Individual Algorithm Project

In contrast to the Group Algorithm assignment, where the topic was assigned, the Individual Algorithm Project is more open$-$ended. The guiding criteria is this: choose a decision$-$making problem in your life that is hard, something with real consequences, then use course concepts to explore potential solutions.

For example, from my perspective as a middle$-$aged adult, I$\text{'}$m beginning to think about retirement. That's a big topic. Wrapped up in that thought process is what I want to achieve in the last half of a career and how I want to be positioned for the remainder of my life. There are financial, relationship, location, and various personal considerations. I may consider the question of when to retire from the perspective of an optimal stopping problem. I might think about where to retire in terms of exploration and exploitation. When I have trouble wrapping my head around a particular issue, I might relax, explore an easier but related problem, then circle back around to the issue with new perspective. There are many ways to apply algorithmic thinking to a retirement decision.

On your assigned day, you should prepare a brief presentation to share your problem and proposed solution with the class. Your presentation should:

Define the problem you've chosen to address by clearly stating the objective and by identifying decision alternatives

Demonstrate how you can apply at least two algorithms to explore solutions to your problem

Be specific about solutions, detailed enough so that you and your classmates could actually implement them

Cite at least two library sources used to explore potential solutions to your problem

Presentations should be about $15$ minutes in length. The format is open and may include slides, handouts, various types of media, and the whiteboard. Dates are listed below.