CIS121/EAS121

Course Information

Description

CIS/EAS121 is identical to the "MATLAB half" of CS 100M in that during the first eight weeks of the semester, CIS/EAS 121 shares the same prelims, programming assignments, lectures, and sections. CIS/EAS 121 is an introduction to elementary computer programming concepts using MATLAB, including problem analysis, development of algorithms, selection, iteration, functions, and arrays. Examples and assignments are chosen to build an appreciation for computational science, which require the calculus prerequisite to establish a mathematical maturity baseline. The goal is for each student to develop a facility with MATLAB that will be useful in other courses whenever there is a need for computer problem-solving or visualization. For the second half of the semester, students can choose from a range of sequel courses (see below) that introduce additional languages and their application. These courses allow students to tailor the curriculum towards the requirements of their major.

Policies

CIS/EAS121 course policies resemble those of CS100M, but there differences in requirements and grading policies. Refer to the CS100M syllabus for detailed course information.

Sequel Courses

CIS/EAS 121 is intended to support a range of sequel courses, offered during the second half of the semester, that students can use to build programming skills that fit into their academic plans. One sequel course is available this spring:

• CIS122/EAS150: Application of FORTRAN in the Earth & Environmental Sciences
  This course emphasizes the application of scientific computing in the Earth sciences, including data processing and modeling of the Earth, its atmosphere, and oceans. This course extends the procedural programming concepts developed in CIS12X and considers their implementation in high-performance, compiled languages. Topics include the structure and syntax of a FORTRAN program, data input/output, compilation, and debugging. Prerequisite: CIS/EAS 121 or equivalent.

CIS/EAS 121 does not provide an introduction to Java, a prerequisite for many computer science courses (e.g. CS 211). Students who want to further study in computer science have several options

1. Take CS 100m instead of CIS/EAS 121.
2. Take CIS/EAS 121 followed by CS 100J or BEE 151.
3. Take CIS/EAS 121, 130, and 230. This option is especially suited for students minoring in Information Science.

It is possible that a Java-based sequel to CIS 121 will be offered in future years, but this is not available this semester.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Do I have to take a sequel course (CIS122)?
  You are not required to take a sequel course, but you should!
• Why isn't there a sequel course on my favorite language or for my favorite field?
  We are working to develop additional sequel modules, please send your suggestions to ajp9@cornell.edu.
• Which department should I register through?
  That depends on your college. If you are in CALS, please register through EAS.
• Can 121/122 serve as a prerequisite for higher-level computer science courses?
  While there are exceptions, most higher level CS courses require familiarity with Java. If you plan to take additional CS courses, you should consider taking CS 100M or CS 100J Students who realize after they complete CIS/EAS 121 that they want to go deep into Java computing can take either CS 100J or BEE 151.