Syllabus for PHY 201:
Digital Electronics

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Contact Info:   

 Thomas E. Blum
Office: H-133 (but also look in H-120)
Office Hours:  Mon. 1:00-2:00, Tues. 10:00-11:00, Thurs. 10:00-11:00 and 2:00-3:00, or by appointment
Phone: 215-951-1139
e-mail: blum@lasalle.edu
Web: http://www.lasalle.edu/~blum
Department office: Holroyd 123
Department phone: 215.951.1130

Description:

The course covers some basic electronics, including resistors, capacitors, diodes, transistors and transformers. The course introduces the basic logic gates and demonstrates how they can be used to realize arbitrary truth tables (combinatorial logic). Simplification procedures (Karnaugh maps) are introduced. Digital representation and sequential logic circuits are covered as well. Emphasis is placed on computer components such as adders, comparators, multiplexors, memory, counters, and bus-related circuits.

Section & credits

 Section: 21
Credits: 3

Meetings:

Tuesdays & Thursdays 3:30 - 4:45

Holidays:
Jan. 18 Martin Luther King Jr.
Mar. 7-13 Spring break
Mar. 25-28 Easter

Location:

Holroyd 155

Course Calendar:

 http://www.lasalle.edu/~blum/p201-cal-s16.htm

Text:

The Pattern on the Stone, (W. Daniel Hillis, Basic Books, 1998)

Websites:

Learning Objectives

 Students should be able to
  • Simplify circuits having resistors or capacitors in series or parallel combinations.
  • Simplify and build circuits from truth tables.
  • Build and operate simulated circuits corresponding to basic units of a computer, such as adders, multiplexors, demultiplexors, registers, shift registers, counters, ROM, RAM, etc.
  • Simulate and identify the purpose of logic gate circuits.
  • Represent and perform operations on binary numbers including unsigned, signed and floating point numbers.
  • Use diodes, transistors and inductors in circuits.

Assessment:
      Tests:60% 3 on-line tests (the last during final's week).
  Homework:     10% One page chapter summaries of the book The Pattern on the Stone.  (This is done individually.)

The book is on reserve in the library. Overnight use (1 night).
RESERVE CHECKOUT DESK -- QA76.5 .H4918 1998 c.2
      Class:   5% a mixture of attendance and participation
      Lab: 25%
  • Ordinarily, these labs will be done in teams of two.
  • I reserve the right to select the teams, limit the number of labs that can be done with a particular partner, and so on.
  • Unless stated otherwise, lab reports (one report per team) are due the week after the lab. Labs and homeworks submitted after the test on the relevant material will not be eligible for full credit.
  • Although labs are a team effort, each student is responsible for learning all of the skills and concepts.
  • Plagiarism, be it from a book, a web site or a fellow student, will be considered cheating. Copying simulation circuits is also considered cheating.
  • You must cite the sources you use. Sentences directly quoted require quotation marks, and so on. Changing one or two words per sentence is still plagiarism.
  • You are often allowed to bring in files from labs to use on the tests. It is recommended that both partners keep a copy of all relevant files. It might be useful to back them up. Also you should develop a systematic naming scheme so that you can find the file(s) you need on the test.
  • The plus/minus grading system will be used.
  • Attendance will be taken.
  • Absences, lateness, etc. will be reflected in the class portion of the grade. More than three unexcused absences may result in the lowering of a grade.
  • Before leaving lab early you must see me to show me your progress. If you are leaving early or not working on the labs during the lab period, it will count against you.
  • It is your responsibility to keep copies of all of your assignments, tests and so forth at least until you receive your final grade for the course.
  • The homework assignments (9 of them) will consist of a summary of a chapter in the book  The Pattern on the Stone. This will consist of a one-page Word document with normal margins (Top and Bottom: 1", Left and Right 1.25") using 12-pt Times New Roman font and double spacing (Format/Paragraph/Line Spacing: double). It must be obvious that you have read the chapter.

Grading scheme:
  • A  94 <= average
  • A- 91 <= average < 94
  • B+ 88 <= average < 91
  • B  85 <= average < 88
  • B- 82 <= average < 85
  • C+ 79 <= average < 82
  • C  76 <= average < 79
  • C- 73 <= average < 76
  • D+ 70 <= average < 73
  • D  67 <= average < 70

Classroom Behavior:

While in the classroom, students should behave in a manner that is neither distracting to nor disrespectful to the professor or other students. Cell phones should be turned off.

Cheating:

 When using materials from a book, website, etc., the source must be cited, otherwise it is considered plagiarism. Claiming another's work as your own is cheating. A student caught cheating will receive a score of zero. Repeated cheating can result in a failing grade for the course. Asking another for help on a step or two in a many step homework is acceptable; handing in duplicate or nearly duplicate work is not. If you require a significant amount of assitance, you should seek my help. Finally, openly allowing your work to be copied is also cheating.

http://www.lasalle.edu/students/dean/divpub/manuals/sgrrr/index.php?accordion_num=2&vn2_accordion_num=3&content=policies&anchorID=inte (Academic Integrity Policy)
http://www.lasalle.edu/students/dean/divpub/manuals/sgrrr/index.php?accordion_num=2&vn2_accordion_num=3&content=policies&anchorID=dish (Academic Dishonesty)

Some Tutoring

 Tutoring for various subject areas (70+ courses) is available for La Salle undergraduates. Subject tutors help students identify what as well as how to learn, clarify course content, and help students understand their strengths and weaknesses regarding the subject matter. Students should take advantage of tutoring at the first indication of difficulty in a course or whenever they wish to improve their performance or knowledge in a course, for example, to improve grades or to maintain high grades. Students can make tutoring appointments through GradesFirst located under Tools in the mylasalle portal. For students who have created their own study groups but would like a tutor to assist the group with the material, “facilitated study groups” can be arranged. For more information, contact Kitty Kaar at 215.951.1822 or kaar@lasalle.edu

The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science sometimes has "walk-in" computer science tutoring available. If available the time and place will be announced.

Academic Skills Workshops

 Academic Skills Workshops are offered face to face and online on a variety of topics such as study strategies, documentation styles, test taking, group study, and time management. A number of workshops are also archived online so students are advised to go to www.lasalle.edu/portal/learningsupport for workshop descriptions, dates, and times. Additional academic resources are available online as well. For more information, contact Mary Robertson at robertso@lasalle.edu or Jaime Longo at longoj@lasalle.edu

Student Resources

 https://lasalle.instructure.com/courses/1772 includes links to
  • Student Guide to Resources, Rights and Responsibilites
  • Academic Integrity Policy
  • American Disabilities Act
  • IT Help Desk Support
  • Academic and Learning Support Services
  • Library