University of Michigan

ENGR 101

Solving engineering problems with computer programming in MATLAB and C++.

Canvas
Google Drive
Piazza
Office Hours
Autograder
PrairieLearn
PrairieTest
ECoach
Lobster
MatCrab

Week 1

Announcements
Welcome! We're glad to have you in ENGR 101!
Please join us on Tuesday, August 26th for our first lecture! This week we'll be learning how ENGR101 works and the strategies for success! We're looking forward to seeing you there!
Complete the Start of Term Checklist before your first lab.
Labs start meeting this week.
Be sure to attend the lab section you signed up for on Wolverine Access. Come prepared to meet your classmates and work through your first activity.
Office Hours begin Monday, August 25th. Scroll down to find out when and where office hours are.
Heads up! Your first homework is due Tuesday, August 26th. This is a short homework and is mostly to walk you through working with your computer and installing MATLAB. If you have trouble installing MATLAB, you can come to office hours or contact the CAEN help desk.
Make sure to read the Guide to Using PrairieLearn to understand how the homeworks are set up, and then click a homework link below to get started. Don't forget that Homeworks 2, 3, and 4 are due next week!
Start of Term Checklist

Complete BEFORE your first lab.

Read the syllabus , course norms , and FAQ documents.

Find your lab instructor in our Meet the Staff slides!

Go to Canvas and click on Piazza to check out our Piazza site.

Go to Canvas and click on PrairieLearn to see where you will do homework, lecture reflections, labs, and other assignments.

Complete Homework 1: Setting Up Your Computer so that you are ready for lab!

Homework

Due TUES 11:59pm

HW1: Setting Up Your Computer

These homeworks are due next week on September 2nd. Don't forget to do them!

HW2: Intro to Matlab

HW3: Vectors and Matrices

HW4: Functions in MATLAB

Lecture

Learn How to Succeed in ENGR101

Slides / Files

Recordings

Reflection Form
Due Sat. 11:59pm

Recordings and reflection available after lecture ends.

Lab 1
Due 11:59pm Saturday

Meet and Greet / How Labs Will Work

Welcome Slides

Lab Exercises

Piazza Q&A with walkthrough videos

(Walkthroughs are released on Friday night/Saturday morning)

Week 2

Announcements
Welcome to Week 2!
This week we'll start learning MATLAB and discuss why your computer is your most important engineering tool.
No Office Hours Sunday and Monday this week due to the Labor Day holiday. Office hours will resume on Tuesday, September 2nd.
Your first big set of homeworks are due this week. Make sure to read the Guide to Using PrairieLearn to understand how the homeworks are set up, and then click a homework link below to get started!
Join the course late? Not to worry! Email your lab instructor to introduce yourself and then check Week 1 for links to things you need to get caught up on. If you need extensions for assignments, contact the course coordinator at engr101coursecoordinator@umich.edu.
Extra Credit Opportunities

(10 pts) ECoach Beginning of Term Survey. Complete the survey by September 12th at 11:59pm. Note: ECoach has one Beginning of Term Survey that covers all the courses that you are taking that use ECoach this term. So, you may have already completed this survey as part of your work for another course.

Other Opportunities

The Engineering Center for Academic Success holds tutoring sessions for a variety of classes.

Homework

Due TUES 11:59pm

HW2: Intro to Matlab

HW3: Vectors and Matrices

HW4: Functions in MATLAB

Lecture

Your Computer as an Engineering Tool

Slides / Files

Recordings

Reflection Form
Due Sat. 11:59pm

Recordings and reflection available after lecture ends.

Lab 2
Due 11:59pm Saturday

Matrices and Functions

Welcome Slides

Lab Exercises

Autograder Submission

Piazza Q&A with walkthrough videos

(Walkthroughs are released on Friday night/Saturday morning)

Week 3

Announcements
Welcome to Week 3!
We'll be exploring logical indexing and images in MATLAB, and we'll see how to apply these to Project 1.
Project 1 has been released. Scroll down to the Projects section for the link to an overview of the project and the project specifications (which contain the FAQ). You're ready to start Project 1 after you've finished the homework that is due this week.
Lecture this week will introduce Project 1 and include some program planning to help you get started on Project 1. Make sure to attend!
Assessment 1 is next week. See the Canvas announcement when it is posted for more details.
Join the course late? Not to worry! Email your lab instructor to introduce yourself and then check Week 1 for links to things you need to get caught up on. If you need extensions for assignments, contact the course coordinator at engr101coursecoordinator@umich.edu.
Extra Credit Opportunities

(10 pts) ECoach Beginning of Term Survey. Complete the survey by September 12th at 11:59pm. Note: ECoach has one Beginning of Term Survey that covers all the courses that you are taking that use ECoach this term. So, you may have already completed this survey as part of your work for another course.

