Introducton to Quantum Algorithms
ECE 592-100 (also ECE 492-054, CSC 495-054, and CSC 591-054)
Spring 2026
Instructor.
Dror Baron;
e-mail: barondror AT ncsu DOT edu; office hour: Wednesdays, 14:30-15:30, Zoom.
Class. Monday and Wednesday, 11:45-13:00, EB2 1226.
Teaching assistant.
Mohsen Ghodrati; e-mail: mghodra AT ncsu DOT edu;
office hour Tuesday 11:30-12:30, Zoom.
Announcements
- 6 January 2026.
Course webpage is online;
Moodle;
Panopto
videos of class;
syllabus; and
tentative schedule.
- 12 January 2026.
TA information has been updated.
- 13 January 2026.
Introduction slides updated;
HW1 is due on Jan. 21.
- 14 January 2026.
Updated syllabus.
- 17 January 2026.
HW2 is due on Jan. 28.
- 24 January 2026.
HW3 is due on Feb. 4.
- 27 January 2026.
Revised slides for
math
segment of course (Chapter 2 in notes, and Notes 2-3);
and Notes2 are available on Moodle.
- 28 January 2026.
Notes3 are available on Moodle.
- 30 January 2026.
HW4 is due on Feb. 11.
- 31 January 2026.
HW5 is due on Feb. 25.
- 6 February 2026.
HW3 and HW4 are now due on February 9 and 16, respectively;
Quiz1 is now on February 16; and
updated schedule.
- 8 February 2026.
Updated slides.
- 9 February 2026.
Notes4 are available on Moodle.
- 24 February 2026.
HW5 is now due on March 2; and Notes 5-15 are available on Moodle.
- 27 February 2026.
HW6 is due on March 4.
- 5 March 2026.
HW7 is due on March 11.
- 7 March 2026.
2026 Quiz 1;
its solution;
2026 Quiz 2; and
its solution.
- 10 March 2026.
HW8 is due on March 25.
- 11 March 2026.
HW7 is now due on March 13.
- 24 March 2026.
The project proposal is due on April 1.
- 26 March 2026.
HW9 is due on April 1;
HW10 is due on April 8.
- 30 March 2026.
HW9 is now due on April 3.
- 7 April 2026.
HW11 is due on April 15;
HW12 is due on April 22.
- 8 April 2026.
Updated schedule;
2026 Quiz 3; and
its solution.
Useful Links
About this Course
Prerequisites
This course provides an introduction to quantum algorithms primarily through
inner product space and signal processing perspectives.
As such, it will be advantageous for students to be familiar with
linear algebra (e.g., Math 305 or 405), linear systems (ECE 301) and signal processing (e.g., ECE 410), and basics of quantum computing, specifically quantum gates.
Because most students lack at least part of this background, we will review
these materials during the first half of the course.
It will also be helpful for students to be familiar with probability and statistics (e.g., ST 371 or ECE 514).
Some programming proficiency, for example in Matlab or Python, could be helpful.
For your convenience, here are links to course materials for
ECE 421 and
ECE 514.
Topics
Below is a list of topics that will be covered. Having said that,
as a somewhat new course, we may veer away from our planned route as the semester progresses.
-
Motivation and Introduction.
-
Mathematical basics: complex numbers, Taylor series, linear algebra.
-
Signal processing basics: discrete time signals and systems, discrete time Fourier transforms, frequency interpretation of linear time invariant systems.
-
Quantum computing basics: state spaces, quantum evolution, measurement, qubits,
single qubit gates, multi-qubit gates, entanglement. Deutsch's algorithm.
-
Hadamard transform: finding XOR function patterns, Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm, Bernstein-Vazirani algorithm.
-
Grover's quantum search algorithm.
-
Quantum Fourier transforms: Fast Fourier transform (classical) and quantum Fourier transform,
quantum phase estimation, classical spectral estimation, noisy spectral estimation.
