CS 108 – Foundations of CS I

Fall 1 2025
“Computers are incredibly fast,
accurate, and stupid. Human
beings are incredibly slow,
inaccurate, and brilliant. Together
they are powerful beyond
imagination.”

- Albert Einstein
“Computer science is not about computers, any more
than astronomy is about telescopes, or biology about
microscopes.”
Overview
Class Session 1

• Introduction to CS 108
• Learning Objectives
• Learning Resources
• Assessments, Scoring, Grading
• Policies
• Instructor
Overview
Class Session 1

• What is Computer Science?

• History of Computing
• Hardware and Software
• Programming Languages
Introduction to CS 108
Program Student Learning Outcomes (PSLOS)
• PSLO 1: Demonstrate knowledge of Computer Science-specific content
(programming in a higher-level language, computer’s internal organization, …);

• PSLO 2: Demonstrate critical thinking in Computer Science;

• PSLO 3: Demonstrate communication skills reflective of professional
standards in Computer Science;
• PSLO 4: Demonstrate Computer Science-specific calculation-based
skills (ability to work with different bases, internal data representations, digital logic, …); and
• PSLO 5: Demonstrate readiness for post-baccalaureate entry into the
workforce or advancement (entrance) into graduate or professional
programs.
Course Student Learning Outcomes (CSLOS)
• CSLO 1: Apply computational thinking to problem-solving. Break down problems into
smaller parts, recognize patterns, abstract key details, and design step-by-step
algorithmic solutions in a structured way. (PSLO 1, 2)
• CSLO 2: Demonstrate proficiency in fundamental programming concepts. Write, test,
and debug programs using variables, control structures, functions, and basic
data structures in a high-level programming language. (PSLO 1, 2)
• CSLO 3: Explain and use core concepts of computer systems. Describe how computers
store and process information, including number systems, data representation,
and basic digital logic, and perform related calculations. (PSLO 1, 4)
• CSLO 4: Collaborate effectively in technical contexts. Work productively in teams,
participate in peer code reviews, and communicate technical ideas clearly in
written and verbal formats appropriate to professional practice. (PSLO 2, 3, 5)
• CSLO 5: Analyze the role of computing in society. Discuss the ethical, social, and
historical dimensions of computing, including accessibility, bias, privacy, and
the societal impacts of emerging technologies. (PSLO 2, 3, 5)
Learning Resources

• Required Textbook
• Principles of Computer Science
Joshua Crotts
ISBN – 978-1-60427-199-7
J. Ross Publishing
Assessments

Category Weight
Homework 30%
In-Class Assignments 20%
Quizzes 10%
Midterm Exam 20%
Final Exam 20%
Total 100%
Grading
• Final course grade will be based on graded assignments,
interactive participation, and demonstration of ethical and
professional conduct in all learning activities.
Letter Grade Percentage

A >= 93.0%
A- 90.0% - 92.9%
B+ 87.0% - 89.9%
B 83.0% - 86.9%
B- 80.0% - 82.9%
C+ 77.0% - 79.9%
C 73.0% - 76.9%
C- 70.0% - 72.9%
D+ 67.0% - 69.9%
D 63.0% - 66.9%
D- 60.0% - 62.9%
F <= 59.9%
Policies
• Late work

• Attendance

• Academic Integrity

• Use of LLM (AI)

• Use of Mobile Devices

• Details on these and other course policies can be found in the syllabus
Late Assignments
• Unless specified in class, all homework assignments are due Sundays at
11:59 PM.

• The penalty for late assignments is 15% per day.

• Each student is allowed three late days for programming

assignments, and you may use at most one late day for each
individual assignment. This means that for precisely three
programming deadlines, you can turn in your assignment within 24 hours
after the deadline.
Attendance
• Daily attendance is expected.

• Only those absences stated in the catalog will be considered excused

absences. Other absences will be counted as unexcused. However, if a
serious situation arises, especially one that requires an extended
absence from class or a test day, please inform the instructor beforehand
to see if any arrangements can be made.

• A student accumulating nine hours of unexcused absences will be

withdrawn from the course.
Academic Integrity and AI
• Unless explicitly granted, the use of generative AI tools, such as
ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or similar tools, cannot be directly
used to generate assignment content in any form (text, code, etc.).

• I recognize that these tools can help generate ideas and do not consider
using them to inspire ideas cheating in much the same way we do not
consider general discussions about assignments with other students
cheating. However, your work must be your own, created and written
by you.
Mobile Devices
• Silence all devices.

• If your cell phone, laptop, etc., makes noise or is visually distracting

during class, you are affecting everyone's learning experience.

• No recordings of class meetings.

• Only exceptions are for official accommodations from the Academic Support office.
Who am I?
• David Good
• [email protected];
• 330-490-7207
• Office: Timken 215

• 25 years of industry experience

• software engineer, software architect, software engineering
manager, project manager, mentor, team lead

• Thesis: Using Machine Learning Techniques to Improve

Software Effort Estimation on Agile Projects

17
What is Computer
Science?
“Computer science is not about
computers, any more than
astronomy is about telescopes, or
biology about microscopes.”

-- George Johnson, Machinery of the Mind, 1987

19
What Computer Science Is

Computer science exists at the intersection of

physics, mathematics, and philosophy — it is
grounded in what can be physically built, what can
be logically proven, and what can be ethically
justified.