(10 pts) ECoach Assessment 1 Playbook. Complete the playbook by September 12th at 11:59pm.

Other Opportunities

The Engineering Center for Academic Success holds tutoring sessions for a variety of classes.

Homework

HW5: Logical Operations and Indexing

HW6: Working with Images

Lecture

Project 1 Overview

Slides / Files

Recordings

Reflection Form
Due Sat. 11:59pm

Recordings and reflection available after lecture ends.

Lab 3
Due 11:59pm Saturday

Logical Indexing and Images

Welcome Slides

Lab Exercises

Autograder Submission

Piazza Q&A with walkthrough videos

(Walkthroughs are released on Friday night/Saturday morning)

Assessment 1 Reservation

Assessment 1 is next week! Make sure you have made a reservation in PrairieTest to take Assessment 1.

PrairieTest Assessment Reservations for CBTF

How to Make a CBTF Reservation

Project 1 Spec Review

Due SAT 11:59pm

Complete the spec review assignment for Project 1 at the link below.

P1 Spec Review

Week 4

Announcements
Welcome to Week 4!
This week we'll be looking at how we can use MATLAB to simulate a physical phenomenon and use that simulation create helpful and informative visualizations.
Project 1 Checkpoint should be completed by Tuesday to make sure you're on track to finish the project on time. Come see us in office hours with questions! Don't wait until the last minute to start Project 1!
Drop-Add Deadline is Monday, September 15th.
Assessment 1

Assessment 1 is happening this week! The Duderstadt CBTF will be open 10am-10pm Monday-Friday for you to take your assessment. You must make a reservation using the link below; walk-in appointments are not available.

Assessment Details & Logistics

PrairieTest Assessment Reservations for CBTF

Practice Assessment

Extra Credit Opportunities

Check back later for extra credit opportunities!

Other Opportunities

The Engineering Center for Academic Success holds tutoring sessions for a variety of classes.

Homework

HW7: Plotting and Figures

HW8: Statistics and Simulation

HW9: Advanced Plotting and Data Visualization

Lecture

Programming Application: Beam Deflection

Slides / Files

Recordings

Reflection Form
Due Sat. 11:59pm

Recordings and reflection available after lecture ends.

Lab 4
Due 11:59pm Saturday

Plotting, Statistics, and Simulation

Welcome Slides

Lab Exercises

Autograder Submission

Piazza Q&A with walkthrough videos

(Walkthroughs are released on Friday night/Saturday morning)

Assessment 1

Make sure you know when your reservation is to take Assessment 1! Don't forget because there are no late submissions for assessments.

Project 1 Checkpoint

You should have the Project 1 Checkpoint completed by today to stay on pace for Project 1.

Week 5

Announcements
Welcome to Week 5!
We'll be exploring some new data types and data structures in MATLAB this week. We'll then see how we can use these new data structures in Project 2.
Project 1 is due Tuesday. Come see us in office hours with questions! Don't wait until the last minute to submit!
Project 2 will be released this week. We will send a Canvas announcement when Project 2 has been released.
Assessment consultations for Assessment 1 are available during in-person office hours this week. If you would like to go through your answers for Assessment 1, or are interested in retaking Assessment 1, please come see us in office hours.
Assessment 2 is next week. See the Canvas announcement when it is posted for more details.
Extra Credit Opportunities

(10 pts) ECoach Assessment 1 Reflection. Complete the reflection by September 29nd at 11:59pm.

Other Opportunities

The Engineering Center for Academic Success holds tutoring sessions for a variety of classes.

Homework

HW10: Strings and Cell Arrays

HW11: MATLAB Tables

Lecture

Project 2 Overview

Slides / Files

Recordings

Reflection Form
Due Sat. 11:59pm

Recordings and reflection available after lecture ends.

Lab 5
Due 11:59pm Saturday

Data Visualization

Welcome Slides

Lab Exercises

Autograder Submission

Piazza Q&A with walkthrough videos

(Walkthroughs are released on Friday night/Saturday morning)

Project 1 Due at 11:59pm

Submit Project 1 by today to earn up to full credit.

Assessment 2 Reservation

Assessment 2 is next week! Make sure you have made a reservation in PrairieTest to take Assessment 2.

PrairieTest Assessment Reservations for CBTF

How to Make a CBTF Reservation

Project 2 Spec Review

Due SAT 11:59pm

Complete the spec review assignment for Project 2 at the link below.

