COMP 311: Functional Programming (Fall 2017)

Instructors

Dr. Nick Vrvilo (2σ)

Dr. Corky Cartwright

Graduate TAs
  • Yao-Hsiang Yang
  • Weixi Zhu
Undergraduate TAs
  • Nate Kim

Lectures

MEL 251 (Mechanical Laboratories)

Lecture Times

4pm–5:15pm TR

Course Email{nick.vrvilo,cork}@rice.eduOnline DiscussionPiazza – Rice Comp 311

 

Description

This class provides an introduction to concepts, principles, and approaches of functional programming. Functional programming is a style of programming in which the key means of computation is the application of functions to arguments (which themselves can be functions). This style of programming has a long history in computer science, beginning with the formulation of the Lambda Calculus as a foundation for mathematics. It has become increasingly popular in recent years because it offers important advantages in designing, maintaining, and reasoning about programs in modern contexts such as web services, multicore programming, and distributed computing. Course work consists of a series of programming assignments in the Scala programming language and various extensions.

Grading, Honor Code Policy, Processes, and Procedures
 

Grading will be based on your performance on weekly programming assignments. All work in this class is expected to be your own, and you are expected not to post your solutions or share your work with other students, even after you have taken the course. Please read the Comp 311 Honor Code Policy for more details on how you are expected to work on your assignments. There will also be a final exam, as described in the syllabus.

All students will be held to the standards of the Rice Honor Code, a code that you pledged to honor when you matriculated at this institution. If you are unfamiliar with the details of this code and how it is administered, you should consult the Honor System Handbook. This handbook outlines the University's expectations for the integrity of your academic work, the procedures for resolving alleged violations of those expectations, and the rights and responsibilities of students and faculty members throughout the process.

 
Accommodations for Students with Special Needs
 

Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact me during the first two weeks of class regarding special needs. Students with disabilities should also contact Disabled Student Services in the  Ley Student Center  and the  Rice Disability Support Services .


General Information

 

Course Syllabus 
Homework Submission Guide
Office Hours
NickAvailable after class--
Corky

Wednesday

Tuesday, Thursday

2pm–4pm

9:15am–10:30am

DCH 3110

DCH 3104

TAsCheck Piazza--
Textbooks
Online Videos
Development Environment

 

Lecture Schedule (Subject to Change Without Notice)

Conditional Functions on Ranges, Point Values, and Compound Datatypes

Semantics of Type Checking, Binary Methods, Abstract Datatypes

For Expressions, Monads, The Environment Model of Reduction

Call-by-Name, Environment Model of Type Checking, Generative Recursion

Week

Day

Date

Topic

Work AssignedWork Due

1

Tu

Aug 22

Overview, Motivation

  
 ThAug 24What are Types, Core ScalaHwk 0 

2

Tu

Aug 29

  
 ThAug 31  

3

Tu

Sep 05

Doubles, Programming with Intention, The Design Recipe

  
 ThSep 07Functions on Ranges, Point Values, Compound Datatypes  

4

Tu

Sep 12

Methods, Grading, DrScala

  

 

Th

Sep 14

Static Type Checking, Abstract Datatypes

Hwk 1 

5

Tu

Sep 19

Abstract Datatypes 2, Recursively Defined Types

  

 

Th

Sep 21

Recursively Defined Types 2, Functions as Values

  

6

Tu

Sep 26

1st-Class Functions, Imports, Variable & Named Args

  

 

Th

Sep 28

Exceptions, String Formatting, Generic Types

Hwk 2Hwk 1

7

Tu

Oct 03

Covariance and Contravariance, ...  

 

Th

Oct 05

... Currying, Fold, Flatmap, and For Expressions

  

8

Tu

Oct 10

MIDTERM RECESS

  

 

Th

Oct 12

Type Hierarchy, Overrides, Exceptions, Operators

Hwk 3Hwk 2

9

Tu

Oct 17

For Expressions, Monads, The Environment Model 

 

Th

Oct 19

Scala Collections Classes, Traits

  

10

Tu

Oct 24

Generative Recursion

  

 

Th

Oct 26

Strategies for Generative Recursion

Hwk 4Hwk 3

11

Tu

Oct 31

Accumulators

  

 

Th

Nov 02

Functional Data Structures

  

12

Tu

Nov 07

Streams, State, Mutation

  

 

Th

Nov 09

Mechanical Proof Checkin, The Curry-Howard Isomorphism

Hwk 5Hwk 4

13

Tu

Nov 14

The State Monad

  

 

Th

Nov 16

Additional Scala Features, Extractors, Parser Combinators*

Hwk 5 
14TuNov 21More Parser Combinators, Actors and Concurrency*Hwk 6 (Optional) 

 

Th

Nov 23

THANKSGIVING

  

15

Tu

Nov 28

Functional Distributed Computing*

  
 ThNov 30Course Wrap Up Hwk 5 & 6
16TuDec 05Study Days (no classes)  

 

F

Dec 09

Final Exam (DH 1064 at 2pm)

  

* Lectures slides not yet updated from last year are marked with an asterisk.