Algorithms and Programming - Problems and Solutions

Algorithms and Programming is primarily intended for use in a first-year undergraduate course in programming. It is structured in a problem-solution format that requires the student to think through the programming process, thus developing an understanding of the underlying theory. The book is easily readable by a student taking a basic introductory course in computer science as well as useful for a graduate-level course in the analysis of algorithms and/or compiler construction.
Each self-contained chapter presents classical and well-known problems supplemented by clear and in-depth explanations. The material covered includes such topics as combinatorics, sorting, searching, queues, grammar and parsing, selected well-known algorithms and much more. Students and teachers will find this both an excellent text for learning programming and a source of problems for a variety of courses.

List of contents

Variables, expressions, assignments.- Generation of combinatorial objects.- Tree traversal (backtracking).- Sorting.- Finite-state algorithms in text processing.- Data types.- Recursion.- Recursive and non-recursive programs.- Graph algorithms.- Pattern matching.- Games analysis.- Optimal coding.- Set representation. Hashing.- Sets, trees, and balanced trees.- Context-free grammars.- Left-to-right parsing (LR).

Summary

Algorithms and Programming is primarily intended for use in a first-year undergraduate course in programming. It is structured in a problem-solution format that requires the student to think through the programming process, thus developing an understanding of the underlying theory. The book is easily readable by a student taking a basic introductory course in computer science as well as useful for a graduate-level course in the analysis of algorithms and/or compiler construction.

Each self-contained chapter presents classical and well-known problems supplemented by clear and in-depth explanations. The material covered includes such topics as combinatorics, sorting, searching, queues, grammar and parsing, selected well-known algorithms and much more. Students and teachers will find this both an excellent text for learning programming and a source of problems for a variety of courses.

Additional text

From the reviews:
"The book is addressed both to ambitious students and instructors looking for interesting problems [and] fulfills this task perfectly, especially if the reader has a good mathematical background." — Zentralblatt MATH
"This book is intended for students, engineers, and other people who want to improve their computer skills.... The chapters can be read independently. Throughout the book, useful exercises give readers a feeling for how to apply the theory." — Computing Reviews
"Overall...the book is well done. I recommend it to teachers and those wishing to sharpen their data structure and compiler skills." — SIGACT News
From the reviews of the second edition:
“An excellent source of material for college students … and for their teachers. … it contains a lot of great information for the computer science student. Ideally, students would acquire this book in their freshman year and begin using it as soon as they learn the basics of procedural programming. They will then find this book an excellent companion, as they develop their analytical and programming skills throughout the curriculum. … This book is a delight to read and work with. I highly recommend it.” (Edgar R. Chavez, ACM Computing Reviews, December, 2010)

Report

From the reviews:
"The book is addressed both to ambitious students and instructors looking for interesting problems [and] fulfills this task perfectly, especially if the reader has a good mathematical background." - Zentralblatt MATH
"This book is intended for students, engineers, and other people who want to improve their computer skills.... The chapters can be read independently. Throughout the book, useful exercises give readers a feeling for how to apply the theory." - Computing Reviews
"Overall...the book is well done. I recommend it to teachers and those wishing to sharpen their data structure and compiler skills." - SIGACT News
From the reviews of the second edition:
"An excellent source of material for college students ... and for their teachers. ... it contains a lot of great information for the computer science student. Ideally, students would acquire this book in their freshman year and begin using it as soon as they learn the basics of procedural programming. They will then find this book an excellent companion, as they develop their analytical and programming skills throughout the curriculum. ... This book is a delight to read and work with. I highly recommend it." (Edgar R. Chavez, ACM Computing Reviews, December, 2010)

Product details

• Authors: Alexander Shen
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 16.02.2010
• EAN: 9781441917478
• ISBN: 978-1-4419-1747-8
• No. of pages: 272
• Dimensions: 182 mm x 22 mm x 242 mm
• Weight: 630 g
• Illustrations: XII, 272 p.
• Series: Springer Undergraduate Texts in Mathematics and Technology; Springer Undergraduate Texts in Mathematics and Technology
• Subject: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > IT, data processing > IT