PA163 Constraint programming

Faculty of Informatics
Autumn 2014
Extent and Intensity
2/1. 3 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Hana Rudová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
RNDr. Pavel Troubil, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. RNDr. Eva Hladká, Ph.D.
Department of Computer Systems and Communications – Faculty of Informatics
Supplier department: Department of Computer Systems and Communications – Faculty of Informatics
Timetable
Thu 14:00–15:50 A318
  • Timetable of Seminar Groups:
PA163/01: each even Friday 8:00–9:50 B117, H. Rudová
PA163/02: each odd Friday 8:00–9:50 B117, H. Rudová
PA163/03: each odd Wednesday 12:00–13:50 B117, P. Troubil
Prerequisites
For seminar group using logic programming expected knowledge in backgrounds of propositional and predicate logic, e.g. based on the course IB101.
There are no prerequisites concerning logic programming.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Graduate will understand how to apply declarative approach for problem solving with the help of constraint programming.
Graduate will understand which algorithms are used for implementation of the constraint programming approach to be able to propose a proper declarative model and proper search procedures. To achieve that graduate will learn various constraint propagation algorithms and search methods.
Graduate will be able describe solution of the problem using constraints either with the help of constraint logic programming or optimization programming language (the choice is related with the choice of seminar group).
Syllabus
  • Constraint satisfaction problem. Introduction to problem modelling.
  • Algorithms and consistency: arc, path. Methods for non-binary constraints: k-konsistency, general arc and bounds consistency, global constraints. Directional versions, width of constraint graph and polynomial problems.
  • Tree search: backtracking, look ahead, look back, incomplete algorithms. Local search.
  • Optimization and over-constrained problems: frameworks and algorithms.
  • Constraint logic programming, OPL (Optimization Programming Language).
  • Problem modelling and real-life applications.
Literature
  • DECHTER, Rina. Constraint processing. San Francisco: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, 2003, xx, 481 s. ISBN 1-55860-890-7. info
  • Edward, Tsang. Foundations of constraint satisfaction. Academic Press Ltd., 1993.
Teaching methods
The course has a form of a lecture with a seminar taking two hours per two weeks at the computer laboratory. Lecture is mainly oriented on presentations of algorithms and their practical application for solving of problems in the area of constraint programming. Solved problems are often realized using modifications of existing code. Seminaries concern namely practical realization of CLP(FD)/OPL programs in SICStus Prolog/ILOG. Seminaries include homeworks which solutions together with solutions of examples solved during seminaries are available at the course web site.
Assessment methods
Final written exam (about 7 examples, 100 points). There is following evaluation: A 90 and more, B 80-89, C 70-79, D 60-69, E 55-59. The exam also includes following types of questions: overview of some part, comparisons of methods or definitions, algorithms, definitions, examples (about 33% of the points corresponds to evaluation of the constraint model for given problem(s)).
Bonus examples are available on three random lectures, only students taking a part in the lecture can send their solution to the teacher. It is possible to get points up to 6 points per each example set. Each student is required to obtain 5 bonus points at least from the total point of 18 points. Bonus points can be added to the final exam points to improve evaluation.
Knowledge about constraint logic programming (CLP) is expected for the CLP seminar group only. Similarly knowledge about optimization programming language (OPL) is expected for the OPL seminar group only.
Taking of seminaries is obligatory. Absence at more than seminar requires successful completion of additional examples corresponding to the number of absent hours. High number of missed seminaries does not allow completion of the course.
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Teacher's information
http://is.muni.cz/el/1433/podzim2014/PA163/index.qwarp
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2003, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020, Autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2014, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fi/autumn2014/PA163