University of Nevada Las Vegas
Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering
Department of Computer Science
My Home Page

Computer Science 456/656
Formal Languages and Automata
Spring 2024

Schedule
Assignments
Handouts
Review
Tests
Paradox
Challenge Problems

Instructor:
Dr. Larmore
Office, TBE B-378B. Telephone ☎ 702-895-1096. Email: lawrence "dot" larmore "at" unlv "dot" edu
Office Hours:
10:30 - 11:30 Mondays and Wednesdays
Contacting Me:
You may telephone my office. Please do not leave a telephone message.
It's best to send me email. Be sure to write "456" in the subject field, even if you're enrolled in 656, so that I know what the message is about. (I delete lots of messages without reading them, based on the subject fields.)
Please, never try to communicate with me by leaving notes on my door, under my door, or in my mailbox in the department office, as those notes get lost, and I can't retrieve them remotely.
If it is necessary to give me something, please leave it with the department staff, and then send me an email message saying that the item has been left for me.
Grader:
Zachary Edwards
Email: zachary.edwards "at" unlv "dot" edu
Office Hours: Not known yet
Days of Instruction:
January 17, 2024 - May 1, 2024, not counting the final examination.
Place of Instruction:
SEB 1311
Time of Instruction:
8:30 -- 9:45 Mondays and Wednesdays
Spring Recess:
March 13, 15
Textbook:
Formal Languages and Automata, by Peter Linz.
Fifth or sixth edition ok.
Prerequisites:
CS 302 (Data Structures)
MAT 251 (Discrete Mathematics).
Click here if you did not take both CSC 302 and MAT 251 at UNLV and receive a grade of "C" or better in each of those two courses.
Examinations:
First Examination: Wednesday, February 7
Second Examination: Wednesday, March 6
Third Examination: Wednesday, April 10
Final Examination: Wednesday, May 8 2024 8:00 - 10:00 Subject to Change.
Grading:
Your grade will be based on:
  • Three mid-term examinations. 60%
  • Homework. 20%
  • Final examination. 30%
Although the homework will take a substantial amount of time to work, and will actually be harder than the examinations, it counts for a smaller part of the grade. The reason for this is that I allow you to work together on homework. If you work the homework regularly, you should do well on the examinations.
Graduate Students:
If you want graduate credit, you must enroll in 656, not 456.
Each CSC 656 student must turn in one of the challenge problems by April 24. Write your solution pdf format and email it to me. CS 456 students are also permitted to work challenge problems, but I will not permit students to improve a poor grade in this manner. The reason for this policy is that I want students who are doing poorly in the course to devote their energy to mastering the regular material. formal proofs
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