tools usage
PO6: Engineer and Society
PO7: Environment and Sustainability
PO8: Ethics
PO9: Individual & Team work
PO10: Communication

CO – PO Affinity Map

3-strong, 2-moderate, 1-weak

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