CMSC313, Computer Organization & Assembly Language Programming, Fall 2012
Course Description
Textbooks
- Essentials of Computer Organization and Architecture,
third edition,
by Linda Null & Julia Lobur. Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2010.
ISBN: 1449600069.
- Assembly Language Step-by-Step: Programming with Linux,
third edition,
by Jeff Duntemann. Wiley, 2009.
ISBN: 0470497025.
Catalog Description
This course introduces the student to the low-level abstraction of a
computer system from a programmer's point of view, with an emphasis on
low-level programming. Topics include data representation, assembly
language programming, C programming, the process of compiling and
linking, low-level memory management, exceptional control flow, and
basic processor architecture.
Prerequisites
You should have mastered the material covered in the following courses:
CMSC 202 Computer Science II and CMSC 203 Discrete Structures.
You need the programming experience from CMSC202. Additional experience
from CMSC341 341 Data Structures would also be helpful.
Also, you must be familiar with and be able to work with truth tables,
Boolean algebra and modular arithmetic.
Objectives
The purpose of this course is to introduce computer science majors to
computing systems below that of a high-level programming language. The
material covered can be broadly separated into the categories of
assembly language programming, C programming and digital logic.
These topics prepare the students to take CMSC411 Computer Architecture
and CMSC421 Operating Systems which are required courses for the
computer science major.
Under the heading of assembly language programming students will be
introduced to the i386 instruction set, low-level programming, the Linux
memory model, as well as the internal workings of compilers, assemblers
and linkers.
C programming topics will concentrate on dynamic memory allocation.
Topics under computer organization include digital logic
design (combinational circuits, sequential circuits, finite state
machines) and basic computer architecture (system bus, memory hierarchy
and input/output devices).
Your final grade will be based upon 5 homework assignments (15% total)
and 8 programming assignments (40% total). There will also be a midterm
exam (20%) and a final exam (25%). However, if some homework or
programming assignments are canceled and not made up, the proportion of
your grade from homework, projects and exams will remain the same.
For example, if a programming assignment is canceled, then each
programming assignment would be worth 5.714% (instead of 5%). That
keeps programming assignments at 40% of your final grade.
Your final letter grade is based on the standard formula:
0 ≤ F < 60, 60 ≤ D < 70,
70 ≤ C < 80, 80 ≤ B < 90, 90 ≤
A ≤ 100
Depending upon the final distribution of grades in the class, there
may be a curve in your favor, but under no circumstances will grades be
curved downward.
Your grade is given for work done during the semester; incomplete
grades will only be given for medical illness or other dire
circumstances.
Due Dates
There will be a homework or programming assignment due for every week of
the class (except for the week of the midterm exam). Written homework
assignments are due at the beginning of lecture. Programming assignments
and logic simulations are submitted online. Electronic submissions are
due at 11:59pm of the due date.
In general, late assignments will not be accepted. However, each
student may submit one assignment (of any kind) up to one week late
during the semester.
Academic Integrity
You are allowed to discuss the homework assignments with other students.
However, circuit simulation exercises and programming projects must be
completed by individual effort. (See the Project Policy.) Furthermore, you must
write up your homework independently. This means you
should only have the textbooks and your own notes in front of you when
you write up your homework --- not your friend's notes, your friend's
homework or other reference material. You should not have a copy of
someone else's homework or project under any circumstance.
For example, you should not let someone turn in your homework.
Further information is available in the
UMBC Undergraduate Student Academic Conduct Policy.
Exams
The exams will be closed-book and closed-notes. The midterm exam
has been scheduled for Tuesday, October 23.
For Section 01 (TuTh 1-2:15pm), the final exam is on Tuesday December
18, 1-3pm. For Section 02 (TuTh 2:30-3:45pm), the final exam is on
Thursday December 13, 1-3pm.
Last Modified:
22 Jul 2024 11:28:25 EDT
by
Richard Chang
to Fall 2012 CMSC 313 Homepage