FALL 2009: COT 5407 Intro. to Algorithms[Homework Guidelines and Collaboration Policies](courtesy of Prof. Giri Narasimhan)General submission guidelines: Since people tend to scribble on handwritten home-work, you are required to type up your assignment and print it out. Problems are labeled as(Exercise), (Regular), or (Extra Credit). (Exercise) are to be turned in, but will notbe graded. (Regular) problems are to be turned in and will be graded. (Extra Credit)problems need not be turned in. They will be graded, but credit will be given only if itis completely correct. (Extra Credit) scores will be used only if your grade is on theborderline between two grades.For every algorithmic question, clearly indicate its Input and its Output. Your pseu-docode must contain line numbers (like in the text) and must be properly indented. Whilepseudocode is generally preferred, you may write formal code using a programming languagesuch as C++ or Java (less desirable). Variable names must be meaningful. If a section ofthe code is complicated, it must be commented.Pay careful attention to the final written solution. Reread your written solutions andlook for typographical and logical errors. A well-written solution shows clarity of thoughtand is likely to receive better grades. Not all problems will be graded and not all gradedproblems will have equal score. If more than one correct algorithm can solve a problem, thena more efficient solution will fetch more credit. Draw pictures whenever possible.Collaboration Policy (August 27, 2009): Solving an algorithmic problem is a creativeprocess. When presented with a new problem, it is your task to “take it apart” and reachyour own understanding. This is a painstaking and time-consuming process. There is muchto be learned from the process of thinking out solutions to the assigned homework problems.Getting help from elsewhere destroys this process. However, discussing with others after youhave spent some time with a problem can help the process and bring other aspects of theproblem to light. You may discuss homework problems with me, TA or with other studentsin your class, after you have given it sufficient thought. But when the time comes to writeup your solution, it must be your own work, and it must be in your own words. If afterworking on a problem yourself, you have been unable to solve it satisfactorily, then you mayget help from other people, textbooks, or the internet. If you received help from any othersource, it is necessary to cite your source at the appropriate location in the homework, i.e.,write down the URL or the name of the person or the author and title of the text fromwhich your solution was acquired. GIVE EVEN THE DEVIL IT’S DUE! After getting helpfrom some source, make an attempt to write down the solution in your own words. If youdiscussed with a classmate or friend and came up with a solution together, then both ofyou should indicate this in your homeworks. If you are helping someone or providing yoursolution to someone, make sure they write down you as the source of the solution. You,too, may indicate that you helped this person with the specified problem. If you do notwrite down where you got help from, it would be considered as cheating. Any evidence ofcheating (without citing the source) will result in severe penalization of all parties involved.If this policy gets refined over the course of this semester, this will be posted on the
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