This course is part of the Blockchain Specialization

4.7

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23 ratings

Stefano M. Stefan

3,749 already enrolled

Offered By

Blockchain SpecializationUniversity of California, Irvine

About this Course

Apply what you have learned about cryptography and hashing in previous blockchain to the Merkle Tree, which underlies the process of adding new blocks — representing new transactions — to the blockchain. This course also introduces the concepts of proof of work and proof of stake, which play an important part in ensuring the integrity of the blockchain.
This course requires the purchase of two books for the completion of assignments:

Drescher, D. (2017). Blockchain Basics: A Non-Technical Introduction in 25 Steps. (ISBN-13: 978-1484226032)
Antonoupoulos, A. M. (2017). The Internet of Money, Volume Two. (ISBN-13: 978-1947910065)

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Shareable Certificate

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Course 3 of 4 in the

Blockchain Specialization

Beginner Level

Approx. 8 hours to complete

English

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Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 3 of 4 in the

Blockchain Specialization

Beginner Level

Approx. 8 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Stefano M. Stefan

University of California, Irvine

17,732 Learners

4 Courses

Offered by

University of California, Irvine

Since 1965, the University of California, Irvine has combined the strengths of a major research university with the bounty of an incomparable Southern California location. UCI’s unyielding commitment to rigorous academics, cutting-edge research, and leadership and character development makes the campus a driving force for innovation and discovery that serves our local, national and global communities in many ways.

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week1

Week 1

2 hours to complete

Hashing and The Merkle Tree

2 hours to complete

1 video (Total 7 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week2

Week 2

3 hours to complete

Hashing and an Introduction to Cryptocurrencies

3 hours to complete

1 video (Total 9 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

Week3

Week 3

1 hour to complete

Proof of Work and Proof of Stake I

Now that we have investigated hash functions and hash puzzles, we will focus on proof-of-work, which is an approach to modifying the blockchain that can be difficult and time-consuming to compute. We will also focus on proof-of-stake, an alternative to updating the blockchain in which larger nodes are modified that already represent a large portion of the blockchain. We will investigate the pros and cons of each approach and prepare to apply the principles of proof-of-work and proof-of-stake.

1 hour to complete

1 video (Total 13 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week4

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Proof of Work and Proof of Stake II

3 hours to complete

2 readings

About the Blockchain Specialization

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

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The Merkle Tree and Cryptocurrencies

About this Course