Transcript Excerpt of remainder of CMU Roadshow

What is Computer Science and
what can you do with it
?
Problem Solving
Learn how to build Algorithms ...
a sequence of steps/instructions to solve a problem
Algorithm type Puzzle 1.:
A farmer has to get the goat, the carrot and the
wolf over the river to the grassy field.
But he can only take one of them with him at a
time …
Problem Solving
If left alone:
the wolf will eat the goat
and the goat will eat the carrot
Problem Solving
Algorithm type Puzzle 2.
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you have a pair of scales
you have 12 coins
11 weigh the same
the other is heavier
How do you find the heavy coin if you are
allowed 3 weighings? ..
Programming

a computer can only do what it is told to do

a program is a set of instructions telling a
computer what to do.
To illustrate this try giving your friend instructions
on how to make a peanut butter sandwich. See what
happens and how careful you have to be giving each
step clearly!
There are programs that run the functions in
your cell phone, programs that let you view
your digital pictures, and many, many more…..
Internet and Instant Messenger
Do you use email?
Have you ever wondered how your message goes
from your computer to your friend’s computer?
Do you use IM?
Have you ever wondered how it works?
The science of computer science is behind it all!
The Brain + Computer Science
We can use computers to see
what happens in a person’s brain
when they think, and to model how
the brain solves problems
Biology + Computer Science
We can use computer science
to find patterns in DNA, model
biological systems, determine the
structure of molecules, and much
much more…
Cryptography
codes
Key
A: N
B: O
C: P
D: Q
E: R
What’s the secret word below?
FPVRAPR
F: S
G: T
H: U
I: V
J: W
K: X
L: Y
M: Z
Creating Websites
http://women.cs.cmu.edu
http:www.cs.cmu.edu
Web Site Building
Graphics: Art + Computer Science
Human Computer Interaction
Automatic Sign Translation
Learning Technologies
Human Vehicle Communications
Speech Recognition
When's the
next plane to
Boston?
The next
train to
Austin
leaves at
4:45pm.
How do we keep
users happy
when a system is
likely to make
errors?
Talking heads
Developed by OHSU Center for Spoken Language Understanding, CU Center for Spoken
Language Research, UoE Centre for Speech Technology Research, and UC Santa Cruz Perceptual Science Laboratory
Talking Heads
Developed by OHSU Center for Spoken Language Understanding, CU Center for Spoken
Language Research, UoE Centre for Speech Technology Research, and UC Santa Cruz Perceptual Science Laboratory
Artificial Intelligence +
Computer Science
The Captcha Project was developed by computer scientists from the
Aladdin Center at Carnegie Mellon http://www.captcha.net
Robotics
Camera
Sonar
Laser range-finders
Perception
Planning
Scheduling
Machine Learning
Manipulation
Locomotion
Navigation
Cognition
Action
Robotics
Camera
Sonar
Laser range-finders
Perception
Planning
Scheduling
Machine Learning
Manipulation
Locomotion
Navigation
Cognition
Action
RoboCup
RoboCup
Robot Soccer at Carnegie Mellon is led by computer scientist Professor
Manuela Veloso and her team.
To find out more check out: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~robosoccer/main/
Useful Skills for CS
Computer science
 Mathematics and logic
 Join the math club (?)
 Science
 Join the robotics club (?)
 Teamwork skills
 Communication skills

Classes
Undergraduate Computer Science Studies include:
Computer Science
 Mathematics
 Engineering and Science
 Languages, Literature, Arts …..
 Required Minor
 Free Electives

Jobs: With a Bachelors degree in
Computer Science you can be:
 Software Engineer
 3D Graphics Programmer
 Software Developer
 Finance Analyst
 Research Assistant
 Design Engineer
 Web Developer
 Game Programmer
 Application Developer
 Consultant
Job list courtesy of Kevin Collins, SCS Career Advisor
 Analyst
 Artificial Intelligence Engineer
 Automation Engineer
 Business Consultant
 Business Development Associate
 Documentation Tools Specialist
 Interface Designer
 Issue Associate
 IT Development Program Associate
 Patent Examiner, Computer Networks Division
 Quantum Computing Researcher
 Research Associate
 Usability Consultant
 User Interface Coordinator
 Web Experience Developer
Job list courtesy of Kevin Collins, SCS Career Advisor
You Could Work For:
Hardware and Software:
 Dell
 IBM
 Intel
 Microsoft
 Boeing
 Apple
Arts and Entertainment:
 Dolby
 Lucas Arts Film Company
 Pixar Animation Studios
 Walt Disney Imaging
Financial Institutions
 Goldman Sachs
 Morgan Stanley
 Merrill Lynch
Consulting:
 Accenture
 Deloitte&Touche
 PriceWaterhouseCoopers
Web Browsers:
 Google
 Amazon
 Yahoo
 Vivisimo
Answer puzzle 1.
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split into 3 lots of 4
take the first 4 coins and weigh against second
lot
with one weighing you know if the heavy coin is in
the 1st or 2nd group because the balance will go
down … or if they stay balanced it's in the 3rd
group
now take your group of 4 coins and split into 2's
now you can separate the pair and see which is
the heavy coin.
To make this a more difficult problem try finding
the coin of different weight without knowing if it's
heavier or lighter .... think about it...
Puzzle 2.
You come to a fork in the road and meet a pair of twins
and ask the way to go.
One twin always tells the truth
One twin always tells lies.
How do you decide which way to go?
Puzzle 3.

Three children sit one behind the other in a row. The third
child can see the first two, the second child can only see the
first and the first child can't see either of the other two.

A teacher has a box of five hats, two red ones and three
black ones. The teacher places a different hat on each of
the three children.

She instructs each one to call out the color of their hat once
they are sure of it. All of the children are perfectly logical.

Within a few minutes the first child correctly states the
color of her hat.

What color is it?
Puzzle 4.
There is a certain type of rope that when lit at one end, will take
an hour to burn.
The burning however is not uniform and so it might, for example,
take ten minutes for the first half to burn and fifty minutes for
the second half to burn.
You have two such ropes, but they are not identical
Your number of matches is not a concern.
How can you measure exactly 45 minutes?
Answer puzzle 2.
You say to the twin "If I
asked your twin
which road to take what
would she say? "
....and then you take the
other road...
Answer Puzzle 3
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Black.
If the third child does not reply first then she must be
confused by the hats of the other two.
If the hats of the first two were red, then the third would
know she had a black.
The second child, hearing the silence of the third realizes
that he and the first child can't both have red hats.
If the first child has a red hat then the second child knows,
since he cannot also have a red hat, that his hat is black.
The first child, noticing the silence of the other two,
realizes that she cannot have a red hat.
Therefore, her hat must be black.
Answer Puzzle 4.
You set the two ends of one rope and one end of the second
rope on fire.
Once the first rope has burned out a half hour has passed.
By lighting the other end of the second rope at that time,
it will take fifteen additional minutes for the second rope to
completely burn out.