Advanced Algorithms
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Credits |
7 |
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Lecturer |
Michael Kapralov
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Schedule |
Lectures: Tuesdays 8-10 in RLCE 1240 on zoom and Thursdays 13-15 in CM 1 on zoom.
Exercises: Fridays 10-13 in CM 1105 and INF1 on zoom.
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A first graduate course in algorithms, this course assumes minimal background,
but moves rapidly. The objective is to learn the main techniques of algorithm
analysis and design while building
a repertory of basic algorithmic solutions to problems in many domains.
This is a course for Master students. The lectures will be in English.
For more details see the official couse book here.
Important dates
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Mid-term exam: TBD
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Final Exam: During exam session (exact date TBD)
Topics to be covered
A preliminary list of potential topics:
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When and why does the basic Greedy algorithm work? Matroids. Also, matroid intersection.
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Convex programming for discrete optimization: linear programming (extreme point structure, duality) and semidefinite programming.
- Approximation algorithms (tradeoff between time and solution quality).
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Simplex method, ellipsoid method, gradient descent, and multiplicative weight update method.
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Submodular function optimization: polynomial time minimization and approximate maximization.
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Online algorithms (tradeoff between knowledge about future and solution quality).
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Streaming algorithms (tradeoff between knowledge about future and solution quality).
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Randomized algorithms (hashing, power of two choices, Karger's min-cut algorithm).
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Spectral graph theory (random walks, Cheeger's inequality)
Reading
The detailed schedule, lecture notes, and additional links to material will be available on the course
moodle:
http://moodle.epfl.ch/
Mid-term and Final Exam
You are allowed to use a
hand written A4-page on which you can write anything on both sides. (You are not allowed to look at it using a magnifying glass!)
Grading
The final grade will be based on two homeworks [30%], the midterm [30%], and the final exam [40%].