Getting the most value out of the homework

Why we assign homework

The homework questions are intended to enhance the material presented in class and in the textbook in several ways:

Some of the questions reinforce the concepts presented in class and in the textbook by asking you to apply them to specific, concrete examples and scenarios.
Some of the questions extend the material by asking you to consider variations of concepts presented in class and in the textbook.
Some of the questions are intended to sharpen your problem-solving skills by asking you to solve problems that use the concepts taught in class and in the textbook but may also require some additional thought or insight. These questions may be useful practice for the types of questions that are often asked in technical interviews.

An unsolved homework problem is an opportunity to learn something useful, which makes it a resource. If you obtain the solution without learning anything, the only thing you have succeeded in doing is wasting a resource.

Try to do the homework yourself

You will get the most out of these questions if you attempt them yourself. Over the long term, skill at problem solving is far more important than knowing the solution to a specific question through memorization or passive learning.

If you get stuck on a question:

Review the relevant portions of the lecture notes and the textbook
Ask questions in Office hours or in Discussion sections
Ask questions on Ed Discussion.
Keep in mind that the more specific your question, the better the answer you are likely to get, particularly if your post is on Ed Discussion. Also, a public post on Ed Discussion will receive higher priority than a private post that should have been a public post.

If after all this you feel like you need to collaborate with a colleague, that is okay, but try to be an active participant. Don't just copy your colleague's answer. Doing so may get you a slightly higher grade on the corresponding homework quiz, but that is only 4% of your grade over the entire quarter. Your goal in doing the homework should be to learn the material and to prepare for the 90% of the grade that the exams represent. If you do collaborate with other students, we still recommend that you write up the solutions yourself.

After the solutions are posted …

After the homework quiz (if there is one), and after the solutions are posted, check your solutions against the posted solutions. If you are not sure whether your solution is correct, ask. If there is something in the posted solution you do not understand, ask. Make sure you understand how to do the question correctly.

Last modified: March 28, 2026