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COMP20230-individual-assignment

The document outlines an individual assignment for a Data Structures & Algorithms course at University College Dublin, due on March 16, worth 35% of the overall grade. It includes tasks on analyzing user feeds using different data structures and implementing search algorithms, with a focus on measuring performance and understanding algorithm complexity. Students are expected to submit a Python Notebook containing their code, analysis, and graphs, along with a report discussing their methods and results.

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13 views

COMP20230-individual-assignment

The document outlines an individual assignment for a Data Structures & Algorithms course at University College Dublin, due on March 16, worth 35% of the overall grade. It includes tasks on analyzing user feeds using different data structures and implementing search algorithms, with a focus on measuring performance and understanding algorithm complexity. Students are expected to submit a Python Notebook containing their code, analysis, and graphs, along with a report discussing their methods and results.

Uploaded by

1457981717
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Data Structures & Algorithms

Individual Assignment

Dr. Przemek (’Pshemek’) Grabowicz


[email protected]

Office: CS B2.12
School of Computer Science
University College Dublin

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Dr. Przemek (’Pshemek’) Grabowicz [email protected] Data Structures & Algorithms (2024-25)
Assessment and Deadline

Brightspace Submission Deadline: March 16, 11:59PM


This assignment is worth 35% of the overall grade.
Your submission should be a single Python Notebook with
code, analysis and graphs all contained within.
It should be uploaded to Brightspace by March 16.

Notebook and input file on Brightspace


The Notebook will get you started. Please provide your solutions
to the two tasks there.

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Dr. Przemek (’Pshemek’) Grabowicz [email protected] Data Structures & Algorithms (2024-25)
Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this project the learner will be able to:


Understand how to determine the amount of resources
necessary to execute a particular algorithm.
Understand and practice the use of fundamental data
structures such as arrays and hash tables.
Understand how to use curve fitting to identify the function
describing how running time depends on input size.
Successfully write, compile, debug and run programs using
these constructs.

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Dr. Przemek (’Pshemek’) Grabowicz [email protected] Data Structures & Algorithms (2024-25)
Individual Assignment - Task 1

How many times does X feed algorithm show each X user?


1 My research lab examined whether German X users would see
politically balanced news feeds if they followed comparable
leading politicians from each federal parliamentary party of
Germany. We collected tweets that appeared in the feed of
such users. Who appeared most often in their feed?
2 We ask you to compute the number of times each user
appeared in the For You feed using different data structures
and algorithms, and compare their performance.

Notebook and input file on Brightspace


Please follow the instructions provided there.

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Dr. Przemek (’Pshemek’) Grabowicz [email protected] Data Structures & Algorithms (2024-25)
The Story Behind Task 1

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Dr. Przemek (’Pshemek’) Grabowicz [email protected] Data Structures & Algorithms (2024-25)
The Story Behind Task 1

https://uncommongood.substack.com

The default feed of X showed more content from far-right AfD


than other parties
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Dr. Przemek (’Pshemek’) Grabowicz [email protected] Data Structures & Algorithms (2024-25)
Input size described by two values: n and k

In the assignment, we have n appearances of users in X feed, but


only k < n unique users.

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Dr. Przemek (’Pshemek’) Grabowicz [email protected] Data Structures & Algorithms (2024-25)
Input size described by two values: n and k

In the assignment, we have n appearances of users in X feed, but


only k < n unique users.

Complexity can be described by two numbers:

Algorithm Return possible products of the numbers in two arrays


Input: an array1 of size n, an array2 of size k
Output: list of all possible products between elements in the arrays
products ← []
for i in [0, n-1] do
for j in [0, k-1] do
products.append(array1[i] * array2[j])
endfor
endfor
return products

Complexity: O(n ∗ k)
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Dr. Przemek (’Pshemek’) Grabowicz [email protected] Data Structures & Algorithms (2024-25)
Input size described by two values: n and k

Say, we have worst-case running times (the number of operations)


with respect to input size characterized by n and k, where each of
them can go to infinity.

function a: T (n) = 4n + 1 + log k


function b: T (n) = n2 + 2n + k + 2
function c: T (n) = 6n2 + 3n + 2n log k + 1

Easy to express T in Big-O by dropping constants and lower-order


terms, separately for n and k.
In Big-O notation
function a: O(n + log k)
function b: O(n2 + k)
function c: O(n2 + n log k)

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Dr. Przemek (’Pshemek’) Grabowicz [email protected] Data Structures & Algorithms (2024-25)
Individual Assignment - Task 2

Search Algorithms
You’re asked to implement two search algorithms. Their inputs
include a sorted array and a search target value.

1 Implement a linear search algorithm (iterating over an array)


2 Implement a binary search algorithm (recursive or iterative)
3 What is the worst-case time complexity of these two
algorithms in Big-O notation?
4 For each algorithm, measure and plot the average running
times as a function of n.
5 Use a curve-fitting function, e.g., from Scipy, to identify how
the measured average-case running time depends on n.

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Dr. Przemek (’Pshemek’) Grabowicz [email protected] Data Structures & Algorithms (2024-25)
Your Report Should:

Explain your methods and results and discuss any unusual


results you find
Have proper structure with introduction, main body covering
the various areas you address, and conclusions
Have satisfactory technical coverage, balancing breadth of
coverage with depth
Have soundness of argument
Have good clarity of expression and level of readability
Clearly reference sources of information, and avoid plagiarism

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Assessment: Things to Consider

Speed: Test running time as input size grows. Compare


running-time vs time complexity
Correctness: Does it do what it is meant to do?
Clarity:
Are class names, method names, variable names meaningful;
is a consistent style used throughout;
Is code refactored (remove unnecessary or unused variables,
loops etc.)?
Maintainability:
Are appropriate comments included in code?
Have you (unit) tested the key functionalities

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Dr. Przemek (’Pshemek’) Grabowicz [email protected] Data Structures & Algorithms (2024-25)
Example

In the field of machine-learning, there are two common problems:


Classification is to estimate a mapping function that predicts the
class or category for a given observation
Regression is to estimate a mapping function that predicts
continuous output
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Dr. Przemek (’Pshemek’) Grabowicz [email protected] Data Structures & Algorithms (2024-25)
Regression Example
There are many algorithms to predict the fitting function, but let
us take the simplest one as an example:
The general form of linear
running time is T (n) = a ∗ n + b
The problem is to find values of a
(slope) and b (T-intercept)
Use two points. Ex:
(n1 , T1 ) = (5, 4) and
(n2 , T2 ) = (10, 8)
4 = 5 ∗ a + b . . . (1) and
8 = 10 ∗ a + b . . . (2)
By solving the two equations, we
get a = 54 and b = 0
T (n) = 54 n
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Dr. Przemek (’Pshemek’) Grabowicz [email protected] Data Structures & Algorithms (2024-25)
Curve Fitting in Python

A common Python library such as SciPy Curve Fitting can be used


to fit the worst-case running time function.

See an example here: https://www.askpython.com/python/


examples/curve-fitting-in-python.

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Dr. Przemek (’Pshemek’) Grabowicz [email protected] Data Structures & Algorithms (2024-25)

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