CS424 Assignment 5

1. Use Python NWS to implement a simple result parallel prime finder that tests each integer from 2 to n for primality by testing by division for all possible factors (I suggest 2,3,5,7,9...). Each test should be independent, i.e. it should not depend on other tasks. Return a boolean vector that indicates the primality of each integer tested. You should use eachElem() to create the tasks.
2. Modify your solution to problem 1 to make use of previously determined primes to test each integer. This will be similar to figure 5.2 on page 87, but note that your program will differ in a couple of important ways from the Linda version in the book. Is there an operation you wish you had in NWS that would make things more natural?
3. Implement the specialist parallel prime finder that uses the sieve of Eratosthenes, but modify it to do chunking, i.e. rather than have each process own just 1 prime, let it own k primes. Note that in NWS, you can't easily do the dynamic process creation done in Linda via eval. As a workaround, create an initial, fixed pool of 20 "generic prime filters". These processes will hang around NWS, looking for a set of primes to own. When they get a set, they'll permanently become the filter for those primes. You'll only be able to handle 20 * CHUNK primes this way, of course.
4. How is the load spread among the processes in problem 3? Can you think of any solutions? Implement your solution and see if it helps the situation.