Text: Automata, Computability and Complexity Theory & Applications, by Elaine Rich, Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008.

This course is an introduction to formal languages, finite state machines, regular expressions, context-free languages, pushdown automata, Turing machines and computability theory.

This course will (try to) cover chapters 1 - 17 from the textbook, though we will not cover each of those chapters completely. Your grade for this course will be based on 8 to 10 homework assignments and two exams in the following manner:

           40%    homework assignments,
           30%    midterm exam,
           30%    Final Exam.

           Exam 1   Tuesday, March 10
           Final    Final exam week.

You should turn in your own work for each homework assignment. Here is what that means: You may talk with your other classmates about the course material and the ideas behind each homework assignment but you should solve each problem on your own and write your own solution. Turning in someone else's solution (or even a modified version of someone else's solution) is a breach of academic integrity. Similarly, giving a copy of your solution to someone else in the class is also a breach of academic integrity. If you need help with a homework assignment, come and ask me. You can ask me as many questions as you want! Please do not hesitate to ask me questions after class, in my office, in an e-mail message, over the phone, etc.

The final grades for this course will use the university's new plus and minus grading system. The possible grades for this course, and a tentative grading scale for the grades, is given in the table below. The final grading scale that I use may not quite be the same as the one given below (the grade cutoffs might possibly be lower, but they will not be any higher than what is given in this table).

In this web site you will find more information about this course. There are links to online information about automata and computability theory, information about course reading assignments, and, very importantly, all of your homework assignments and their due dates will be posted on one of these web pages.

Any software that you need to do your homework assignments is on computers in the Mathematics Computer Labs in CLO 363 and CLO 365. If you wish to work at home, I will show you in class how to install any needed programs.

If you are a student with a documented disability who will require academic/classroom accommodations in this course, please register with the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities in the Student Support Services Office located in the Student Union and Library Building (SUL), Room 341, phone numbers: 219-989-2455, 219-989-2454(voice/TTY) or 219-989-2920.

Students are expected to comply with University regulations regarding civility, attendance, and appropriate classroom behavior. Please see the document Student Guide: Civility in the Classroom available from the Dean of Students office and the Dean of Students web site.

Ethics are an integral part of being a student and a professional. Academic integrity is the hallmark of this University. Therefore, Purdue University does not tolerate academic dishonesty in any form. If a student breaches integrity, the student risks sanctions in both the academic and conduct arenas. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the unauthorized use of other's intellectual property (plagiarism), and lying to an instructor or any University employee. Such actions will result in a failing grade on the assignment with the strong possibility of referral to the Office of the Dean of Students for a conduct sanction (see the Purdue University Calumet Student Handbook available from the Dean of Students office and the Dean of Students web site).