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PA16-APCSA-17-18

Part 1: Programming Exercise

  1. Start with the code at http://scribbledecobble.blogspot.com/2018/05/mnk-game.html. Complete the ConnectFour class so that the program can play the tradition version of classic board game.
    • Your grid should be the same size as the physical board game: 6 rows and 7 columns.
    • Tokens may not be suspended in mid-air. They may only be put in the "lowest" available row within a column.
    • The game is over when a player connects four in a row.

Part 2: Questions

  1. Use the program provided (i.e. perform experiments) to determine how often each player wins and how often the players tie when playing random moves:
    1. In games of Tic-Tac-Toe.
    2. In games of Connect-4.
    3. In another game of your choosing. (Describe the game you created and tested.)
  2. Describe the experiments you performed to get your answers to the previous questions.
  3. Imagine you were asked to introduce Donald Knuth to a classroom of fifth graders. How would you introduce him?
  4. Imagine one of your parents asked you who Alan Turing was. What would you say?
  5. What did you like about AP Computer Science A this year?
  6. What didn't you like about AP Computer Science A this year?
  7. Try to remember what you thought of computer science and computer programming at the beginning of the school year. How has your perception changed?

Grading

You will receive three separate "100 point" scores for this assignment:
  • One score will be based solely on whether your implementation of the Connect-4 game functions correctly or not.
  • One score will be based solely on the readability (neatness and comprehensibility) of your source code for the ConnectFour class.
  • One score will be based on your answers to the questions in Part 2.

What to turn in

  • An electronic copy of the source code for ONLY your ConnectFour class should be email to Mr. Spurgeon by the assignment due date. (This should be the ONLY code that you write.)
  • A hard-copy of the source code for your ConnectFour class should be turned in by the due date.
  • A hard-copy of your answers to the questions should be turned in by the due date.

Due Date

All items described in the previous section MUST be turned in by the end of the school day on the last day of school.