Course Materials
Textbook
The instructor will be trying to provide his interpretation to some topics in the quantum literature,
while coming from his (classical) signal processing perspective.
Here are some references that may be useful.
-
Nielsen and Chuang, Quantum Computing and Quantum Information, 2000.
-
Proakis and Manolakis, Digital Signal Processing - Principles, Algorithms, and Applications, 1992 or later editions.
Programming
It is not clear whether we will have programming assignments as part of our course.
In any event, for your convenience, I am including resources for Matlab and Python.
It is possible that some students workin on projects will want to use
the quantum programming language
Qiskit.
Slides and Modules
- The grand scheme of
ECE 421 (undergraduate signal processing)
helps offer some perspective.
-
Slides for
introduction
segment of course (Chapter 1 in notes).
-
Slides for
math
segment of course (Chapter 2 in notes, and Notes 2-3).
-
Slides for Chapters 1-2
in Proakis & Manolakis. (Introduction to signal processing; discrete time signals and systems.)
-
Slides for
Chapters 4-5
(old slides)
in Proakis & Manolakis. (Fourier transforms; LTI systems in frequency domain.)
-
Slides for
Chapters 7-8
(old slides)
in Proakis & Manolakis. (Discrete Fourier transforms; fast Fourier transform.)
-
Slides for the
CHSH game
by Ryan O'Donnell. More information about his 2018 quantum course is available
here.
-
Slides for complexity classes.
Assignments and Grading
Grading
For graduate students, the following grade structure will be used.
| Component |
% of Grade |
Due Date |
| Homework: |
40% |
Throughout course |
| Mini Project: |
10% |
Due last week end of course |
| Quizzes: |
30% |
3 quizzes, dates and details in course calendar |
| Final Exam: |
20% |
May 4, 12-2:30 |
| Extra credit: |
Up to 3% |
|
For undergraduate students, there is no need to submit the mini project.
However, undergraduate students are welcome to submit projects,
in which case the project grade will be assigned up to 3% extra credit.
(For example, an undergraduate with a 90% grade on the project will receive 2.7% extra credit.)
Note that the total extra credit will still be capped at 3%, including a possible contribution from the mini project.
| Component |
% of Grade |
Due Date |
| Homework: |
50% |
Throughout course |
| Quizzes: |
30% |
3 quizzes, dates and details in course calendar |
| Final Exam: |
20% |
May 4, 12-2:30 |
| Extra credit: |
Up to 3% |
|
Homework
We expect homeworks (HWs) roughly every 1-2 weeks.
Submission should be in class electronically on Moodle up to midnight on the day that it is due.
-
HW1 is due on Jan. 21.
-
HW2 is due on Jan. 28.
-
HW3 is now due on Feb. 9.
-
HW4 is now due on Feb. 16.
-
HW5 is now due on March 2.
-
HW6 is due on March 4.
-
HW7 is now due on March 13.
-
HW8 is due on March 25.
-
HW9 is now due on April 3.
-
HW10 is due on April 8.
-
HW11 is due on April 15.
-
HW12 is due on April 22.
Mini Project
The project will involve a topic that a student chooses to work on.
This could involve reading a paper and presenting it to the class,
implementing some quantum algorithm,
or even (ideally, hopefully) presenting new results that you worked on.
More details about the project will be provided during the semester.
-
Projects will be required from graduate students and optional for undergraduates.
-
Projects will be presented in class.
-
A reasonable report would be 2-3 pages, including possible figures and references.
-
Presentations will be peer graded. Make sure to attend classes toward the end of the semester
(per the course schedule) in order to peer grade the presentations.
-
The project proposal (due April 1) should specify the name(s) of student(s) involved
(2 students should be fine, please check with me), the topic for the project, and why you're enthusiastic
about that topic. The project proposal can be brief; a third of a page seems reasonable.
Past tests
Feedback
Students are encouraged to send feedback to Prof. Baron,
barondror dot {gmail dot com, ncsu dot edu}.