GCO4013

Formal methods in software engineering

J Hurst

6 points - 4 hours per week - Second semester - Gippsland and distance - Prerequisites: GCO3811, MAT1077 - Prohibition: SFT3302

Objectives On completion of the subject students will understand the role and importance of formal specifications in software development; be familiar with an algebraic notation for specifying data types; be able to use the Z notation to specify a software system; be familiar with the process of refining a software specification into an algorithm; and be able to reason about the correctness of an algorithm with respect to a specification.

Synopsis Review of set theory, the predicate calculus, relations, relational algebra and formal specification concepts; algebraic and model based specifications. The Z notation, schemas, schema calculus, schema types and operations; data and algorithm design; data and operation refinement; proofs of correctness. The place of formal methods in software engineering practice.

Assessment Assignments: 60% - Examination: 40%

Prescribed texts

To be advised

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