20
21
Early Computing Devices
• Abacus – Bronze Age
• Antikythera – 100 B.C.
• Astronomical Clocks
• Pascaline – 1642 A.D.
• Jacquard Loom – 1807 A.D.
• Babbage – 1822 & 1837
Industrial Revolution
• Turing Bombe – 1940s
• Z1/Z2 Zuse - 1940
• ENIAC (Electronical Numerical Integrator and Computer) – 1940s
• UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer) – 1950s
• Commercial computers – 1950s onward
Babbage
Difference
Engine
Babbage
Analytical
Engine
Alan Turing
Bombe
First
Computer
Programmer

1815-1852
Computer Science Today
• Where are we today?

• What specializations or career fields exist in computer science?

Where are we
today?
Supercomputers

• “El Capitan”
• 11,039,616 CPU Cores
• 1.742 exaFLOPS
• 30 MegaWatts (20,000
homes)
AI
• Artificial Intelligence is an umbrella term for machine learning.

• Machines mimic human ”intelligence” through the application of math

and statistics.

• Can include limited “reasoning,” learning, and problem-solving.

• Examples:
• Self-driving cars
• Voice assistants
• Recommendation systems (Amazon, Netflix, etc.)
Google Voice Assistant
Neural Networks
Fun Stats
• GPT 1.0
• 117 Million Parameters

• GPT 2.0
• 1.5 Billion Parameters

• GPT 3.0
• 175 Billion Parameters
• 96 layers of “neurons” aka transformation layers

• GPT 4.0
• 1.8 Trillion Parameters
• 120 layers of “neurons”
More fun stats
• Training GPT using a MacBook Pro with an M4 Max and 64 GB of RAM:

• GPT 3:
• 356 Years
• Electricity @ $0.17 per kwH:
• 124,665.6 kWh
• $21,193

• GPT 4:
• 23,782 years
• Electricity:
• 8,323,457.28 kWh
• $1,414,988
LLMs

Source: https://www.fastcompany.com/90896928/the-frightening-truth-about-ai-chatbots-nobody-knows-exactly-how-they-work
“MRI” for LLMs

Source: https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-anthropic-ceo-ai-interoperability/
How many Rs in Strawberry?
How many Bs in Blueberry?
US Presidents
Hallucinations
Fabrications

Source: Lawnext.com
Amazon Resume Screener

Source: MIT Technology Review

Amazon Resume Screener

Source: Reuters news

More on this later
• More on AI and ethics in Week 8
Career Fields in Computer Science
Software Data Science Cybersecurity Artificial Cloud Networking Database Game
Development and Analytics Intelligence Computing and Systems Administration Development
and Machine Administration
Learning
Focus: Analyzing Focus: Protecting Focus: Creating Focus: Developing Focus: Managing Focus: Designing, Focus: Designing
Focus: Designing,
and interpreting systems, networks, systems that can and managing and maintaining an implementing, and and developing
coding, testing, and
complex data to and data from cyber learn, adapt, and cloud-based organization’s managing video games across
maintaining
help organizations threats and attacks. make decisions. infrastructure and network and IT databases to store various platforms.
software
make data-driven Roles: Roles: AI Engineer, services. infrastructure. and retrieve data Roles: Game
applications.
decisions. Cybersecurity Machine Learning Roles: Cloud Roles: Network efficiently. Developer, Game
Roles: Software
Roles: Data Analyst, Information Engineer, NLP Engineer, DevOps Administrator, Roles: Database Designer, Level
Engineer, Mobile
Scientist, Data Security Manager, Specialist, Robotics Engineer, Cloud Systems Administrator (DBA), Designer, Game
App Developer, Web
Analyst, Machine Penetration Tester, Engineer. Solutions Architect. Administrator, Data Architect, SQL Tester.
Developer, Full-
Learning Engineer, Ethical Hacker. Network Architect. Developer.
Stack Developer.
Data Engineer.
 Human- Embedded Software Bioinformatics Quantum DevOps and Site Augmented
Computer Systems Architecture Computing Reliability Reality (AR) and
Interaction (HCI) Engineering Virtual Reality
(SRE) (VR)
Focus: Improving the Focus: Developing Focus: Designing the Focus: Applying Focus: Developing Focus: Bridging the Focus: Developing
interaction between software that operates high-level structure of computer science to algorithms and gap between immersive
users and computers on hardware with software systems. biological data, software for quantum development and experiences for AR
through design. specific functions, Roles: Software particularly in genetics computers. operations to ensure and VR platforms.
Roles: UX/UI Designer, often in real-time. Architect, Systems and genomics. Roles: Quantum efficient and reliable Roles: AR/VR
Interaction Designer, Roles: Embedded Architect, Solutions Roles: Bioinformatics Computing software deployment. Developer, Immersive
Usability Analyst. Systems Engineer, Architect. Analyst, Researcher, Quantum Roles: DevOps Experience Designer,
Firmware Developer, Computational Software Developer. Engineer, Site 3D Artist.
IoT Developer. Biologist, Reliability Engineer,
Biostatistician. Automation Engineer.
Up Next…
• Wednesday
• Basic set theory
• Truth tables

• Friday
• Propositional logic
• First-order logic
Questions?