These exam files are taken from the four-part comprehensive examination
that was required of all M.S. candidates in the 1980's and early 1990's.  
The time allowed for the exam varied, but generally ranged from four to 
five hours.

   This examination deliberately intended to cover both undergraduate
and graduate material in each of the given topics (usually formal 
languages, programming languages, data structures and algorithms, and 
hardware).  So many of the questions will be rather easier than might 
be expected for CS 288.

   Roughly half the students passed the comprehensive exam each time
it was offered.  Students were allowed three attempts at the exam.  
It was common for students to fail one or two attempts and then pass.

   The files have all been scanned from hard copies of the examinations.  
There has been some minor editing done, and perhaps a few typographical 
errors remain.  For the most part, the original formatting of each exam 
portion has been left unchanged.