ECE 2020 Digital Design

Prof. Matthieu Bloch

Monday August 18, 2025 (v1.0)

Logistics

Class time and venue: Monday and Wednesday 9:30am-10:45am
- In-person with mandatory attendance

Websites
- Canvas: for handouts and announcements
- Piazza: for Q&A (link on canvas)
- Gradescope: for assignment submission (link on canvas)
- Lecture slides: for viewing slides

This class is the beginning of your journey in electrical and computer enginering
- You can become a computer engineer
- You can become an electrical engineer
- You can become someone who does math and doesn't really build anything
- and yet this course will have profound implications on your identity as an engineer

Required textbook
- J. F. Wakerly, Digital Design: Principles and Practice, 5th ed. Pearson, 2018.
Required hardware
- Georgia Tech Kit - ECE2020
  - Online at Sparkfun https://www.sparkfun.com/products/14673?custom˙code=GTECE2020.
  - Shipping takes about 10 business days!
  - Please order your kits from this website during the first week of class
  - This kit does not contain all the parts needed
- NI my-DAQ unit can be checked out through the library for the entire Fall 2025 Semester.
Required notebook
- I expect you to take notes
- Tablets are ok but old-fashioned notebooks work just as well (and they're cheap)

Homework (5%)
- every 1-2 weeks
- evaluated on effort
Labs (10%)
- 2 labs (5% each)
Tests (52%)
- 4 tests (15% each)
- Closed-book, close-notes, in class, 70 minutes
Attendance (0%)
- mandatory attendance
Final exam (33%)
- Determined by Institute (see final exam matrix)
- Friday December 5th, 8am-10:50am

Honor code and AI policy
- You are expected to abide by the Georgia Tech honor code
- Use of ChatGPT, unauthorized use of any previous semester course materials, such as homework, projects, and any other coursework, are prohibited in this course
- When in doubt ask for clarifications
Major emergencies
- Contact the Dean of Students
Make up tests
- None
- The corresponding percentage will be added to the final exam

General guidelines
- Email the Dean of Students if your personal situation requires special academic consideration
- Use Piazza for technical questions
  - You can be anonymous to your peers, not to the instructors
    - You can use \(\LaTeX\) (\(\min_\beta\Vert y-X\beta\Vert_2^2\))
- Be courteous in your electronic interactions
  - Avoid judgmental language, e.g., "The answer is obvious", "This is trivial."
  - Try to be constructive
    - Avoid typos and use correct syntax
If you really have to email me
- Include `[ECE 2020]` in the subject of the email
- I am usually reasonably fast
- If you email the TAs, cc me

Silence all cell phones, tablets, pagers, smart watches
- You can use your tablet for note taking
Place distracting devices in your backpack

You are not feeling well and you cannot turn in your homework on time. Who do you contact?
- (a) The Dean
- (b) The Dean of Students
- (c) The School Chair
- (d) The Instructor

You are facing personal challenges that may affect your semester. Who do you contact?
- (a) The Dean
- (b) The Dean of Students
- (c) The School Chair
- (d) The Instructor

You are not happy with your test grade. Who do you contact?
- (a) The Dean
- (b) The Dean of Students
- (c) The School Chair
- (d) The Instructor

Be extra careful with written communication
- Proper greeting and proper closing
- 3 lines
- Clear asks

I believe in accountability, integrity, and fairness
- I will hold you to the same standards
- I trust you be default - trust is easily lost, not easily regained
Don't be shy and don't hesitate to talk to me !
- I don't negotiate grades but I’m here to help you learn
I value your feedback - I use it to make improvements

To be effective in ECE 2020 you should:
1. Come to class and leave all distractions behind
2. Be disciplined and complete reading and writing assignments on schedule
3. Come to office hours if you have questions
4. Enjoy the learning process, including the necessary struggles with the assignments
Read the syllabus!!!