Module Details
The information contained in this module specification was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen circumstances, or following review of the module at the end of the session. Queries about the module should be directed to the member of staff with responsibility for the module.
Title FOUNDATIONS OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
Code COMP109
Coordinator Prof B Konev
Computer Science
Boris.Konev@liverpool.ac.uk
Year CATS Level Semester CATS Value
Session 2016-17 Level 4 FHEQ First Semester 15

Aims
  1. To introduce the notation, terminology, and techniques underpinning the discipline of Theoretical Computer Science.
  2. To provide the mathematical foundation necessary for understanding datatypes as they arise in Computer Science and for understanding computation.
  3. To introduce the basic proof techniques which are used for reasoning about data and computation.
  4. To introduce the basic mathematical tools needed for specifying requirements and programs

Learning Outcomes
Reason about simple data types using basic proof techniques;

Iinterpret set theory notation, perform operations on sets, and reason about sets;
Understand, manipulate and reason about unary relations, binary relations, and functions;

Represent statements in propositional logic, and to recognise, understand, and reason about formulas in propositional logic;

Apply  basic counting and enumeration methods as these arise in analysing permutations and combinations;

Perform simple calculation about discrete probablility.

Syllabus
1 
  1. Number systems and proof techniques: natural numbers, integers, rationals, real numbers, prime numbers, proof by contradiction and proof by induction.
  2. Approaches to describing collections of objects: sets and set operations, unary and binary relations, properties of binary relations, partial orders and equivalence relations, inverse relations, and compositions of relations.
  3. Functions: properties of functions, inverse functions and compositions of functions, the pigeonhole principle.
  4. Propositional logic: syntax and construction of formulas, semantics, interpretations and truth tables, tautologies, contradictions, semantic consequence and logical equivalence
  5. Combinatorics: notation for sums, products, and factorials, Binomial coefficients, counting permutations, subsets, subsequences and functions.
  6. Discrete Probability: sample spaces, events, conditional probability, independence, random variables and expectation.

Teaching and Learning Strategies

Lecture - Students will be expected to attend three hours of formal lectures in a typical week.

Students are expected to spend at least one hour per week for completion of practical exercises

Tutorial - One hour of tutorials accompany lectures in a typical week

Teaching Schedule
  Lectures Seminars Tutorials Lab Practicals Fieldwork Placement Other TOTAL
Study Hours 30
Students will be expected to attend three hours of formal lectures in a typical week.
  12
One hour of tutorials accompany lectures in a typical week
      42
Timetable (if known) Students are expected to spend at least one hour per week for completion of practical exercises
  		           
Private Study 108
TOTAL HOURS 150

Assessment
EXAM Duration Timing
(Semester)		 % of
final
mark		 Resit/resubmission
opportunity		 Penalty for late
submission		 Notes
Unseen Written Exam  2 hours  1  80  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Final exam 
CONTINUOUS Duration Timing
(Semester)		 % of
final
mark		 Resit/resubmission
opportunity		 Penalty for late
submission		 Notes
Coursework  6 hours  1  10  No reassessment opportunity  Standard UoL penalty applies  A combination of assessed homework and in-class coursework 1 There is no reassessment opportunity, Homework tasks are collected and discussed in tutorial sessions.  
Coursework  6 hours  1  10  No reassessment opportunity  Standard UoL penalty applies  A combination of assessed homework and in-class coursework 2 There is no reassessment opportunity, Homework tasks are collected and discussed in tutorial sessions. Notes (applying to all assessments) This work is not marked anonymously.  

Recommended Texts
Reading lists are managed at readinglists.liverpool.ac.uk. Click here to access the reading lists for this module.
Explanation of Reading List:

The key textbook is essential but not compulsory.