| Instructor: | Yale Patt |
|
Web: |
http://www.ece.utexas.edu/~patt |
| Office: | 541a Engineering Sciences Building (ENS) |
| Phone: | 512-471-4085 |
| Email: | patt@ece.utexas.edu |
| Office hours: | MW, 5:00pm to 6:30pm, at the front of the classroom or in my office (ENS 541a), and by appointment |
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Important information about EE 306 is also contained in a handout titled: Introduction to EE 306. Please be sure to read it. It expands on a number of items in this Course Descriptor. Also, the handout titled: Course Outline (aka, Syllabus) contains a lecture by lecture schedule of topics for the entire semester, the major emphasis of each discussion session, the due dates of problem sets and programming assignments, and the dates of all examinations. |
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| Course Overview: |
This is the first course in computing for students
of computer engineering and electrical engineering. The objective is to
provide
a strong foundation that a serious student can build on in later courses
across the spectrum of computer science and engineering. The idea is that a
more complete understanding of the fundamentals early in your education will
help you acquire a deeper understanding of more advanced topics later, whether
that topic is in computer architecture, operating systems, data base,
networks,
algorithm design, software engineering, or whatever. I call the approach
"motivated" bottom-up. That is, after providing some overview of why a new
concept is important, we attempt to tie that new concept to what you
already understand. Starting with the transistor as a switch, we build logic
gates, then more complex logic structures, then gated latches, culminating
in an implementation of memory. From there, we study the computer's
instruction
cycle, and then a particular computer, the LC-3 (for Little Computer 3).
We got it wrong the first couple of times! The LC-3 captures the important
structures of a modern computer, while keeping it simple enough to allow full
understanding. The first programming assignment is in the machine language of
the LC-3. From there, we move up to Assembly Language, and learn how an
assembler works. The remaining programming assignments are in LC-3 Assembly
Language. We cover good programming style and practice, and teach debugging
from the gitgo. An LC-3 Simulator allows the student to debug his/her
own programs. Input (via the keyboard) and output (via the monitor) both
use physical device registers. System service routines, written in
LC-3 Assembly Language are used to perform I/O functions. They are invoked
by user programs by the TRAP instruction and corresponding trap vector.
Subroutine calls and returns complete the LC-3 instruction set.
|
| Course Description: |
The course will cover the material of Chapters 1 through
10 of the textbook. A detailed outline of the contents is contained in
the textbook's
Table of
Contents.
See also the handout, Course Outline (aka Syllabus), available in hard copy
and on the class web site.
|
| Meeting Info: |
The course consists of three hours of lecture + a one hour
discussion section each week. Lectures will be in WEL 2.224,
MW 3:30p - 5:00p. Discussion sections will be scheduled at various times
of the day on Fridays. The
Course Schedule lists the meeting times and room numbers for each of
the discussion sections. Note that each discussion section has its own unique
id. Students are free to attend
the discussion section of their choice, although I would like you to attend
your
assigned discussion section on August 28.
|
| Teaching Assistants: |
Aater Suleman, Chang Joo Lee, Ameya Chaudhari, Antonius Keddis, Arvind Chandrababu, Bhargavi Narayanasetty, Eshar Ben-dor, Faruk Guvenilir, Marc Kellerman, RJ Harden |
| Course Home Page: |
http://www.ece.utexas.edu/~patt/09f.306 |
| Textbook: |
Introduction to Computing Systems: from bits and gates to C and beyond;
Yale N. Patt and Sanjay J. Patel; Mc-Graw Hill, 2004, 2nd edition.
You will need the 2nd edition. There have been many substantial changes
since the first edition. The ISBN for the 2nd edition is: 0-07-246750-9 |
| Additional Course Resources: |
Class handouts will be supplied when
necessary to supplement the concepts discussed in lecture.
Other information will be downloadable from the course homepage. |
| Prerequisites: |
There are no computer pre-requisites. No programming experience
is assumed. On the other hand, we do assume that the student is able and
highly motivated to learn and has the energy and intelligence to support that
motivation. We also assume that your mathematics background is at least at
the level where you are enrolled in a strong calculus sequence. EE 306
is intended for freshmen, but is open to all students who want a serious
introduction to computing in general and computer engineering in particular.
If you are one of those with no experience using computers, please do not
be intimidated by those in the classroom with years of computer experience.
It has been the case many times that students with no computer experience
earn A in the course, and students with lots of experience earn C or lower.
|
| Homework Policy: |
Problem sets will be assigned periodically. Usually,
students will
have between one and two weeks to complete them. Students are encouraged
to form study groups to work homework problems. Only one copy of a problem
set per group need be turned in. There will be five programming
assignments, one in machine language, four in assembly language. Dates and
times when problem sets and programming assignments are due are contained on
the Course Outline. Students
are encouraged to discuss the structure of the program with other members
of their group. However, the detailed algorithm and actual coding must
be done by the student working alone. Collaboration on the algorithm and/or
giving or accepting actual code for a program constitutes cheating, and
will be dealt with harshly.
Please see the handout: Introduction to EE 306 for more information on what constitutes cheating. |
| Quiz and Exam Policy: |
There will be two exams in class,
one on October 14, the other on November 18.
There will be a final exam during the normal final exam period. Our
preliminary
information has the Final Exam scheduled for December 11 from 7 to 10pm.
However, the university sometimes changes the dates of some final exams, so
it is important to check the final exam schedule when it is formally posted.
All exams will be closed book, with two exceptions: (1) The student may bring into the exam three sheets of paper on which the student is free to write anything he/she wishes. All three sheets must be original sheets in the student's own handwriting. (2) The student may bring into the exam any handouts that have been expressly permitted by the instructor prior to the exam. The student may not have in his possession during any exam a calculator, a mobile phone, or any other mechanism that in the view of the instructor can distract from a fair and balanced examination |
| Final Exam: |
See above. |
| Grading Mechanics: |
Course Grade: Problem sets (2% each, times 5 assignments = 10%) Programming Assignments (5% each, times 5 assignments = 25%) Two in-class exams (17% each = 34%) Final exam (25%) Other (6%) Policy: Problem sets and programming assignments are due on the date and at the time specified. Make-up exams will not be given, except under very rare circumstances. Excused absence from an in-class exam must be obtained in advance, except in very rare circumstances. |