Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

CS540, Spring 2018
Department of Computer Sciences
University of Wisconsin–Madison


Course Info

Course Description: Principles of knowledge-based search techniques, automatic deduction, knowledge representation using predicate logic, machine learning, probabilistic reasoning. Applications in tasks such as problem solving, data mining, game playing, natural language understanding, computer vision, speech recognition, and robotics.

  • Time: MWF 11:00-11:50AM
  • Location: 132 Noland Zoology Building
  • Instructor: Yingyu Liang
  • Instructor Office Hours: Wednesday 4:30-5:30pm and Friday 4:00-5:00pm
  • Instructor Office Location: Computer Sciences 6393
  • TA's:
    • David Merrel, email dmerrell@cs.wisc.edu, office 5388, hours Tuesday 3:00-4:00pm and Wednesday 3:00-4:00pm
    • Shiqi Yang, email sqyang@cs.wisc.edu, office 3387, hours Thursday 3:00-4:00pm and Friday 1:00-2:00pm
    • Shuo Yang, email syang439@wisc.edu, office 7370, hours Tuesday 9:00-10:00am and Thursday 9:00-10:00am
    • Ziyun Zeng, email ziyun.zeng@wisc.edu, office 4291, hours Monday 1:00-2:00pm and Wednesday 1:00-2:00pm
  • Peer Mentors (office 1289, hours 5-8pm):
    • Rahul Chityala, email chityala@wisc.edu, Monday and Friday
    • Utkarsh Jain, email utkarsh.jain@wisc.edu, Tuesday (5:30-8:30pm) and Wednesday
    • Carter Steffen, email csteffen3@wisc.edu, Wednesday and Thursday
    • Qiuxuan Wu, email qwu79@wisc.edu, Monday and Thursday
    • Weipeng Zhou, email wzhou87@wisc.edu, Thursday and Friday
  • Piazza Webpage (for discussion): https://piazza.com/wisc/spring2018/cs540/home
  • Homework Submission: Canvas
Note: for emails, please put [CS540] in the subject title. Thanks!

Syllabus

See here for the tentative syllabus.

Prerequisites

(COMP SCI 300 or 367) and (MATH 211, 217, 221, or 275) or graduate or professional standing or declared in the Capstone Certificate in Computer Sciences for Professionals.

S. Russell and P. Norvig, Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach, 3rd ed., Prentice Hall, 2010. Other readings will be made available electronically on the course web page.

Grading

The grading for the course will be be based on:

  • Midterm Exam: 15%
  • Final Exam: 30%
  • Homework Assignments: 55%

Note: The distribution of CS540 final grades has been as follows. This is an approximation, and changes from semester to semester. The median student's course grade is usually a low B or high BC. The percentiles refer to ranking based on the final weighted score.

  • A top ~20% of class
  • AB next ~20%
  • B next ~20%
  • BC next ~20%
  • C next ~15%
  • D next ~3%
  • F next ~2%

General homework policies

Homework assignments will include written problems and programming in Java. Frequently-asked questions (FAQs) on homework assignments will be e-mailed to the class mailing list. Assignment grading questions must be raised with the instructor within one week after it is returned.

How to Hand In Your Homework

See individual homework. If there is a programming part, electronically hand in files containing the Java code that you wrote for the assignment. You do not need to hand in any class files.

Useful Tips

Late Penalties

All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date. One (1) day late, defined as a 24-hour period from the deadline (weekday or weekend), will result in 10% of the total points for the assignment deducted. So, for example, if an 120-point assignment is due on a Wednesday at 8am but it is handed in between Wednesday 8:01am and Thursday 8am, 12 points will be deducted. Two (2) days late, 25% off; three (3) days late, 50% off. No homework can be turned in more than three (3) days late. Written questions and program submission have the same deadline.

Request for late homework submission

In rare circumstances, a student may send the instructor an email and request an extension in handing in the homework. The email MUST detail the justification. The instructor decides whether to grant the extension or not. Under normal circumstances, the total extension in the whole semester cannot exceed two days.

Academic Integrity

All examinations, programming assignments, and written homeworks must be done individually. Cheating and plagiarism will be dealt with in accordance with University procedures (see the UW-Madison Academic Misconduct Rules and Procedures). Hence, for example, code for programming assignments must not be developed in groups, nor should code be shared. You are encouraged to discuss with your peers, the TA or the instructors ideas, approaches and techniques broadly, but not at a level of detail where specific implementation issues are described by anyone. If you have any questions on this, ask the instructor before you act.