P2 Spec Review

Week 6

Announcements
Welcome to Week 6!
We'll be learning about how we can use computing to improve society and to reveal bias in algorithms.
Project 2 Checkpoint should be completed by Tuesday to make sure you're on track to finish the project on time. Come see us in office hours with questions! Don't wait until the last minute to start Project 2!
Assessment 2

Assessment 2 is happening this week! The Duderstadt CBTF will be open 10am-10pm Monday-Friday for you to take your assessment. You must make a reservation using the link below; walk-in appointments are not available.

Assessment Details & Logistics

PrairieTest Assessment Reservations for CBTF

Practice Assessment

Extra Credit Opportunities

(10 pts) ECoach Assessment 1 Reflection. Complete the reflection by September 29nd at 11:59pm.

Other Opportunities

The Engineering Center for Academic Success holds tutoring sessions for a variety of classes.

Homework

HW12: Applying Computing to Society

Lecture

Algorithmic Bias

Slides / Files

Recordings

Reflection Form
Due Sat. 11:59pm

Recordings and reflection available after lecture ends.

Lab 6
Due 11:59pm Saturday

Tables and Data Analysis

Welcome Slides

Lab Exercises

Autograder Submission

Piazza Q&A with walkthrough videos

(Walkthroughs are released on Friday night/Saturday morning)

Assessment 2

Make sure you know when your reservation is to take Assessment 2! Don't forget because there are no late submissions for assessments.

Project 2 Checkpoint

You should have the Project 2 Checkpoint completed by today to stay on pace for Project 2.

Professor Office Hours

Office Hours with Prof. Alford

Come talk about anything at all (this course, other courses, why Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering is the best major, why 1995 was the best year ever for movies ... you know, the important stuff!). This is a super casual thing -- come on by!

Friday 12:30-1:00pm

B521 Pierpont

Office Hours with Prof. Begley

Come chat about life at Michigan, what it's like working in a research lab, or why guinea pigs make the best pets.

Tuesday, 1:00 pm-2:00 pm

B521 Pierpont

Staff Office Hours

Guide to ENGR 101 Office Hours

Read this guide to office hours to help you get the most out of your office hours time in ENGR 101.

Why You Should Go to Office Hours

This student-facing post from Arizona State University talks about office hours: why to use them, how to prepare for them, etc. We hope you'll come visit us in our office hours, and we want to emphasize that you can come to discuss course-related questions or concerns, but you can also come to ask us about majors, about your resume, etc. We are very excited to meet with you 1:1!

Office Hours in B521 Pierpont

You can join these office hours without an appointment. You can stay as long as you want, so come hang out and get some ENGR 101 work done with us! This schedule will not change from week-to-week, so feel free to plan around this!

Day Schedule

Course Essentials

Syllabus

All the details

Course Norms

Norms and expectations for meetings, email, and other forms of communication in the course

People

Meet the course staff!

FAQ

Answers to common questions about ENGR 101

Installation Guide for ENGR 101

You will do the installation as part of homework assignments, but you can find it here, too, if you need it later!

Updated guide coming soon!

Troubleshooting Common Problems

[Windows] Installing WSL/Ubuntu

[Windows] Opening a folder in WSL in VS Code

Request Forms

Excused Lab Absence Request (Illness)

Request an excused lab absence due to illness

Regrade Request

Request a regrade or report a grade discrepancy

Projects

The Autograder

Project code is submitted to the autograder; the autograder is linked at the top of this course webpage. Read this guide to the autograder to learn more about using the autograder.


The Honor Code

All project code is subjected to our cheat checking procedures. If we find sufficient evidence of cheating, we are required to submit a report to the Honor Council. You can learn more about what happens with Honor Council reports by watching this video from the Engineering Center for Academic Success.

Project 1

Dealing with Radiation

Due Tue, September 23rd

Overview ( slides )

Specifications

FAQ

Schedule of Topics

Week 1

Homework Topic

Lecture Topic

Lab Topic

Projects

Assessments
Setting Up Your Computer
Homework 1 due		 First Lecture! Learn how to succeed in ENGR 101
Lab 1: Introduction to ENGR 101 Lab
Lecture reflection due Lab worksheet due

Week 2

Homework Topic

Lecture Topic

Lab Topic

Projects

Assessments
Labor Day
Intro to MATLAB; Vectors and Matrices; Functions in MATLAB
Homeworks 2-4 due		 Your Computer as an Engineering Tool
Lab 2: Matrices and Functions
Lecture reflection due Lab worksheet due

