Carleton University - School of Computer Science Honours Project
Winter 2019
Intelligo: A Web Application Aid for Understanding Asymptotic Complexity
Tamara Alhajj
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ABSTRACT
In the school of computer science at Carleton University, there is a third year course which incites fear and confusion in too many students; it is the infamous COMP 3804. Historically, the two basic concepts that trouble students are asymptotic analysis and the Master’s Method. Asymptotic analysis is a method of describing the mathematical bound of a function as the argument grows towards infinity. The Master’s Method applies to divide and conquer algorithms; this theorem states that the asymptotic run-time of the said algorithm can be found by solving a recurrence relation of the form T (n) = aT (n/b) + f (n). We are interested in creating a web application to aid in the understanding and application of these concepts. The approach to solving the problem of comprehension of these topics is to create tools within the web application that solve the equations and show the steps taken to reach the solution. This report provides an overview of the development of the learning aid, Intelligo.