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This detailed analysis of past year questions and syllabus breakdown will help you focus on the most important topics, their marks distribution, and exam trends!
This comprehensive breakdown of past-year questions, syllabus weightage, and key trends will streamline your exam prep!
🔥 What’s Covered?
✔ Chapter-wise Important Topics – Focus on high-yield concepts.
✔ Marks Distribution – Know where to invest your time.
✔ Exam Patterns – Identify frequently repeated questions.
✔ Solved Examples & Strategies – Master problem-solving techniques.
SAMPL Highlights:
Subject Name: Theory of Computation (CSC 262)
Unit 1: Basic Foundations
Important Topics: Formal definitions of Alphabets, Strings, Languages, Kleen Closure (
) and Positive Closure (
Marks Weightage:
Trends: Purely Theoretical definitions and simple illustration/examples are common. Often combined with basic definitions from Unit 2.
Probability of Appearance: 70%.
Unit 2: Introduction to Finite Automata
Important Topics:
Equivalence/Conversion: NFA to DFA conversion (Guaranteed long question).
Formal definitions and extended transition functions of DFA and NFA.
Finite State Machines with output: Moore and Mealy Machines (definition/differentiation).
Marks Weightage:
Trends: Heavy emphasis on Numerical/Design problems (Conversions, Machine Design) and Theoretical/Derivation for formal definitions.
Probability of Appearance: 95% (Mandatory long question on NFA/
Unit 3: Regular Expression
Important Topics:
Pumping Lemma for Regular Languages: Statement, explanation, and application to prove a language is not regular (Guaranteed proof).
Regular Expression Construction for a given language.
Conversion of DFA to Regular Expression (using Arden's Theorem/State Elimination).
Minimization of Finite State Machines (Table Filling Algorithm).
Marks Weightage: 10-15 marks.
Trends: Split between Derivation/Proof (Pumping Lemma) and Numerical/Design (RE Construction/Conversion).
Probability of Appearance: 90% (One question from Pumping Lemma or DFA
Unit 4: Context Free Grammar
Important Topics:
Chomsky Normal Form (CNF) Conversion (Guaranteed procedural question).
Parse Tree, Leftmost/Rightmost derivation, and proving Ambiguity in grammar.
Simplification of CFG (Removal of useless, nullable, unit productions).
Chomsky Hierarchy and Context Sensitive Grammar.
Marks Weightage:
Trends: Predominantly Numerical/Procedural (CNF is mandatory) and Theoretical (Definitions, Parse Tree).
Probability of Appearance: 95% (A mandatory question on CNF conversion or Parse Tree/Ambiguity).
Unit 5: Push Down Automata
Important Topics:
PDA Design/Construction for context-free languages (e.g.
Conversion of CFG to PDA or PDA to CFG.
Acceptance by Final State vs. Empty Stack and Instantaneous Description (ID).
Marks Weightage:
Trends: Heavy on Numerical/Design (PDA construction) and Procedural (Conversions).
Probability of Appearance: 85% (A question on PDA design or the inter-conversion between PDA and CFG).
Unit 6: Turing Machine
Important Topics:
Turing Machine (TM) Construction/Design as a language recognizer or computing function (Guaranteed long question).
TM Variations: Multi-tape, Multi-track, Universal Turing Machine (UTM), and their equivalence/comparison.
Formal definition, Instantaneous Description (ID), and Church-Turing Thesis.
Marks Weightage: 15-20 marks (Core, high-weightage unit).
Trends: A mandatory long question on Numerical/Design (TM construction) and a Theoretical question on TM variations/roles.
Probability of Appearance: 95% (A mandatory long question on TM design/construction).
Unit 7: Undecidability and Intractability
Important Topics:
Complexity Classes: P, NP, NP-Complete (including Big Oh notation) (Guaranteed theoretical question).
Undecidable Problems: Halting Problem and its proof (Guaranteed proof/theoretical question).
Post Correspondence Problem (PCP) and Reducibility.
Tractable vs. Intractable Problems.