Week 3

Homework Topic

Lecture Topic

Lab Topic

Projects

Assessments
Logical Operations and Indexing; Working with Images
Homeworks 5-6 due
Project 1 Overview Project 1 Released
Lab 3: Logical Indexing and Images
Lecture reflection due Lab worksheet due Project 1 Spec Review due

Week 4

Homework Topic

Lecture Topic

Lab Topic

Projects

Assessments
Plotting and Figures; Statistics and Simulation; Advanced Plotting and Data Visualization
Homeworks 7-9 due 		Drop/Add Deadline Assessment #1 happens this week

You will be able to select a time slot that fits your schedule!
Programming Application: Beam Deflection Project 1 Checkpoint should be completed by today
Lab 4: Plotting, Statistics, and Simulation
Lecture reflection due Lab worksheet due

Week 5

Homework Topic

Lecture Topic

Lab Topic

Projects

Assessments
Strings and Cell Arrays; MATLAB Tables
Homeworks 10-11 due
Project 2 Overview Project 1 Due
Project 2 Released
Lab 5: Cell Arrays, Tables, Data Visualization
Lecture reflection due Lab worksheet due Project 2 Spec Review due

Week 6

Homework Topic

Lecture Topic

Lab Topic

Projects

Assessments
Applying Computing to Society
Homework 12 due 		Assessment #2 happens this week

You will be able to select a time slot that fits your schedule!
Algorithmic Bias Project 2 Checkpoint should be completed by today
Lab 6: More Tables & Data Analysis
Lecture reflection due Lab worksheet due

Week 7

Homework Topic

Lecture Topic

Lab Topic

Projects

Assessments
Setting Up for C++
Homework 13 due
Programming Application: Animation in MATLAB Project 2 Due
Lab 7: Goodbye MATLAB, Hello C++
Lecture reflection due Lab worksheet due

Week 8

Homework Topic

Lecture Topic

Lab Topic

Projects

Assessments
Fall Break!
Intro to C++, More C++ Basics and Branching, Iteration
Homeworks 14-16 due		 Your Computer as an Engineering Tool, part 2 (ASYNCHRONOUS) Lab 8: Getting Started with C++
Lecture reflection due Lab worksheet due

Week 9

Homework Topic

Lecture Topic

Lab Topic

Projects

Assessments
Functions in C++; Strings, Streams and IO
Homeworks 17-18 due
Program Planning and Debugging
Lab 9: Branching, Iteration, and Functions
Lecture reflection due Lab worksheet due

Week 10

Homework Topic

Lecture Topic

Lab Topic

Projects

Assessments
Vectors; Program Design
Homeworks 19-20 due
Project 3 Overview Project 3 Released
Lab 10: Vectors and Program Design
Lecture reflection due Lab worksheet due Project 3 Spec Review due

Week 11

Homework Topic

Lecture Topic

Lab Topic

Projects

Assessments
Structs, Vectors of Vectors
Homeworks 21-22 due		 Assessment #3 happens this week

You will be able to select a time slot that fits your schedule!
Programming Application: House Hunting Project 3 Checkpoint should be completed by today
Lab 11: Data Structures and Program Design
Lecture reflection due Lab worksheet due

Week 12

Homework Topic

Lecture Topic

Lab Topic

Projects

Assessments
No homework due this week
Project 4 Overview Project 3 Due
Project 4 Released
Lab 12: Programming Practice (Energy Management)
Lecture reflection due Lab worksheet due Project 4 Spec Review due

Week 13

Homework Topic

Lecture Topic

Lab Topic

Projects

Assessments
No homework due this week Assessment #4 happens this week

You will be able to select a time slot that fits your schedule!
TBD Programming Application Project 4 Checkpoint should be completed by today
Lab 13: Programming Practice (Ottendorf Cipher)
Lecture reflection due Lab worksheet due

Week 14

Homework Topic

Lecture Topic

Lab Topic

Projects

Assessments
No homework due this week
No Lecture This Week
Thanksgiving Break!

Week 15

Homework Topic

Lecture Topic

Lab Topic

Projects

Assessments
No homework due this week
Semester Wrap-up Project 4 Due
No lab this week

Week 16

Homework Topic

Lecture Topic

Lab Topic

Projects

Assessments
Last day of class! All remaining late submissions and assessment retakes must be submitted by TODAY at 11:59 PM!

Interested in Being an IA or GSI?

Interested in being an IA or GSI for ENGR 101? Fill out this "I'm Interested" form and we'll send you an application the next time we are hiring! We do hiring in March for the upcoming fall term, and we do hiring in November for the upcoming winter term.