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Unlock The Algorithm Programming Contest (UTA)

The Unlock The Algorithm Programming Contest (commonly abbreviated as UTA) is one of the largest and most anticipated events held every semester at Daffodil International University (DIU). Organized by the DIU Computer & Programming Club (CPC) in collaboration with the Computer Science & Engineering (CSE) department, this event serves as a platform for students to showcase their problem-solving skills and algorithmic knowledge.

UTA features a wide range of algorithm-related problems that challenge participants to think critically and come up with efficient solutions under time constraints. These problems cover various domains such as data structures, graph theory, dynamic programming, and more, providing students with an opportunity to sharpen their coding abilities and gain hands-on experience with complex algorithms. It also acts as a stepping stone for those aspiring to participate in larger national and international programming contests.

Participants

Students enrolled in the “Algorithms” course can participate in the contest.

Contests

There are a total of 3 contests:

Mock Round:
The Mock Round is intended to familiarize participants with the contest platform (generally Toph) and other rules. It usually takes place online the night before the Preliminary Round.
- The round is generally open for all, meaning anyone accessing the contest platform can participate.
- Performance in this round does not affect the main contest.
Preliminary Round:
Performance in the Preliminary Round determines selection for the Main Round.
- It may sometimes be divided into 2 or more slots, depending on the number of participants.
- The contest duration is around 2 to 3 hours. Participants are given approximately 7 problems to solve using languages like C, C++, Python, or others of their choice.
Main Round:
- Participants are selected for the Main Round based on their Preliminary Round performance.
- Historically, around 250 contestants are selected.
- The round includes around 10 problems and lasts for approximately 3 hours. The environment is similar to the Preliminary Rounds.

Problem Set

Each round typically includes 7-10 problems.

Problem Preparation: The problem sets are curated by teachers, current top DIU ACM programmers, and alumni.
Topics: Preliminary round problems often align with algorithms discussed in the “Algorithms” course. Common topics include:
- Greedy
- Searching-Sorting
- Dynamic Programming
- Graphs
- Math
- Data Structures

To view past UTA problem sets, visit Toph.

Previous Problem Sets

Below are links to previous semester problem sets. You can click on "Begin Practice" to view the problems or participate in a virtual contest.

Spring 2024

Fall 2023

Contest Rules

Electronic devices are not allowed in the contest room.
Soft-copy templates are not allowed. However, hard-copy templates, cheat sheets, and books are allowed.
Participants can only use the contest platform and no other external sites.

Like any other programming contest, there are t-shirts, food, balloons, flags, and exciting prizes for the contestants.

For updates on the TakeOff Programming Contest of the current semester, follow:

Happy Coding!