Caltech CS 150b Probability and Algorithms, Fall 2019

Leonard J. Schulman

(May 13, 2019): This is a very early posting of the web page for CS150b, Fall 2019. During Fall 2018 I taught the "a" course of this sequence. Since 2019 is the first time "b" is being offered, a few words about the plan: There is a huge amount of material that I would like to cover, and only a fraction of that will fit. I will be making the topic selection during the summer (which means you might influence it if you get in touch early enough). Some of the possibilities are: The question arises whether students need to have first taken cs150a. The answer is No, But (a) you should have had some course in probability (with combinatorial problems, not just an analysis course), (b) depending on the topics we wind up with, I might point you to a few sections of the lecture notes for cs150a (which cover the material of that course comprehensively). E.g., if we cover epsilon-biased spaces, I'll want you to review k-wise independent spaces; if we cover analysis of boolean functions I'll want you to review the material on the 0-1 law and thresholds. In any case, I'll be happy to help with the catch-up process. Feel free to contact me a few weeks before the start of the term to see what the more detailed plan is.

There are several days during the term that lecture will have to be canceled or rescheduled:

Office Hours: Jenish on Mondays at 7pm in the classroom. (Ask Sheila Shull if you need to arrange after-hours access.)

Lecture Notes: I usually wind up revising my lecture notes after teaching, so they will be gradually posted here, as we go. Corrections and comments are welcome.
Problem Sets:
  1. PS1; due date postponed to Oct. 22. Problem 4 has been corrected in this handout.
  2. PS2
  3. PS3
  4. PS4