CS173: Intro to Computer Science - Dynamic Programming
Activity Goals
The goals of this activity are:
- To explain the benefits of Dynamic Programming
- To implement Dynamic Programming to improve the runtime performance of a given algorithm
The Activity
Directions
Consider the activity models and answer the questions provided. First reflect on these questions on your own briefly, before discussing and comparing your thoughts with your group. Appoint one member of your group to discuss your findings with the class, and the rest of the group should help that member prepare their response. Answer each question individually from the activity on the Class Activity Questions discussion board. After class, think about the questions in the reflective prompt and respond to those individually in your notebook. Report out on areas of disagreement or items for which you and your group identified alternative approaches. Write down and report out questions you encountered along the way for group discussion.
Model 1: The Fibonacci Sequence
Questions
- Despite the concise code, what is inefficient about this approach to the Fibonacci sequence?
- Try removing the recursive function calls: replace assignments or returns with array assignments, and write a loop instead.
- Is your loop solving the problem from the top-down or bottom-up? That is, is your loop counting up or down, and why? How is this similar or different from the recursive approach?
Submission
Submit your answers to the questions using the Class Activity Questions discussion board. You may also respond to questions or comments made by others, or ask follow-up questions there. Answer any reflective prompt questions in the Reflective Journal section of your OneNote Classroom personal section.