MAS 390 Quantum Information and Computation Spring 2020 Syllabus

MAS 390 Quantum Information and Computation Spring 2020
Course Syllabus
David W. Lyons

updated: 14 January 2020

Part 1. Course Description

The course topics are an introduction to the basic theory of how quantum computers work, and some of the applications that these machines either already do or will be doing in the future. Possible applications topics include:

quantum financial computing (pricing, risk analysis)
secure communication using quantum cryptography (code making)
quantum network security
quantum metrology (clocks, gravity waves detectors, etc)
many more possibilities

Prerequisites

MAS 202 and MAS 222

Text and Materials

[N-C] Nielsen and Chuang, Quantum Computation and Quantum Information
[L] Lyons, Introduction to Modern Algebra and Geometry

Course Format

The first half of the course will consist of studying material from the textbook. This involves daily problem solving and solution presentations in class, and will have two exams (see the Reading and Problem List section below). In the second half of the course, students will pursue individual reading projects on topics of their choice. Class meetings will involve daily discussion and progress reports. Each student will produce a 2 to 5 page Project Write-up.

Reading and Problem List

[L] 0.1 Introduction to Complex Numbers

[N-C] Chapter 2
  Sections 2.1.1 to 2.1.6
  Exercises 2.1 to 2.25, omit 2.21

  Sections 2.1.7 to 2.1.10
  Exercises 2.26 to 2.49 (omit 2.50)

  Sections 2.2.1 to 2.2.5, 2.2.7 to 2.1.9
  Exercises 2.51 to 2.68, omit 2.62,2.63,2.64

  Sections 2.4.1 to 2.4.3
  Exercises 2.71 to 2.75

[N-C] Chapter 4
  Sections 4.1, 4.2
  Exercises 4.1--4.15

  Sections 4.2, 4.3
  Exercises 4.16 to 4.35

Part 2. Graded Work

Your cumulative average is determined by graded work in the categories listed below with the indicated weights. Details and instructions are given in the sections that follow.

"Small Things"

Daily participation
Writing warm up exercise
Project write-up outline
10%

Project Write-up 20%

Exams (non-final) 40% total (20% each)

Final Exam 20%

"Small Things

Each of the three types of "small" graded items (see descriptions below) will be graded for effort and completeness, but not for correctness. Here is the grading rubric.

"Small Things" Scoring Rubric

Score Description

2 points Presentations or written submissions are fully prepared in a way that shows a good faith effort to thoroughly complete the assignment.

1 point Presentations or written submissions are not fully complete or show little effort to thoroughly complete the assignment.

0 points Presentations or written submissions are not prepared or not turned in before the deadline.

"Small Things" Scoring Rubric
Score	Description
2 points	Presentations or written submissions are fully prepared in a way that shows a good faith effort to thoroughly complete the assignment.
1 point	Presentations or written submissions are not fully complete or show little effort to thoroughly complete the assignment.
0 points	Presentations or written submissions are not prepared or not turned in before the deadline.

Daily participation: your turn in the roster rotation to present a problem or a progress report

Class format will consist of daily student presentations. In the first half of the course, presentations will be solutions to problems in the textbook. In the second half of the course, presentations will be progress reports on your individual reading project.

Writing warm up exercise

Your final project write-up will be typed, will use proper mathematical symbols and typesetting conventions, and will have a proper bibliography. In order to address the learning curve inherent in typing mathematical content, there will be a short (less than 1 page) writing warm-up exercise.

Project write-up proposal, with practice bibliography

Write a short (less than 1 page) description of the topic you plan to study for your individual project in the second half of the semester. List at least two sources in proper bibliographic form. This proposal must be typed. It is not supposed to be an outline for your final write-up.

Project Write-up

The project write-up is a typed, 2 to 5 page report on your individual project investigation. The write-up will use proper mathematical symbols and typesetting conventions. The project write-up will include the following sections:

Introduction
Body
Conclusion
Bibliography (any standard format)

Exams

Exam problems are based on, but not limited to, the assigned reading and exercises. Exam format, subject matter, and rules will be announced in advance. The final exam will be comprehensive, including material from the entire course. In keeping with College policy, the final exam can only be taken at the officially scheduled time during final exams week.

No music players or electronics with wireless or network capabilities (computers, phones, etc.) are allowed during exams. No hats with brims are allowed during quizzes or exams. If you need to leave the classroom during an exam, you must leave your cell phone at the instructor's desk in the front of the room.

For full credit, quiz and exam solutions must show not just final results, but also demonstrate with appropriate supporting work that you understand the reasoning involved. Solutions to some problems require responses written using one or more complete sentences. Solutions will be graded not only for mathematical correctness, but for clarity of writing. Illegible work or a final answer given without supporting work shown receives no credit.

Exam problem solutions will be graded using the following 5-point rubric. Exceptions will be announced in advance.

Exam Scoring Rubric

Score Description

5 points Solution is complete and correct, shows appropriate work, and uses correct vocabulary where prompted.

4 points Solution has a small flaw (for example, there's a correct solution method, but an arithmetic error throws off the final answer). Solution shows understanding of method(s) and issues involved.

3 points Solution has a "medium" flaw (too large to be "small"), or several small flaws.

2 points Response shows a start on the right direction, or has some part of the solution right, but largely goes wrong---too much wrong to earn 3 points.

1 point There is some attempt at the problem; there is plausible evidence that some aspect of the problem is grasped.

0 points No points are given for a blank response, an illegible response, or a final answer (say, for a computation) given with no supporting work shown, or if the response shows no plausible evidence that some key aspect of the solution is grasped.

"Small Things" Daily participation Writing warm up exercise Project write-up outline	10%
Project Write-up	20%
Exams (non-final)	40% total (20% each)
Final Exam	20%

Exam Scoring Rubric
Score	Description
5 points	Solution is complete and correct, shows appropriate work, and uses correct vocabulary where prompted.
4 points	Solution has a small flaw (for example, there's a correct solution method, but an arithmetic error throws off the final answer). Solution shows understanding of method(s) and issues involved.
3 points	Solution has a "medium" flaw (too large to be "small"), or several small flaws.
2 points	Response shows a start on the right direction, or has some part of the solution right, but largely goes wrong---too much wrong to earn 3 points.
1 point	There is some attempt at the problem; there is plausible evidence that some aspect of the problem is grasped.
0 points	No points are given for a blank response, an illegible response, or a final answer (say, for a computation) given with no supporting work shown, or if the response shows no plausible evidence that some key aspect of the solution is grasped.

MAS 390 Quantum Information and Computation Spring 2020 Course Syllabus David W. Lyons