maze traversal puzzle bfs, dfs (preorder, postorder)
sliding tile puzzle bfs (3x3), intermediate goals, A* (intro)
2-player games minimax, αβ
tic-tac-toe game αβ-negamax, trans.table
nim game dynamic programming, nim formula
solving go linear go, 2x2, 3x3 with knowledge
hex game solving: virtual connections, inferior cells, captured cells
monte carlo tree search mcts hex player, ews (expected work search)
rock-paper-scissors Von Neumann equilibrium, linear programming, sagemath
AlphaGo Clarke-Storkey neural net, AG neural net
closed book, no devices
will cover all lectures, homework and quizzes
as a representative example of what kinds of questions you might expect, here are some of my old finals (I do not give answers). course content changes from year to year: content corresponding to some of these questions might not be covered this year. 2022w 2018 2016
quizzes: please wear a mask
these web notes (there is no required text)
python3 code on github
since 2016
inspired by the success of AlphaGo
introduces math/algorithms of computer programs that
play 2-player games (tic-tac-toe, nim, hex, go, rock-paper-scissors)
solve 1-player puzzles (maze, sliding tile)
intended for general science students but open to anyone
first course in two-course stream 355-455, but neither is required for the other
labs or seminars? no
will there be coding? no, but you might want to read code and make small changes to a working program …
what will the quizzes and final be like? based on assigned ungraded homework questions (supplied with hints)
is there a class text? no
lectures follow these webnotes
plan is to live-stream lectures on zoom
recorded lectures saved on eclass, under reference materials