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title: "Course Introduction"
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[Pre-class notes](HandWrittenNotes/IntroductionsF25Class.pdf)

[In-class notes](HandWrittenNotes/IntroductionsF25ClassPost1.pdf)

## Today's Information

### Learning Goals for Today

- Build curiosity for quantum computers and what they can do
- Think about learning (meta)

### Announcements/Logistics

- Office Hours **this week only**: Tues 11-2, Thurs: 11-12, 75 Shannon Rm 210 or Zoom (link on Canvas)
- "What I Did Over the Summer" [sign-up here](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSclQ6HZ2MbHxyoCVUysJNKY47wEOqLVpQhThzH3q74W_Ux9tA/viewform?usp=dialog) and come hear about your peers' summer experiences and eat PIZZA: 9/12 and 9/19, 12:30-1:45 in 75 SHS 102 
- Upcoming assignments/navigating website: see [Canvas!](https://middlebury.instructure.com/courses/16829)

## What do you know about quantum computers? What will you know about quantum computers?

Quantum computers are devices that use quantum bits (qubits) instead of regular bits. Quantum bits are two-level systems that behave quantum mechanically (the physics of very small particles), and because of this, they can do some types of operations that regular computers can not. Just like you can build the bits using different types of devices as long as they behave like an on/off switch (transistors, vacuum tubes...), quantum bits can be built from photons, ions, phonons, superconducting circuits, anyons, etc... anything that has two states and acts quantum mechanically. But quantum particles are extremely hard to control so large scale quantum computers have not yet been built. In this class we will be primarily using math to analyze and prove things about the behavior of quantum computers.

### Testing your current understanding:

::: {.callout-tip appearance="simple"}

### ABCD Questions 

* There are computational problems a quantum computer can solve that no classical computers can solve.

  A) True
  A) False
  A) Unknown

* Quantum computers can efficiently solve NP-Hard problems, like the traveling salesperson problem.

  A) True
  A) False
  A) Unknown


:::

So why are people so excited about quantum computing? *There are problems for which there is an exponential asymptotic time advantage for a quantum computer over a classical computer.*

### What we will learn in this class:

* Use standard terminology and mathematical tools of quantum computing to effectively describe and analyze quantum algorithms and protocols for cryptography, game-playing, disturbance-free detection, factoring, searching, and error correction.
* Describe properties of quantum mechanics (like entanglement, measurement, no-cloning, superposition, negative and complex phases), and build intuition as to why these properties lead to advantages over standard computation in computing and information tasks.
* Appreciate the limits of quantum computation and recognize when hype is used to minimize those limitations.

## Learning in this Class

### Learning Loop

::: {.callout-tip appearance="simple"}
## Think-Pair-Share
* What is something you are good at? (It does not have to be academic, but it should be something that involves a little effort. So for example, sleeping, watching TV, etc do not count. )

* How did you get good at it? [Word Cloud](https://pollev.com/shelbykimmel638)
:::

Learning is a cyclical process that involves 

1. Trying something
2. Getting feedback (either from an expert or from analyzing your mistakes)
3. Repeat!

Therefore, is it critical that you have the opportunity to make mistakes and get feedback before having to demonstrate skills

- Problem sets are graded on effort, not correctness
- Multiple chances to demonstrate skills

### Group Work

We will do group problem solving in class almost every period. This will help you learn course content

- by trying to explain your thinking to others
- by asking questions
- by making mistakes

It will also help you to learn to be a better team member and to meet lots of other cool CS students! I will always provide the solution in class after you've had a chance to work on it in groups.






