APS105F: Computer Fundamentals

Welcome to APS105 - Computer Fundamentals

General Information

APS 105 - Computer Fundamentals - is designed to give you an introduction to computer systems and their role in problem solving in science and engineering, and to provide you with the basics for studies in greater depth in subsequent years. The course consists primarily of lectures and laboratories. Major topics to be covered in the lectures include: digital computer elements and digital computer operation, problem solving, programming, algorithms, and data structures. The laboratories will provide you with an opportunity to exercise concepts introduced in the lectures through a number of programming assignments using the Java programming language. Throughout, there will be an emphasis on a programming style that encourages easier understandability, debugging, and maintenance of programs.

Click HERE for important administrative information about APS105

Tutorial Room Change, Thursday Nov 30, 4PM

Please note that the tutorial scheduled for SF1013 this Thursday (Nov 30th) at 4PM will be held in SF1105 instead.

Course Review Survey

The last week of the course is a chance to review important topics and provide more examples.

Here are the survey results.

Last Year's Exam (Fall 99)

Acrobat Format

Quiz and Midterm Information

Here are some old tests for midterms 1 and 2.

1999 Fall viewing or printing
1999 Spring viewing or printing
1999 Spring and Fall Midterm 2 Tests

Note if you are having trouble with these on ECF, save them to a file and run the 'xpdf' command on them to view or print them to a PostScript file. To print the PostScript file, run one of the 'lpr' commands. Sample commands are shown below.

xpdf 1999f.quiz1.pdf
lpr -Psf1012 filename.ps
lpr -Psf1106 filename.ps

Newsgroup

The newsgroup information was moved here. While logged on ECF, here is the best way to read news:

ut.ecf.aps105 on ECF

You can read the newsgroup via the NetNews server if you are using other UofT computers, such as your residence connection or HSE/megabit.utoronto.ca. Otherwise, set up ssh port forwarding as described here.

news://netnews.utoronto.ca/ut.ecf.aps105 on NetNews
news://localhost/ut.ecf.aps105 using ssh port forwarding

Texts and Notes

Recommended Texts:

Cay Horstmann, Computing Concepts with Java 2 Essentials, Second Edition, John Wiley, 2000.
John Carter, An Introduction to Computer Science Using Java, available for $20 from John in Room SF2104. Please contact him to arrange purchase.
See the errata page for John Carter's notes.

Other Useful Texts:

Walter Savitch, Java: An Introduction to Computer Science and Programming, Prentice Hall, 1999. This book provides an alternative introductory viewpoint, but it does not contain enough material for the entire course.
David Flanagan, Java in a Nutshell, Third Edition, O'Reilly, 1999. This book is more of a reference-style book. It is suitable for those with C++ experience, or perhaps very experienced C programmers.

Handouts

How to get online (PDF) first course handout
Tutorial 2 if, nesting, loops examples
Midterm 1 Solutions, or printing copy
Midterm 2 Solutions (Acrobat Format)

Lecture Supplements

Searching and Sorting PostScript PDF
Abstract Data Types PostScript PDF
Applets PostScript PDF

Labs

Lab 0 Basic Unix continuation of the first handout
Lab 1 Simple Java Programs, marked by Amy Wang
Lab 2 Loops and Conditionals, marked by Rajinderjeet Minhas
Lab 3 Methods, questions answered by James MacLean, marked by Sirish Pande
Lab 4 Arrays, or a printable copy, questions answered by Guy Lemieux, marked by Zijiang Yang
- Note the printable copy will probably be outdated, since your browser will cache the old copy. Don't trust it. Instead, go to the online copy and hit "Reload" or "Refresh".
Lab 5 Objects questions answered by John Carter, marked by Mark Stoodley
Lab 6 Recursion questions answered by James MacLean marked by Alagan Anpalagan
Lab 7 Searching and Sorting questions answered by Guy Lemieux marked by Bernard Ng
- See the Online Sorting Demo
Lab 8 List ADT using Linked List questions answered by John Carter marked by Karen Wang
Project Information, or printable copy
- Here is the proposal form
- Here is the proposal form LaTeX source if you are a LaTeX guru.
- Here is the current list of who's doing what: Project Signup List
- Here is the grading form

Lecture and Lab Time/Room Updates

There was a mistake in the lab room assignment for P0102 and a time change for P0101:

P0101, Tuesday 5-7, SF1012/SF1106/GB251
P0102, Tuesday 10-12, SF1012/SF1106/GB243
P0103, Tuesday 2-4, SF1012/SF1106/GB251

The Wednesday 3-4pm lecture (L0102, Guy Lemieux's section) is held in SS2102.

Note! New room!

The Monday 4-5pm lecture (L0102, Guy Lemieux' section) has been moved to MC102.

Instructors and TA Contacts

Click here for instructor and contact information.