The aim of the course is to get the students to know the most relevant methods for formal specification, and to enable them to model real-world situations in a formal manner on the basis of ambigous natural language descriptions. Moreover the students learn to read and understand the formal-mathematical characterisations of these methods such that they can extend their knowledge by specialised literature on their own.

Propositional logic, finite automata, regular expressions, formal grammars, Petri nets, predicate logic as specification language.

The course consists of a lecture part and an exercise part. The final grade is determined by the graded exercises, one written test and two oral exams.

Ects Breakdown

17.0 h attendance of lecture (5 days x 3h, 1 day x 2h)
10.5 h first exercise sheet (15 exercises x 0.7h)
 0.5 h first discussion with tutor
 8.0 h preparation for first oral exam (1 day x 8h)
 1.0 h first oral exam (Abgabegespräch)
10.5 h second exercise sheet (15 exercises x 0.7h)

 0.5 h second discussion with tutor
 8.0 h preparation for second oral exam (1 day x 8h))
 1.0 h second oral exam (Abgabegespräch)
16.0 h preparation for final test (2 days x 8h)
 1.5 h final test
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74.5 h = ca. 3 Ects

Grading

The final grade is determined on the basis of  the submitted exercises (two sheets worth 5 points each), two oral exams (10 points each),  and the written final exam (50 points), giving a total of 2*5+2*10+50=80 points.  To pass the course you need at least 25 points at the final exam and at least 40 points in total. Positive grades are determined from the sum of points according to the following scale:

• 40-49 points: passed (4)
• 50-59 points: satisfactory (3)
• 60-69 points: good (2)
• 70-80 points: excellent (1)

We offer four dates to take the final exam: mid of December, January, mid of February, and June (for the precise dates see the section Exams). You may take the exam at most twice, with the better result superseding the worse one. A certificate is issued as soon as the final grade is positive, the final test has been taken the second time, or the fouth date has elapsed.

To participate in this course and to get graded you have to take the following steps.

1. Enroll in the Studienabteilung
2. Do a Studieneingangsgespräch (registration until 1.10.2014 at the latest).
3. Register for this course via TISS between September 22 and October 23, 2014 (only possible after enrolment and Studieneingangsgespräch, with a delay of 1-2 working days).
4. Submit the first exercise sheet