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Harvard Quantitative Reasoning 48 and CSCI E-2
Spring Term, 2010
This is the web site of two courses:
Quantitative Reasoning 48, a Core course in Harvard College
Computer Science E-2, in the Harvard Extension School
Date |
Topic and Resources |
Homework |
Readings (B=Blown to Bits, N=Course Notes) |
|
| Introduction |
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| M | Jan 25 |
The Koans of Bits |
B 1-17 |
|
Information as Stuff |
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| W | 27 |
Representation: How it works and why it matters (Ken Ledeen) |
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| F | 29 |
Lots of bits: Data representations, Moore's Law |
N 9-32 |
|
| M | Feb 1 |
Probabilities and codes
|
N 33-43 | |
| W | 3 |
Entropy. Shannon's source coding theorem. Huffman codes | N 44-54 | |
| F | 5 |
Guest | B 73-93, 310-316 |
|
| M | 8 |
Internet basics |
Problem Set 1 Available |
N 57-62 |
Privacy |
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| W | 10 |
Internet protocols |
N 62-77 | |
| F | 12 |
Search |
|
B 109-160, N 61-76 |
| M | 15 |
President's Day Holiday |
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| W | 17 |
Guest |
PS 1 due |
|
| F | 19 |
Advertising |
PS 2 Available |
|
| M | 22 |
History of encryption |
B, 161-193 | |
| W | 24 |
Public Key Cryptography | N, 111-129 | |
| F | 26 |
Guest |
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|
| M | Mar 1 |
Midterm Examination |
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Communication |
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| W | 3 |
Digital signatures and control of encryption |
Project Proposal available | |
| F | 5 |
Error-correcting codes, Shannon's Channel Coding Theorem | N 131-143
|
|
| M | 8 |
Control of Speech on the Internet: International perspectives |
B 229-257 | |
| W | 10 |
Control of speech II: US perspectives,Defamation and CDA 230 | ||
| F | 12 |
Guest |
PS3 Availalble |
|
| M | 15 |
Spring Break |
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| W | 17 |
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| F | 19 |
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| M | 22 |
Analog via digital: sampling and the Nyquist Criterion | N, 173-194 | |
| W | 24 |
The Internet and Journalism |
Preliminary roject proposal due |
|
| F | 26 |
Guest | B, 19-72 | |
| M | 29 |
Analog and digital in the physical world | N 173-200 | |
| W | 21 |
Power and channel capacity. Shannon-Hartley Theorem. Why binary is best | B, 281-285 | |
| F | Apr 2 |
Wireless Electromagnetic Communication |
|
B, 259-269 |
| M | 5 |
Guest |
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|
| W | 7 |
History of broadcast regulation |
Final project proposal due | |
| F | 9 |
Guest | PS 4 available |
|
| M | 12 |
Radio and television regulation II |
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| W | 14 |
Spread spectrum technology: Is the spectrum really a limited resource? | B, 195-228 | |
| F | 16 |
Guest |
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| M | 19 |
Intellectual property |
PS 4 due
|
B, 270-280, 285-294 |
| W | 21 |
Guest |
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| F | 23 |
Sparmming, phishing, and other malware |
|
|
| M | 26 |
Guest |
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|
| W | 28 |
Reprise |
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| F | 30 |
Reading Period |
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| M | May 3 |
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| W | 5 |
Projects Due, 2:00 PM May 5, by email | ||
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Final Exam Date to be Determined between May 7 and May 15, inclusive
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