Computer Engineering 185 is a three credit course designed to introduce programming techniques and problem solving methods to engineering students using the C programming language. Emphasis is placed on the fundamentals of computer programming instead of the peculiarities of C. Therefore, the knowledge that you acquire in this class should be easily generalizable to other programming languages. The class uses regular homework and lab assignments to emphasize the problem solving techniques described during the lectures.

At the end of the class the student will be able to use the C programming language in order to design and write medium-size programs to solve engineering problems.

See the class schedule.

Title: Problem Solving and Program Design in C (6th Edition) [5th edition is OK as well]
Author: Jeri Hanly and Elliot Koffman
Edition: Copyright 2011, 6th edition
ISBN: 0-321-53542-1
Publisher: Addison Wesley

CREDIT OR ENROLLMENT IN MATH 141

Star Wars (all episodes), The Matrix (all episodes)

For best results take two lectures and one lab weekly. Common side effects may include sweatiness, nervousness, lack of sleep, and diarrhea. Talk to your instructor if this class is right for you.

Iowa State University complies with the American with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Any student who may require an accommodation under such provisions should contact the instructor as soon as possible and no later than the end of the first week of class or as soon as you become aware. No retroactive accommodations will be provided in this class.

Lab Safety

This class has a substantial hands-on laboratory section. Students will be using expensive, sensitive, and potentially hazardous equipment. Safety in the lab is a number one priority for students and instructors and to ensure a safe laboratory experience, a brief safety presentation will be given during the first lab session. It is mandatory that all students attend this presentation. Moreover, it is expected that students follow any and all posted safety guidelines. For reference, a copy of the University Laboratory Safety Manual can be found at: www.ehs.iastate.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/manuals/labsm.pdf

Homework Assignments:

There will be a total of 10 homework assignments. Each homework is worth 2 percent of your final grade. You will have ten days to complete each one of them. These assignments will be used to emphasize and clarify important concepts discussed in the lectures.

All homeworks must be submitted by 8 p.m. on the day in which they are due. Homeworks must be submitted electronically and will be graded automatically by a computer program. The procedure will be explained during the first week of classes. Please do not wait until the last minute to submit you homework.

IMPORTANT: Due to the size of this class (approximately 110 students) we cannot and WILL NOT accept late homeworks. Period.

Unless stated otherwise there will be a 2-hour lab every week. The topics for the labs are posted in the class schedule.. The labs will not be graded but they are an essential component of this class. You cannot learn how to program by simply reading a textbook; you must use a computer. Use the lab time to ask the TAs for help with any and all aspects of this class including your homework. You are expected to attend ALL labs.

There are 5 lab sections:

• Section N: Mondays, 4:10 - 6:00pm (Coover Hall, room 2018)
• Section K: Mondays, 6:10 - 8:00pm (Coover Hall, room 2018)


• Section F: Tuesdays, 12:10 - 2:00pm (Coover Hall, room 2018)
• Section J: Tuesdays, 2:10 - 4:00pm (Coover Hall, room 2018)


• Section G: Wednesdays, 10:00 - 11:50am (Coover Hall, room 2018)

Seating capacity in the lab is limited so please attend only the section for which you are registered.

There will be two midterm exams for this class. Each midterm has two parts. Part one is scheduled during one of your regular labs. You will have to use a computer to write your programs. Part two is a paper-based exam scheduled during the regular class time. The midterm are scheduled for:

Midterm 1:
• Monday Sep 17 (part 1: Labs N & K)
• Tuesday Sep 18 (part 1: Labs F & J)
• Wednesday Sep 19 (part 1: Lab G)


• Wednesday Sep 19 (part 2: during class)


Midterm 2:
• Monday Oct 22 (part 1: Labs N & K)
• Tuesday Oct 23 (part 1: Labs F & J)
• Wednesday Oct 24 (part 1: Lab G)


• Wednesday Oct 24 (part 2: during class)

There will be a review session during the Monday's lecture in the week of each exam (i.e., Sep. 17 and Oct. 22).

Both midterms will we open-book and open-notes (up to 3 letter-sized sheets of paper, typed or hand-written).

*** Bring a picture ID or your midterm exam will not be graded! ****

There will be a final exam during finals week. The exact day/time has not been announced by the Registrar's office yet. Stay tuned.

The exam will we open-book and open-notes (up to 5 letter-sized sheets of paper, typed or hand-written).

*** Bring a picture ID or your final exam will not be graded! ****

You are encouraged to form study groups and discuss the reading materials assigned for this class. You are allowed to discuss the homework assignments with your colleagues. However, each student will be expected to write his/her own solutions/code. Sharing of code is not allowed. No collaboration will be allowed during the exams.

IMPORTANT: Cheating, plagiarism, and other academic misconducts will not be tolerated and will be handled according to the ISU's academic dishonesty procedures.

You are expected to attend ALL lectures and ALL labs. If you have a valid reason to miss a class (e.g., because you are ill) then it is your responsibility to find out what we have talked about in class, including any announcements that were made during class.

This class is rated PG-13 for some exposure to novel ideas, difficult problems, long and frustrating hours behind the keyboard, 900-page textbook, Muppet violence, the Bloodshed programming environment, and some C language. Parental involvement is not required and is strongly discouraged.

You will have a two-week window of appeal after each homework/exam is graded and returned. The grade challenge must be in writing and must clearly state the specific problem on the homework/exam in question and the reason for your challenge. The written statement and the original exam must be submitted to the instructor during the two-week window. After two weeks the grade cannot be changed.

95 - 100 	= A
90 - 94 	= A-
87 - 89 	= B+
83 - 86 	= B
80 - 82 	= B-
77 - 79 	= C+
73 - 76 	= C
70 - 72 	= C-
67 - 69 	= D+
63 - 66 	= D
60 - 62 	= D-
 0 - 59 	= F

Attendance:          10%
Homeworks (10 x 2%): 20%
Midterm Exam 1:      20%
Midterm Exam 2:      25%
Final Exam:          25%
========================
TOTAL:              100%

The instructor reserves the right to change any and all aspects of this class for whatever reason or no reason at all (a.k.a., academic freedom).