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CS Theory — Placement Preparation

Foundational computer science theory for interviews.

Chapters

TopicFile
Sets, Relations & FunctionsSet operations, relations, function types
LogicPropositional & predicate logic, truth tables
Proof TechniquesInduction, contradiction, pigeonhole
Complexity ClassesP, NP, NP-complete, reductions
Turing MachinesTuring machine model, decidability
ComputabilityHalting problem, recursion theory
Formal LanguagesRegular, context-free, Chomsky hierarchy
Formal MethodsTLA+, Alloy, Coq, model checking, abstract interpretation
Comparison Sorting Lower BoundΩ(n log n) information-theoretic bound

Why CS Theory Matters

  • Tests fundamental reasoning ability
  • Required for algorithm correctness proofs
  • P vs NP appears in interviews as a discussion topic
  • Proof techniques help in algorithm design
  • Sets/relations/logic form the basis of databases, type systems, and formal methods