Fundamentals of Computing

TL;DR

These notes provide an introductory overview of the fundamental concepts in the Theory of Computation, aimed at undergraduates, emphasizing principles over model-specific details, with a focus on fostering interest and understanding.

Contribution

First comprehensive set of lecture notes for an undergraduate course on the Theory of Computation, emphasizing core principles and pedagogical clarity.

Findings

Introduces basic concepts of computation theory

Provides systematic approach to teaching fundamentals

Serves as a resource for course design and self-study

Abstract

These are notes for the course CS-172 I first taught in the Fall 1986 at UC Berkeley and subsequently at Boston University. The goal was to introduce the undergraduates to basic concepts of Theory of Computation and to provoke their interest in further study. Model-dependent effects were systematically ignored. Concrete computational problems were considered only as illustrations of general principles. The notes are skeletal: they do have (terse) proofs, but exercises, references, intuitive comments, examples are missing or inadequate. The notes can be used for designing a course or by students who want to refresh the known material or are bright and have access to an instructor for questions. Each subsection takes about a week of the course.