Marks Weightage:
Trends: Almost entirely Theoretical and Conceptual questions. Focus on definitions, comparisons, and decidability proofs.
Probability of Appearance: 90% (A mandatory question on complexity classes or an undecidable problem).
Subject Name: Computer Networks (CSC 263)
Unit 1: Introduction to Computer Network
Important Topics:
OSI Reference Model vs. TCP/IP Model (Comparison and detailed layer explanation).
Overview of Network Topologies (Star, Ring, Bus, etc.) and their merits/demerits.
Network Types (LAN vs. PAN; Client/Server vs. P2P network).
Marks Weightage: 10-15 marks (Often the basis for a long answer question).
Trends: Heavy emphasis on Theoretical/Comparative questions, especially on the OSI/TCP-IP models and network types/topologies.
Probability of Appearance: 90%.
Unit 2: Physical Layer and Network Media
Important Topics:
Transmission Media (Wired: Fiber, Coaxial; Wireless: Radio, Microwave).
Switching Techniques (Circuit, Message, and Packet Switching) and their advantages/disadvantages.
Network Devices (Hub, Switch, Router, Bridge) and their operation layer.
Marks Weightage:
Trends: Theoretical/Comparative questions on transmission media and packet switching are frequent.
Probability of Appearance: 75%.
Unit 3: Data Link Layer
Important Topics:
Flow Control Mechanisms (Stop-and-Wait ARQ, Go-Back-N ARQ) and their handling of errors.
Error Detection/Correction (CRC/Hamming Code - Numerical/Procedural is common).
MAC Protocols (CSMA/CD, Token Bus/Ring).
Virtual Circuit Switching (Frame Relay & ATM).
Marks Weightage:
Trends: Procedural/Numerical for Hamming/CRC, and Theoretical/Comparative for ARQ protocols (Stop-and-Wait vs. Go-Back-N).
Probability of Appearance: 95% (A mandatory question on ARQ or MAC protocols).
Unit 4: Network Layer
Important Topics:
Sub-netting and Address Calculation (Class-full/Classless addressing and total hosts) (Guaranteed Numerical).
Routing Algorithms (Distance Vector vs. Link State routing).
IPv4 vs. IPv6 (Addressing, datagram formats, and comparison).
NATing and ICMP/ICMPv6.
Marks Weightage: 20 marks (Highest weightage unit).
Trends: Numerical problems on Subnetting are mandatory. Comparative questions on routing algorithms (Link State vs. Distance Vector) and IPv4 vs. IPv6 are highly frequent.
Probability of Appearance: 98% (A mandatory long question on Subnetting/Addressing and one on Routing).
Unit 5: Transport Layer
Important Topics:
TCP vs. UDP (Comparison and features; TCP Header diagram).
Congestion Control (Open Loop vs. Closed Loop; Leaky Bucket/Token Bucket algorithms).
Socket Programming (UDP/TCP with diagrams).
Ports and Sockets (Differentiation).
Marks Weightage:
Trends: Theoretical/Comparative questions dominate (TCP vs. UDP, Congestion Control). Procedural socket programming examples are common.
Probability of Appearance: 90%.
Unit 6: Application Layer
Important Topics:
DNS (Architecture, hierarchy, and query types).
Email Protocols (IMAP vs. POP3 vs. SMTP).
FTP vs. SFTP.
SNMP and Proxy Server concepts.
Marks Weightage: 10 marks.
Trends: Theoretical/Comparative questions on email protocols and DNS architecture/need. Short notes on SNMP are frequent.
Probability of Appearance: 80%.
Unit 7: Multimedia & Future Networking
Important Topics:
SDN (Software Defined Networking) and its features.
NGN (Next Generation Network) overview.
Multimedia Streaming concepts.
Marks Weightage: 5-10 marks (Often appears as a short note).
Trends: Theoretical short notes on modern networking concepts like SDN and NGN.
Probability of Appearance: 60% (Primarily short answer/note).
And so on for other subject too, Download it from the link "CLICK HERE"