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Saint Louis University

Computer Science 1300
Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming

Michael Goldwasser

Fall 2017

Computer Science Department

Programming Assignment 04

Programming Contest

Due: 11:59pm, Tuesday, 3 October 2017


Contents:


Collaboration Policy

For this assignment, you must work individually in regard to the design and implementation of your project.

Please make sure you adhere to the policies on academic integrity in this regard.


Overview

Rather than one large program, this assignment involves a series of smaller challenges. All of these are problems that were used as part of the ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC). Each Fall, teams from SLU compete in the Mid-Central Regional qualifier (details).

Each problem is computational in nature, with the goal being to compute a specific output based on some input parameters. Each problem defines a clear and unambiguous form for the expected input and desired output. Relevant bounds on the size of the input are clearly specified. To be successful, the program must complete within 60 seconds on the given machine.

Each problem description offers a handful of sample inputs and the expected output for those trials as a demonstration. Behind the scene, the judges often have hundreds of additional tests. Submitted programs are "graded" by literally running them on all of the judges' tests, capturing the output, and comparing whether the output is identical (character-for-character) to the expected output.

If the test is successful, the team gets credit for completing the problem. If the test fails, the team is informed of the failure and allowed to resubmit (with a slight penalty applied). However, the team receives very little feedback from the judges. In essence, they are told that it failed but given no explanation as to the cause of the problem, or even the data set that leads to the problem.

Actually, the feedback is slightly more informative. Upon submitting a program, the team formally receives one of the following responses:


Logistics

Because of the automation in judging contests, the programs your write for this assignment will be somewhat different from others.
  1. Your source code must be saved in a file with a particular name, as specified in the problem statement. For example, the first problem for the homework must be solved using source code in a file named gnome.py (note the lowercase).

  2. Rather than getting input from a user through the raw_input function, we will assume all input is to be read from a file. We will cover more about files later in the semester. All you need to know for now is the following. You can create an object for managing the file using a syntax such as
    manager = open('gnome.txt')   # creates a file manager
    where the precise file name to be used is specified in the problem statement (e.g., gnome.txt). Subsequently, you can read a line at a time from that file using the syntax
    line = manager.readline()    # returns the string of characters

  3. Because data is being read from a file rather than a user, you are not to print any prompts requesting input (such prompts will confuse the automated grader).

  4. Your must produce output that matches character-for-character the expected output. This means you need all spacing, punctuation, capitalization and so on to match the stated format.

  5. Most of the problems are stated in a way so that a single execution of the program solves multiple cases of the problem. Make sure that your program does so (presumably by having an outer loop to handle the multiple test cases).

A Practice Problem

Adding Numbers (add.py)


The Challenges


Testing Your Implementation


Submitting Your Assignment

Please submit separate files for each problem (gnome.py, dup.py, rps.py, speed.py)

You should also submit one 'readme' text file, that serves as a summary for the entire assignment, and estimates how much time you spent on each of the challenges.

NOTE: even if you successfully tested your program using the automated judge on hopper, you are still responsible for submitting your source code through our standard submission system for assignments.

Please see details regarding the submission process from the general programming web page, as well as a discussion of the late policy.


Grading Standards

The assignment is worth 40 points (10 points per problem).


Extra Credit

Time for one more challenge? We will award an extra point if you solve Easier Done than Said? (say.py)


Michael Goldwasser
Last modified: Monday, 02 October 2017